Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

In addition to its overseas colonies in Africa and the Far East, France also has territories in the East Oman region purchased from the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East, as well as islands in the Caribbean and Guyana in South America.

Prime Minister Bismarck from Prussia suddenly had a change of heart. He glanced at William IV secretly and couldn't help thinking: Doesn't the Netherlands want colonies in Africa and Asia?

That's right, the Dutch colonies in Africa were much more fertile than the French colonies, and most of the French colonies were close to the Mediterranean and West Africa. They were almost within France's sphere of influence. If the Netherlands got it, William IV was probably afraid that France would settle the score later.

Bismarck also thought of the Far East, which seemed to be close to the ancient great country in the Far East. The Netherlands had a small population and had always avoided provoking that great power. It even chose to retreat on the largest island of that ancient great power.

From now on, there will no longer be any aggression against that big country.

Is it possible that the Netherlands was not too enthusiastic about North Vietnam's expansion of the French Empire in the Far East?

Otherwise, why were they just helping the Kingdom of Siam consolidate its power over the years instead of launching an invasion?

It seems that they only captured Phu Quoc Island, a kingdom of Siam in the southeastern part of Cambodia near South Vietnam, and used 200,000 pounds to buy it in advance when the French Empire invaded Cambodia, knowing that the Kingdom of Siam could not be saved.

His Majesty William IV in front of him was very wary of the place and did not want to get too involved.

Bismarck's eyes lit up, as if he had discovered something.

The Netherlands focuses its efforts on the south, northeast and east of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

France did not have much interest in the Pacific, and the Netherlands was not very interested in Africa. In the Indian Ocean, Bismarck remembered that the French Empire only had the Mauritius Islands and the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, and the rest was the overseas territory of East Oman in the north.

East Oman?

Bismarck seemed to have grasped the sore spot of Holland, and he was delighted.

“On August 10, 1866, the Netherlands and Prussia purchased the United Arab Emirates, and Prussia purchased the Qatar Peninsula. Both countries contributed 1 million pounds.

In the second month, the French Empire bid 1.6 million to acquire East Oman in the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea. East Oman is connected to the border with the United Arab Emirates and is on the same sea. They are both in the east and west of the southern Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East. At the end of the day, if the Netherlands can capture East Oman, the Netherlands' territory there will be doubled, and the port will be excellent, guarding the Sea of ​​Oman, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. The successful intervention in the northern Indian Ocean will further strengthen the Netherlands' control in the Indian Ocean and become the second largest force in the northern Indian Ocean after the United Kingdom."

The more he guessed, the more Bismarck felt that he had guessed what William IV was thinking. Therefore, I felt much calmer.

Even at this time, he had already begun to calculate, after using the Netherlands this time, how to use Britain to strengthen its vigilance against the Netherlands due to its strength in the North Indian Ocean, to instigate Britain to increase its pressure on the Netherlands, and to prepare for Prussia to face Britain after it invaded the French Empire. When the pressure might come, let the Netherlands help Prussia relieve the pressure from Britain.

When Bismarck was deriving ideas along this line of thinking, William IV did think of taking the risk of letting Prussia borrow French East Oman through the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

It has to be said that William IV has been eyeing this place for a long time. As a time traveler from later generations, I am very familiar with the Strait of Hormuz.

Every time Iran in later generations clamors to block the strait, the world's oil prices will rise more or less. The narrow strait, which is only 48 nautical miles at its narrowest point, can be said to be equivalent to the mouth of a bottle. As long as it is blocked, the world's oil supply can be almost halved, which can be said to have grasped the key to the world economy.

Since William IV has made up his mind to place the future destiny of the Netherlands in the Dutch East Indies and the Australian continent between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, it is natural that oil and natural gas, the most important future energy source in the Indian Ocean, will be located on the west coast of the Persian Gulf early. Has become a thorn in William IV's side. It is precisely because of this that as early as 1866, he pushed the Netherlands and Prussia to go to the Middle East to purchase first.

After all, the Netherlands did not have enough influence at the time. The Ottoman Empire could even ignore the Netherlands and win over Prussia, and it succeeded in the end.

Under the promotion of the Netherlands, the waters in the Middle East have become increasingly muddy, and numerous major countries in central and southwestern Europe have come here to find a place to stay. This took an important step for the implementation of his plan in the future.

At present, it seems that the plan is indeed going according to plan. Prussia invades France and the Netherlands takes away the French territory of East Oman, which is not important to Prussia now. It is absolutely a coincidence.

Thinking of this, William IV greeted Bismarck with an "I already know what you're thinking" look, and he said without hesitation: "It takes a lot of risks to take the road through Luxembourg. As a small and medium-sized country that cannot fight against the three major powers of Britain, France and Prussia, the Netherlands has to bear a huge burden. The loss, at least for the Dutch diplomacy, was the loss of room for roundabout diplomacy with the French Empire.

If Chancellor Bismarck wants us to make a decision, we will have to pay more. "

Bismarck's calm expression changed slightly and his body swayed slightly. He seemed to underestimate the appetite of William IV in front of him.

Bismarck couldn't laugh or cry: "The Netherlands currently seems to be a middle-class country, but that is just an illusion in Europe. Who doesn't know that the Netherlands has already broken through the restrictions of a first-class power by virtue of its strength in the Far East. The British Army may only be regarded as inferior in Europe. First class, but the Navy makes up for what the Army lacks.”

He confessed to William IV: "Prussia is confident that its army can suppress the British Army, but in the face of their world-dominating navy, we can only look at it with dismay.

The Netherlands has now become a naval power second only to Britain and France, and its strength is even higher than that of Spain, ranking third in the world. With the lessons learned from the British Empire lying there, who dares to underestimate the power of the Netherlands?"

Speaking of this, Bismarck said with great seriousness: "We hope that His Majesty William can help Prussia and fulfill His Majesty's long-cherished wish in his life."

William IV: "Isn't it His Excellency Bismarck's long-cherished wish?"

"Naturally" Bismarck said: "In order to complete this plan, I have been preparing for it for more than 20 years."

William IV was shocked and instantly lost his composure. He sighed: "Sure enough, victory belongs to those who are prepared. The Netherlands can agree to use Luxembourg. We hope that Prussia will help the Netherlands win East Oman."

Bismarck thought: "It is indeed there"

When William IV saw Bismarck waiting for him calmly, he had obviously guessed his thoughts, and he was not surprised. The development path of the Netherlands has obviously been guessed by many people. Britain's recent blockade of the Netherlands was done after seeing through the threat of the Netherlands' development in the Far East to the British Empire.

Bismarck asked at this time: "If His Majesty William still has conditions, let's share them together. I'll see if I can consider and agree to your Majesty's conditions."

He thought to himself that in the Indian Ocean, the Anglo-Dutch struggle for hegemony was almost a foregone conclusion. If I were William IV at this time, if I had to make a choice, I would choose to compete with the British Empire in the northern Indian Ocean in order to completely become the hegemon of the southern Indian Ocean. As a target, I would propose the French Empire's Mauritius Islands or Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, or even directly propose the two together.

He is even sure that the Mauritius Islands will be chosen first because they are too close to the Dutch province of Madagascar, and the Mauritius Islands are just across the Indian Ocean route between Madagascar and the Australian mainland, and their strategic significance is very important.

For William IV’s conditions, the Mauritius Islands should be indispensable.

However, some things are often unexpected, and Bismarck miscalculated this time.

William IV said: "Except for East Oman, my condition is that Prussia transfers the Qatar it purchased from the Ottoman Empire some time ago to the Netherlands at the same price as the 1 million pounds used to purchase it from the Ottoman Empire. Prime Minister How is your Excellency?"

When Bismarck heard that William IV had asked for Qatar, his expression could no longer remain calm. William IV, who had been watching closely, naturally did not miss this scene.

He knew that his request might be too much.

Prussia would probably not agree to this request.

Bismarck no longer cared about losing his gentlemanly demeanor in front of William IV.

Because of Qatar's geographical location, it is also very important to Prussia.

It's like Prussia planted a flag there, announcing that Prussia's influence has expanded there.

Moreover, in the minds of senior Prussian officials such as Bismarck and William I, once it entered Prussia's pocket, they never thought of spitting it out, not even giving it to others.

William IV also understood that he was posing a difficult problem for Bismarck and the Prussian high-level officials. Even if Bismarck did not have the power, even if he did, he would need to think twice about it. The rising Prussia was just like some countries in later generations. For rising powers, nationalism has always been crazy.

If you are not careful at all, the violent public opinion you have stirred up will come back to bite you.

Will the Prussian people accept the sale of their land by their country's top leaders?

Even thinking about it seems impossible.

William IV knew that Qatar had been a Prussian territory for nearly three years, and it was clearly marked on the map of the Kingdom of Prussia. No matter how strong Bismarck was, it would be difficult to break away from this tight curse.

But at this time, Bismarck encountered a problem that he had not thought of before coming. William IV actually chose the Mauritius Islands instead of the Mauritius Islands? Not the Kerguelen Islands either? The Netherlands actually wants Qatar?

Qatar is currently the easternmost territory of Prussia, and it was purchased from the Ottoman Empire with real money and money through a motion passed by the Prussian Parliament. It was originally published in major newspapers in Prussia, and the whole people knew about it. Even the 12,300 square kilometers of territory measured there are clearly written in black and white.

William IV's request was more difficult than expected for Bismarck.