Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

On October 26, 1869, the whole of Europe turned its attention to Vienna and Berlin.

The news that the Netherlands suddenly announced that it would no longer lend its roads to the Kingdom of Prussia after October 20, 1869 was a surprise.

Has the Dutch prodigal son returned?

However, King William IV of the Netherlands, who is currently visiting the Austro-Hungarian Empire, suddenly did not deny the Kingdom of Prussia’s announcement that William IV would visit Prussia after November 11. Obviously, this news eliminated the possibility of a deterioration in Dutch-Prussian relations.

So what was the reason that made Holland change his mind?

What many people don’t know is that at this time, the Port of Perth in the Far East and Western Australia had dispatched a fleet consisting of two second-class sail warships and five light sail patrol ships five days ago and was heading towards the southern part of the Indian Ocean. Kerguelen Islands.

After receiving the telegram on October 19, 1869, this fleet began to set off on October 21 to hand over the French on the islands.

At the same time, a small fleet also set off from Toamasina Naval Port, an important eastern port of Madagascar, five days ago and has now arrived at the two major islands of the Mascarene Islands in the east, Mauritius and Reunion. .

There are currently 300 people each in the city of Saint-Denis on the island of Reunion and the city of Port Louis on the island of Mauritius handing over management rights to the French army.

However, such important news cannot be kept secret for long.

The first place where the news broke was Paris. When someone submitted an article to tell the news to the Paris Journal, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper received hints from some senior shareholders. On October 27, the Paris Journal reported the news to the Dutch newspaper. Information about the transaction with France was revealed.

When the news was confirmed, Paris was quiet.

But everyone guessed that this was just the darkness before dawn, the brief calm before the storm.

Of course, it was not just the attitude of the French that attracted attention. After learning that the Netherlands actually traded with France to acquire a small island in the Indian Ocean, it turned out that other countries were also jealous.

First, when Emmanuel II of Italy faced this issue during his domestic visit to Milan, he expressed support for the French Empire’s exercise of its own sovereignty, which every country should have. However, Italy did not think that Paris’s approach was harmful to the French Empire. Best for the citizens of Paris.

Apparently, the Italian king was jealous.

At the same time, even Sweden and Denmark also asked Amsterdam about the situation. Presumably, these two countries were unaware that the Netherlands had taken over the Indian Ocean island of the French Empire without informing them in advance. Already dissatisfied.

However, perhaps they thought of William IV's hope that Spain would become the new leader of the alliance in Athens some time ago, which made them unwilling to put excessive pressure on the Netherlands. In the end, the two countries could only hint at their dissatisfaction and then their voices dropped. No, the joint exercise continues outside the Port of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

At the same time, in Vienna of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, William IV and Joseph I were holding a formal meeting between the two kings.

Participants in the meeting this time were William IV and Nicholas Pearson, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the Dutch side, and Franz Joseph I and Reichberg, Foreign Minister of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the Austro-Hungarian side.

From the very beginning of the meeting, it naturally started with chatting to find an atmosphere. .

First, Franz Joseph I blessed the marriage of William IV's younger brother, Crown Prince Frederik, and then asked about the circumstances of the wedding.

Afterwards, the two couldn't help but talk about the sadness after the former prince of Bavaria and the former king of Greece, Otto I, was ousted.

William IV naturally had two different answers.

When a full 10 minutes had passed, the two of them, under the guidance of Joseph I, finally started with the French Empire being dissatisfied with the Dutch lending the Duchy of Luxembourg to Prussia.

William IV naturally blocked the gun with a gun, and he was calm.

So he also came up with real materials at the same time.

“To the north are the Aisne and Nord provinces close to the original Belgium and the Hainaut province “taken” back from Belgium, and further north are the provinces of East Flanders and West Flanders now owned by the Netherlands.

If you go west from Sedan, you will find Reims in the Marne, where Napoleon III lived, and if you go west from the Marne, you will find Paris.

To the south of Sedan is Verdun, the capital of the Meuse department.

If Prussia follows the escape direction of De Fay, commander of the Fifth Army of the Chalon Army, in the north, then if the journey goes smoothly, it may directly reach the Pas de Calais on the French coast of the English Channel.

If the English Channel is attacked, then the British Empire will never want to be so quiet and smart like Bismarck.

To the west, he directly faced Napoleon III in a life-and-death battle outside Reims.

If Verdun is captured to the south, then in a straight line from Sedan to southern Switzerland, the entire eastern France will enter Prussia's pocket."

Franz Joseph I secretly praised in his heart: "He is indeed the monarch who led the rapid rise of the Netherlands. Judging from these analyses, he has put all the pros and cons of Prussia's possible future offensive route on the table for Bismarck and William I to choose.

At the same time, if Napoleon III also took these precautions, then at least he would be prepared and the casualties would be much reduced. "

He asked William IV: "So, Your Majesty William, do you think that after the Prussians took Sedan and calmed down these days, they are well prepared. Where will the next attack direction be?"

William IV stared at Franz Joseph I and asked: "Your Majesty, if you were His Majesty William I, where do you think you should start in the best interest of Prussia?"

Franz Joseph I thought for a moment, then smiled: "Of course it is the city of Reims, where Napoleon III was guarding. There were only 100,000 people. But this time in Sedan, Prussia only lost 20,000 of the 150,000 people. , 130,000 troops are enough to reach the city of Reims, and then the other Third Army will assist. Napoleon III is the last wall of the French Empire. As long as this wall is demolished, Prussia will be stable in the following Franco-Prussian War. If you win, victory is only a matter of time.”

Nicholas Pearson looked at William IV and saw him smiling and saying nothing. Being familiar with his boss, he knew that His Majesty had other ideas.

Sure enough, William IV clapped his hands and praised: "His Majesty Joseph I's statement is quite good."

Franz Joseph I frowned, and he knew from his tone that William IV didn't seem to agree very much, "Your Majesty, do you have any other opinions?"

“I can’t say I’m too knowledgeable, but I’m a little worried.”

Seeing Joseph I looking over, William IV pointed out: "The two sides are currently pushing the front to Reims and Sedan, but what about the southeast?"

Several people suddenly brightened up after hearing this. They knew what William IV was referring to.

Without waiting for Joseph I to answer. William IV said: "I know Bismarck. He likes to do things with certainty. Therefore, I think Bismarck should not be willing to take the risk of going to Reims for a war with a hard-to-win outcome. On the contrary, I think that he I will look south and capture Verdun."