Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 098
Chapter Title: Great Chaos (2)
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The Hague, Netherlands.
Binnenhof, States General.
On the very day the results of the Battle of Ulm arrived, the Netherlands convened an emergency federal assembly.
The news had spread in all directions, and less than a day later, all of the Netherlands' high-ranking officials had gathered.
Antoni van der Heim, the Grand Pensionary of Holland who effectively served as chairman, spoke gravely.
"You've all heard on your way here, but this is an emergency. France has suffered an unbelievable defeat against Austria, with their main force nearly wiped out."
"The news arrived in four days, and another day has passed since, so it must have happened five days ago."
"How the hell could France's main army just vanish like that? Wasn't it 90,000 strong?"
"The report says France's massive army, advancing in three directions, converged at Ulm, clashed with Austria, and was annihilated. It came so urgently that the details of the battle aren't recorded."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
What was the first thing anyone would say in a situation like this?
"Who was it? Who said France had the advantage?"
Of course, it was time to find the culprit.
Liv Heylinc, the elder statesman of Amsterdam's merchant faction, slammed his fist on the table in excitement and continued.
"If this spreads, our bonds could turn to worthless trash! We need to sign a non-aggression pact with Austria on the Rhine's west bank right now—immediately, before this ominous news spreads further!"
"Now, now, calm down. We're not at war with Austria yet, so we still have time..."
"Didn't you mock the Habsburg court just recently, calling inoculation a papal conspiracy? I said back then we needed to be more cautious!"
"...What's the point of fighting over the past? Let's coolly devise some countermeasures first."
In the Dutch Republic, which had no monarch, major national decisions were made by consensus of the delegates from the seven provinces gathered here.
Normally, they aimed for unanimity, but in emergencies like this, even five votes in favor were enough to enact measures.
"First, let's minimize economic losses. Liquidate French treasury bonds and bills of exchange as quickly as possible and order a trading halt."
"Next, to calm market jitters, announce an increase in the standing army for now."
"Agreed. And General Bentinck, investigate as swiftly as possible why the French army collapsed so helplessly and analyze it thoroughly."
Usually, when a defeat this monumental went down in history, it wasn't just because the loser was incompetent—it was often because the enemy was overwhelmingly superior.
If Austria had produced someone surpassing Prince Eugene, that alone would be a massive threat to every nation.
The Netherlands, practically bordering the Austrian Netherlands, couldn't afford to relax.
"For now... let's propose emergency talks with Britain and Prussia. We can't handle this alone."
"Agreed."
With France, the continent's superpower, crumbling and the possibility of an even stronger power emerging, Europe's nations were forced into desperate moves for survival.
This wasn't just the Netherlands' problem.
About two days after The Hague erupted in chaos...
Across the sea, Britain's Parliament was urgently convened, encompassing both the Commons and the Lords without distinction.
The House of Lords, packed with nobles, openly showed their distrust of the repeated blunders from the Commons.
"Can we really keep entrusting the government to that prime minister?"
As the Duke of Newcastle, Walpole's staunch ally, opened fire, a barrage of vitriolic criticism poured toward the prime minister.
"Did that guy take bribes from Austria behind our backs?"
"Ahem, Lord Harrington. He's still the prime minister—swearing outright is a bit..."
"Ah, sorry. But it doesn't make sense. A prime minister who was handling affairs decently—why does he keep screwing up whenever Austria's involved?"
The Lords had held back a lot until now.
Even when the Commons declared neutrality predicting France's advantage in the Polish War of Succession.
Even when, during the Habsburg-Ottoman War, they said to watch a bit longer before intervening.
Even when they claimed to have invented inoculation to prevent smallpox.
The Commons had gotten everything backwards in ways that beggared belief, but the Lords kept waiting, saying just give it one more chance.
But this time, they'd crossed the line.
"A week ago, France's 90,000-strong army at Ulm was utterly crushed. Austria's naturally riding that momentum across the Rhine by now—probably reaching Alsace at least."
"Give it two more weeks, and they'll be at Paris."
"That's why this is a disaster. Without prior preparations, we can't even mediate now."
"If Habsburg and Prussia monopolize the Rhine, port duties go straight to them. That'll hike our maritime insurance premiums for sure."
The Lords' mood chilled at Lord Hardwicke's cool analysis.
"I think we really need to impeach the prime minister. Investigate any ties to Austria first. It's for his honor too."
"...Verify if he's a traitor or just purely incompetent? Either way, his reputation's in the dirt."
"Better incompetent than a traitor, though."
The Lords were traditionally packed with the prime minister's allies, but this time even they nodded silently.
With the Duke of Newcastle leading the criticism, it was over.
As the Dukes of Argyll and Chesterfield joined in raising their voices, Walpole, with his twenty years of experience, became the kingdom's laughingstock for incompetence.
"Heh, 6:4 in Austria's favor? A situation that could tilt to France anytime?"
"How do you analyze things to keep getting these absurd results?"
"Conclusion's clear. Let's vote."
In the end, the Lords passed a de facto vote of no confidence against the Commons with an overwhelming majority.
The Lords didn't actually have the power to impeach the Commons.
But they had a surefire way to cut off the Commons' arms and legs no matter what.
[The House of Lords condemns Prime Minister Robert Walpole's incompetence and declares it cannot assent to any resolutions from the Commons.] The Lords could veto most bills from the Commons, except those on finance.
Thus, they openly declared they would veto every bill passed by the Commons from now on.
They even secured the king's assurance that this was no power struggle.
Of course, the Commons didn't take it lying down.
[At this time of rapid continental upheaval, is it the nobility's dignity to cling to Parliament's ankles?!] In the wake of this unbelievable war outcome, the Lords and Commons clashed in true discord.
Regardless, the Austrian army marching into France pressed steadfastly toward Paris.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Even in his previous life, Bavaria's Elector Karl Albrecht had rebelled to make himself emperor.
Well, not exactly a rebellion—he did gather the electors' votes and become emperor, so calling it rebellion might be imprecise.
But the moment Friedrich pulled out of the war, the Austrian army marched north and seized Munich.
Albrecht immediately tucked tail, crying, "I'll give up the throne, Munich too—just spare me!"
I figured it'd be similar this time, but reality was a bit more nightmarish.
"Your Highness! We've captured Elector Albrecht!"
"Ah, I see."
Our Elector of Bavaria, Karl Albrecht, realizing all was lost, abandoned Munich and fled.
Unfortunately, unlike some king who burned his palace and fled to foreign lands, he hadn't steeled himself for true exile.
He tried heading to Württemberg, where relatives lived, but got nabbed by another prince's pursuit force blocking the pass.
If he wanted to escape, he should've disguised himself as a beggar and bolted to the Netherlands.
Dragged in like a criminal, Albrecht put on the world's most pitiful face the moment he saw me and clung desperately.
"Archduke Franz! I was wrong! I really was! Weren't we close? Friends, right?!"
He wasn't even offering the electorate or Munich this time.
I'd have accepted that, but even now, he wanted to cling to his status.
"Long time no see, Your Highness. Meeting like this saddens me too."
"Please, for the sake of our old friendship..."
"Did the meaning of 'friend' secretly change to 'backstabber' while I wasn't looking?"
Honestly, I gave him plenty of chances.
When war broke out between Britain and Spain, I let him supply drugs from the rear and rake in fortunes.
I even allowed him a cut when making those giant glass mirrors.
And wasn't I kindly offering a hand when Friedrich hammered him with thirty times the tariffs?
He should've taken the hint and crawled back by then, but his greed for the imperial throne was self-inflicted.
I kept sending signals.
"Speaking of which, I heard the Elector Palatine's too ill to get out of bed. Funny how he was fit as a fiddle for rebellion, then suddenly takes sick."
"...Must've been shocked by the crushing defeat."
"Could be. So we told him to decide from his sickbed. I have to head to Paris soon, so I can't linger."
"To... Paris?"
"Yes. Sightsee Versailles, stroll the Seine, stock up on Bordeaux wine while I'm at it."
From the moment we branded it treason, Bavaria and the Palatinate's fates were sealed.
I came here not for their apologies, but to deliver the verdict personally.
A minimum courtesy for former electors.
"You've heard on the way, but His Majesty rose from his sickbed. He declared Bavaria and the Palatinate, who rebelled during his illness, forfeit their electoral rights."
"W-Wait... Archduke Franz, didn't I serve you Qing tea?"
"Thus, by imperial authority, we'll put stripping and confiscating your votes to an electoral vote. Of course, with His Majesty, the College of Cardinals, and Brandenburg's elector all in favor, it won't be overturned."
"...Brandenburg? Friedrich... voted yes?"
"Yes. Here's his proxy."
[I assent to confiscating Bavaria and the Palatinate's votes and partitioning their territories.] Albrecht's eyes shook wildly at the paper stamped boldly with Brandenburg's seal.
"T-Territorial partition? Not just votes, but dividing the land too... what the..."
"They're no longer electorates, so territories need adjusting. Oh, don't worry—Austria won't swallow them whole. Who'd vote yes for such barbarity?"
We didn't say we'd take it all. Grabbing the juicy bits was plenty.
Confiscating and redistributing rebels' lands was a king's prerogative—no injustice there.
"A-Archduke Franz... mercy... please..."
The Wittelsbachs, who'd once produced an emperor, reduced to losing even their electorate.
Not just the Bavarian line, but the Palatine too.
"I confiscate all lands and properties of Elector Palatine Charles III Philip and sentence him to death. Considering his age, execution is suspended; he'll spend his remaining days in monastic seclusion. Can't get up? He'll hear it fine from bed."
"......"
"As for former Elector of Bavaria Karl Albrecht, though death for treason is warranted, His Majesty mercifully commutes it to property confiscation and exile. Your eldest son, Maximilian Joseph, will reside in Vienna; if his loyalty proves true, he'll inherit the Duchy of Bavaria."
Albrecht crumpled in his seat.
In the fight to gain everything, he'd lost it all.
The great noble who'd dreamed of emperor was pathetically diminished.