Luxembourg Shadows: London Talks and Ischl Bliss
While Sisi and Joseph were enjoying happy times in Bad Ischl during the Luxembourg crisis.
The great powers had never explicitly agreed to it, but in effect, they were pressuring one country from all sides.
France.
Russia sought revenge for the Crimean War, Britain eyed the expanding French with suspicion, and Austria harbored distrust over the Italian question.
'Isn't France getting too arrogant these days?'
Napoleon I had been a problem of bloodline, but Napoleon III ruined diplomacy through sheer lack of talent alone.
All eyes in Europe turned to London.
Austria's stance was the first to emerge: hostile neutrality toward France.
'A nation that has attacked Austria three times.'
By sponsoring Italian nationalism, it kept poking at Lombardy and Venetia.
"First, let's confirm Article 1 of the treaty."
Britain's Edward Stanley recalled the treaty from 1839.
"Here, by signing, we declared that the annexes would have the same force and guarantees. Next is Article 7."
Belgium shall be an independent and perpetually neutral state; it must observe neutrality toward all other states.
The French ambassador to Britain immediately countered.
"Luxembourg is not Belgium; it's in personal union with the Netherlands. This does not violate the treaty."
Thus, France argued that since they had bought Luxembourg from the King of the Netherlands for money, the neutrality guarantee did not apply.
Britain and Prussia swiftly rebutted.
"Neutrality must be guaranteed geographically and strategically—does it vanish just because the owner changes?"
"Luxembourg is a member of the Zollverein and a federal fortress. This is an invasion of German territory."
Austria and Russia said nothing, but they quietly signaled support to Prussia.
Count Apponyi and Baron Brunnow sat together, conversing softly.
"How does Russia see this playing out?"
"France has too many enemies right now."
Watching the scene, Count Apponyi fell into thought for a moment.
'As Buol said, will our pro-British policy pay off?'
London had used France until its value was spent, and even now hid behind the guise of neutrality without isolating itself.
France had joined the Crimean War to mend ties with Britain.
Seeing France isolated—relations with Russia soured, London thoroughly ignoring them—gave Count Apponyi much food for thought.
"Austria is Britain's ally, is it not?"
Russia, observing, judged that Britain was trying to take Austria's hand to find a new partner.
"Ever since coming to England, your jokes have lost their edge. Doesn't the Queen cherish her eldest daughter greatly?"
When Brunnow tested the waters, Apponyi calmly shook his head.
"Rather, there were rumors of Russia reconciling with Britain, wasn't it Alaska?"
"What nonsense."
Russia had already probed.
But the answer had been no.
Britain didn't want America's colonies to grow too large either.
"America seems quite chaotic."
Brunnow nodded at Apponyi's question.
"They lost all their top officials."
Russia had been the only great power to support the Union Army, expecting compensation in return.
But no one had foreseen the theater bombing that killed Lincoln, Johnson, Seward, and Grant.
With all channels for compensation vanished, Russia grew desperate.
"Could you perhaps persuade the Liechtenstein Duke?"
"It's not a small sum, and while the Liechtenstein Duke is a magnate, it's difficult."
That was also why they couldn't pressure France too hard.
A strategy to step back from war amid financial crisis.
Austria was in the same boat.
'I'd love to give France a good thrashing, but I'll have to settle for Britain and Prussia doing it.'
Bad Ischl.
"Are you resting today?"
"I plan to ride beside you."
The biggest issue after childbirth was how even slight overexertion made my bones feel like they'd shatter.
Joseph showed a flicker of disappointment.
"Shall I go alone?"
"No, that's not what I meant... I just worried you'd find it boring."
Considering Joseph's hunting style, he might actually enjoy it more without me tagging along.
He barely rested during hunts, moving spontaneously unlike his planned demeanor in Vienna.
We were opposites in that way.
I was spontaneous in Vienna but methodical during hunts.
"You won't climb the mountain alone with your attendants again like last time, right?"
"I'll hold back today."
With that, we set out for the hunt.
"How long will this conference last?"
"It should wrap up soon; everyone except France is aligned."
"Napoleon had talent, but no control over it."
I couldn't say he failed completely.
Without my intervention, Lombardy-Venetia would have succeeded as Napoleon wished by now.
Relations with Britain had improved somewhat too.
"What did you and Empress Eugénie talk about last time?"
He was so curious he'd even ask that.
Joseph wasn't the type to pry like this.
"Nothing special. Girl talk—you know, what's trending in opera, what dresses are in fashion... just that."
"I see."
Joseph looked relieved.
"Oh, right. She also taught me a way to save on expenses."
"She taught you that too?"
"She told me about incognito."
Bang!
Traveling in disguise as empress cuts protocol costs dramatically.
He missed.
Joseph letting prey escape at such close range—rare indeed.
"The Hungarian issue is a headache, isn't it?"
"... You're breastfeeding yourself, right?"
"Yes, now that I have three sons."
From what I'd heard, nothing beat it as contraception—practically half a year long.
That said, we did have wet nurses; the empress's role didn't allow constant childcare day and night.
"It'll cut into your rest time, so don't worry."
"That's not what I meant."
Joseph shook his head firmly.
To change the subject, he asked about the company I was 'sponsoring.'
"Shall we visit Galicia sometime?"
"Galicia?"
Hmm... I wasn't going there myself but investing diligently.
"Don't you want to see how your sponsored oil refinery operates?"
Joseph knew me well.
Most companies I 'sponsored'—read: invested in—I checked personally during trips.
'As if I could trust the bureaucrats.'
Bribery was par for the course in this era.
"Next time."
Close on the map, but longer from Vienna than to Sibiu in Transylvania.
"Russia asked if you're interested in personally sponsoring their oil company."
"From Russia?"
"There was a businessman set to invest, but he returned home."
"Who was he?"
I shouldn't invest in some idiot's company.
"... Nobel, or something. I heard he's an arms dealer."
Now that's someone smart to invest in.
"The company that sold explosives to the Southern Army?"
"Yes."
Nitroglycerin Aktiebolaget.
So that's Nobel's firm.
Might invest a little.
A tunnel to Galicia would make trips easy.
Send an agent next time.
"No plans to meet the French ambassador, right?"
"We should meet."
"But no decisions."
"That's how we get something out of it."
We had no intention of siding with Prussia, but we'd love to see France suffer similarly.
"Can I visit Bavaria?"
Bang!
Missed again. Rough night yesterday?
"... Why Bavaria?"
"Sophie—my sister Sophie Charlotte—and Ludwig's engagement is delayed again, from what I heard."
"Calling the Bavarian king by name?"
Jealousy.
Now that he's king, no more first names as an excuse?
"Got it. I heard the Bavarian king's engagement is postponed, so I'll check."
Joseph seemed pleased with the title instead of the name.
"Go as empress."
"That'd look like meddling in internal affairs."
Did he think I wouldn't know that?
Different from approving Thurn und Taxis's marriage.
Joseph knew but was just being petty.
We finished hunting and returned to the Kaiser Villa.
"Your Majesty, a telegram from London."
Ended quicker than expected.
"Luxembourg neutrality guaranteed, fortress dismantled, Prussian troops withdrawn."
Excluding the two main parties, all other nations were satisfied with the agreement.