He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 268

Napoleon’s Prodigy Son – Episode 268 (269/547)

(268) Shall We Seize the World’s Three Great Banks?

Time rewinds briefly to three days prior.

“Congratulations, General Freischütz. You’ve finally become the second-in-command of France!”

Eugène was receiving a guest at his mother’s Malmaison mansion for the first time in a while.

The Boarnais Bank building in the heart of Paris was too conspicuous.

Not to mention the Tuileries Palace, where his aide’s office was located.

However, Malmaison, located in the suburbs, didn’t attract as much attention yet.

Offering coffee to his guest, Nathan, Eugène smiled brightly.

“Mr. Rothschild. That’s not quite right. My position is Major General and First Secretary to the Consul.”

“That’s practically the same thing. Everyone is saying it. General Bonaparte is the king of the new era, and General Freischütz is the chancellor!”

“Even if I were to hear such things, there’s no need to say it in front of me. You know it’s dangerous.”

Without explicitly denying it, Eugène replied to the young man called Nathan, or Nathan Mayer Rothschild.

“Especially in times of financial crisis like now, Mr. Rothschild.”

Nathan Mayer Rothschild, the man who would later lay the foundation for the famous Rothschild financial empire. He was also known for the anecdote about manipulating stock prices by obtaining information about the Battle of Waterloo in advance.

But now, he was just a 23-year-old businessman from Manchester.

Nathan bowed to Eugène, who, though only 19, was the closest aide to France’s most powerful figure.

“If it’s funds you need, the main branch in Frankfurt has plenty prepared.”

“The Elector of Hesse-Kassel’s payment, I presume?”

“How do you know? There’s truly no place beyond Surte’s reach! Amazing!”

Of course, Eugène only knew because it had happened in the original history.

“I’m more surprised that your family knows Surte. But that’s precisely why I called you here.”

From Eugène’s perspective, it was surprising that Nathan knew about [Surte – Eugène’s private intelligence organization].

After all, Nathan had only started a drapery business in Manchester, England, not Frankfurt.

Yet, he already knew about Eugène’s private intelligence organization, which had only recently been incorporated directly under the Consul.

Eugène, once again appreciating the famous Rothschild’s intelligence network, smiled brightly.

“What our France needs now is money.”

“It would be difficult for our family alone, but I can gather the Jews of the former Holy Roman Empire.”

“The Jews of France will be enough. Of course, becoming a representative will require the approval of the Consul.”

Nathan considered this.

The Rothschilds, called Rothschild in German, operated a family financial business.

Currently, the eldest son, Mayer, was in Frankfurt, and the second son, Solomon, was in Vienna.

Later, Paris would be the responsibility of the youngest son, James Rothschild, or ‘Jacques’ de Rothschild.

But Jacques was born in 1792, meaning he hadn’t even turned eight yet.

Therefore, the Rothschild family had no established presence in France.

Yet, Eugène was saying he would select Rothschild as the representative of the French Jews.

“What do you want, Chief Secretary?”

Eugène took a sip of coffee and replied.

“To raise money, we paradoxically need peace.”

“The continent is already peaceful, Chief Secretary.”

“Far from it. All the ports are at war. Have you forgotten that you barely made it here from London through Copenhagen?”

Currently, England was still at war with France.

However, this was limited to the ports of France and its allies.

The British fleet couldn’t touch the ports of strictly neutral countries yet.

In the original history, the war continued into 1801, leading England to attack Denmark itself.

But it was still 1800, and France had achieved a complete victory in continental Europe.

England didn’t have the leeway to attack neutral countries.

Thanks to this, Denmark was thriving, even handling French contraband.

It was through this port that Nathan had entered Paris from Manchester.

But they couldn’t trade only through neutral ports forever.

Eventually, the war needed to end.

“We need to negotiate peace with England. We need someone who can connect with the British government.”

Nathan, who had been quietly watching Eugène, stroked his thinning hair and smiled.

“Not me, then. Mr. Baring, perhaps?”

“That’s right. I want you, Baring’s client and friend, to persuade Baring.”

“Hmm, that won’t be easy. Mr. Baring is keen on profit, but more than that, problems can’t be solved by negotiating with the government.”

Nathan shook his head, then wore a peculiar smile.

“You should just overthrow the Pitt administration, Chief Secretary.”

Surprised by the unexpected proposal, Eugène was taken aback.

“Is that even possible?”

“There are things you can only see and hear in London. Have you heard that King George has regained his sanity?”

“Really? Ah, I think I heard something like that. That he’s been doing better recently.”

Eugène pretended to have acquired the information, but it was also something that had happened in the original history.

George III, who went down in history as the Mad King, suffered from a type of enzyme disorder called porphyria [a genetic metabolic disorder].

Considering that most people considered mad in that era were suffering from syphilis, it was a somewhat unfair case.

In any case, around 1800, George III’s madness had temporarily subsided.

The problem was that a sane king wasn’t necessarily good for England.

“Well, the sane King George is currently angry with Prime Minister Pitt.”

“Why? Is it because of France?”

“No, it’s because of Ireland.”

Nathan shared information he had recently heard while in London.

“Prime Minister Pitt is advocating for Catholic emancipation to fully annex Ireland. King George is against it.”

The Irish Rebellion had failed in 1799.

Since then, England, which had ruled Ireland as a colony, decided to incorporate Ireland into its territory.

The famous flag of Great Britain was completed at this time.

The problem was that Catholics were the majority in Ireland.

On the other hand, England had codified laws discriminating against Catholics since the introduction of Anglicanism [the Church of England].

Pitt, concerned about this, planned to declare an emancipation act allowing Catholics to hold public office.

George III, after regaining his sanity, was furious upon learning this fact.

「To emancipate Catholics! That would violate my coronation oath to protect the Protestant faith!」

It sounded like stubborn nonsense, but King George’s judgment was reasonable.

Because if Catholicism was recklessly allowed in the Anglican country of England, it could lead to a crisis of national division.

Even in the age of Enlightenment after the revolution, religion couldn’t be ignored.

If religion could be ignored in the first place, why would Catholics still be the majority in Ireland?

However, Pitt was convinced that only Irish integration could protect England’s security.

In the original history, Ireland eventually became independent, so it’s impossible to know who was right.

In any case, this situation was clearly advantageous to France.

“If we exploit this, couldn’t we bring Pitt down?”

This was the strategy to collapse the Pitt cabinet that Nathan proposed to Eugène.

***

Three days later, Francis Baring, who had been listening, couldn’t help but admire.

“Pitt and King George are on bad terms? Then it’s possible. After all, Prime Minister Pitt’s power base depends not on the public, but on King George’s trust.”

Of course, the real power holder in British politics was the Prime Minister.

But the one who decided this Prime Minister was the King.

Even as late as the era of Queen Victoria in the late 19th century, the King had the right to decide the Prime Minister, regardless of the seats in the House of Commons.

However, if there were many opposition parties in the House of Commons, the King naturally couldn’t appoint just anyone as Prime Minister.

Nevertheless, the biggest foundation supporting Pitt was clearly the King’s trust.

Even a slight shake from the outside to make King George III lose confidence could collapse the cabinet.

For example, Baring, a leading banker in London, lobbying the East India Company.

“If you add a little stone, the balance could be broken.”

“But to do that, I’d have to spend a lot of money. I’d have to move the directors of the East India Company.”

“What do you want? I can grant it to some extent. I’m a banker too.”

Baring, who had been quietly watching Eugène, twisted his lips.

“The Bank of France, you’re going to create it, right?”

In French, it would be Banque de France.

Eugène stroked his slightly stubbled chin.

He had been too busy lately to even shave.

“How did you know? Did Récamier tell you that too?”

“No. But if you’re Eugène ‘Boarnais’ that I know, you’ll solve this crisis in a financial way. A central bank is a very good alternative.”

“The possibility of failure is high too.”

Baring, a banker who had seen Eugène since his days as a financial prodigy, not just ‘Freischütz,’ smiled.

“You can increase credibility by having shareholders. Like a reputable banker like me.”

Again, Eugène was shocked, just like when Nathan made his proposal.

“You’re saying to include a foreigner as a shareholder in the central bank now?”

“Why, you can lower the stake.”

“They’ll still receive reports. It means showing the secrets of national core issues to a foreign banker.”

Then Baring replied with a brazen face.

“Then give me French citizenship later.”

Eugène narrowed his brows.

“You’re going to have two citizenships?”

“Nobles hold titles in multiple countries at the same time, don’t they? Can’t commoners have multiple citizenships?”

“You’re really no ordinary banker.”

In modern terms, it would be like this:

A dual citizenship policy to attract global entrepreneurs.

Was Baring that necessary?

Eugène closed his eyes and thought.

Imagining security, public opinion, and the original history all on the scales.

Which way would the scales tip?

Suddenly, Eugène heard Baring’s voice.

“If you give me citizenship, I’ll gladly be loyal to France too. As long as it doesn’t go against my interests. How about it?”

Eugène opened his eyes.

“Okay. But you alone won’t be enough.”

In this case, another check and balance force was absolutely necessary.

***

Nathan, a 23-year-old, was dragged to the Temple Prison, the famous prison where Louis XVI had died.

“Me? You’re telling me to become a shareholder in the French central bank?”

Nathan, who had been trembling with fear of being imprisoned, trembled for another reason.

An unexpected business opportunity had come.

The [sponsor – Eugène], who had made the truly surprising proposal, Eugène Bonaparte, shrugged.

“It’s not a very high stake. Mr. Baring has 5 percent, and you have 1 percent, Nathan Mayer.”

“I’m just a draper. I’m only just opening a bank in Manchester!”

“If Mr. Baring guarantees it, you’ll be able to open a bank on Lombard Street. Even though you’re not a Lombard. Isn’t that right?”

Lombard Street, meaning the street of the [Lombardia – a region in Italy] people.

In the old days, in the 13th century, the center of European finance was undoubtedly Italy.

The land that King Edward I of England had given to Italian merchants was Lombard Street.

In fact, there were more Florentines and Venetians, but only the name Lombard remains to this day.

Even now, with the 19th century just around the corner, it was the financial center of England.

A street that anyone who does business in England, the core country of the world economy, dreams of opening an office on.

Nathan, still a fledgling, opening a bank there?

Baring, who was in prison, nodded towards Nathan, who had his mouth wide open.

“Of course. It’s something your father asked me to do someday anyway.”

Nathan trembled all over and asked.

“What’s the reason for doing this for me?”

In fact, from Eugène’s point of view, it wasn’t a big deal.

Later, in the original history, Baring’s Bank and Rothschild’s Bank would compete for the title of the world’s best bank.

At first glance, it seemed like he was giving them both vested interests, but it was actually different.

He was just giving them enough shares to show off and tying the two giant, influential banks to France.

However, since he couldn’t explain it this way, Eugène replied in the language of bankers.

“I want Boarnais Bank to rise as one of the world’s three great banks.”

“Yes?”

“Because you two are bankers who are capable enough to do so.”

Francis Baring laughed heartily and handed over the just-completed document.

“Good, then sign the contract!”

The three people signed the contract.

-Swish!

It was the moment when the three-way financial agreement that could create the world’s three great banks was concluded.

On the condition of the downfall of the British Pitt cabinet.