He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 486

(486) Napoleon Declares the Emancipation of Serfs

In the end, there is something that must be done for the Russian Grand Campaign to be recorded as a success.

“Are you going to emancipate the serfs?”

“Actually, that’s Russia’s business. What we need to do is divide Russia.”

“How, with Pavel still alive and well?”

Ippolito, the chief secretary of the King of Spain, shook his head, waving his arm wrapped in bandages.

In fact, the last Battle of Borodino was quite a rough battle for Eugene and his closest aides.

To begin with, the Russian Imperial Army itself was composed of a type of soldier that the French army had never experienced.

They kept advancing even when cannonballs were flying.

Because of this, Eugene could not avoid a war of attrition, and Ippolito was injured while accompanying him.

Of course, Eugene has no guilt whatsoever about Ippolito’s injury.

Because in the original history, Ippolito has the original sin of ruining Josephine’s life.

Eugene, looking around the Winter Palace hall, laughed lowly.

“There are hundreds of ways to divide a country. One of them is the serf emancipation decree.”

Chancellor Rostovchin’s voice is loud.

“What kind of crazy talk is that? Emancipate the serfs!”

Serfs, not exactly slaves, but people who were bound to the land.

Originally born in the Middle Ages, but a class that disappeared as the European continent became civilized.

However, there are still serfs in Russia, a land of permafrost that is still like the Middle Ages.

Above all, more than 30 percent of the Russian Empire’s population are serfs.

Since population statistics are inaccurate in Russia anyway, some estimates put it close to 40 percent.

But why are there so many serfs?

Because large landowners, that is, nobles, treat many serfs like slaves.

Therefore, the serf emancipation decree is bound to provoke a backlash from the great nobles.

But are there only those who oppose this emancipation decree?

“No, serf emancipation has been an old hope of His Majesty Pavel, hasn’t it?”

“That’s right. Besides, serfs in the 19th century! Isn’t this embarrassing?”

“In fact, the late Emperor Alexander, no, the traitor would agree on this point!”

Novosiltsev, Czartoryski, Kochubey.

All of them were Alexander’s closest aides.

Surprisingly, the remaining three, except for Strogonov, who died on the battlefield at the time, joined Pavel’s court.

Partly because Tsar Pavel was not in his right mind, but ultimately because France tolerated it.

Why?

Of course, it is to make them voice opposition in the Tsar’s court, as they do now.

The rising noble group.

Nobles who have grown in power through trade with England and France.

Since trade is the main source of wealth, they have relatively little need for serfs.

Of course, they are also nobles, so it is true that it is convenient to have serfs.

However, if serfs disappear, incompetent great nobles will inevitably be in crisis.

Then it becomes easier for the rising nobles to rise.

This is also the reason why emerging officials, led by Novosiltsev, partially promoted serf emancipation during Alexander’s reign in the original history.

Of course, it failed in the end.

“I wonder what’s going on, King of Spain.”

When the Empress suddenly spoke to Eugene, Eugene replied with an elegant attitude.

“Originally, serf emancipation is known to be an old dream of the Tsar.”

“You also know that it is impossible! Already during the reign of the late Emperor, we experienced only rebellion while implementing serf reforms.”

“That was 50 years ago. Empress, it is now the 19th century. Also…”

The late Empress Catherine experienced the so-called Pugachev Rebellion.

However, behind the Pugachev Rebellion, which seems to be only suppression, lies Catherine’s conciliatory policy.

In the early days of her reign, Catherine promoted a series of reforms with nobles from Germany.

Among them, of course, was a policy to alleviate the serf system, which was behind the times.

However, as a result, a backlash occurred among the nobles of the empire.

In the process of resolving this backlash, the Cossack people rose up.

In the end, the easing of the serf system faced a backlash, and Catherine introduced a more strengthened serf system.

However, Eugene knew the historical situation but ignored it and said the ‘right’ thing.

“The French Empire has come to this land as liberators. We want to liberate the Cossacks, liberate the Tsar from the traitors, and now liberate the serfs bound to the land.”

If liberation could be achieved just by talking, the French Revolution would have succeeded without the guillotine.

Empress Maria Feodorovna gritted her teeth.

Tsar Pavel is not in his right mind, his grown son Constantine is weak, and there are no generals to trust.

In this situation, it is also true that they have no choice but to be dragged around by the French Imperial Army.

But should they even accept such outrageous demands?

“Is this a threat?”

“Look out the window.”

“What do you mean?”

In an instant, Eugene opened the window wide.

-Wow!

Outside the Winter Palace, countless peasants were gathered in the square, cheering.

“Long live the Tsar!”

“We don’t have to live as slaves anymore! Is it true?”

“They say they’re going to reduce taxes too! We won’t starve to death even in winter now!”

The Empress widened her eyes.

“Serfs in Saint Petersburg, when!”

Of course, there is almost no farmland near Saint Petersburg.

But if they heard the rumors of the emancipation decree and showed up, they must have been mobilized.

With the Russian Imperial government virtually paralyzed, who mobilized them?

Eugene brazenly told the Empress.

“The rumors are already spreading. It will probably spread throughout Russia before winter is over.”

“You’re crazy. Emancipating the serfs means turning the nobles against you in Russia!”

“You know so well even though you’re from Germany. But you don’t seem to know one thing.”

Eugene stared at the Empress.

“The nobles fear the Tsar even more. More than serf emancipation.”

So if they can neutralize the Tsar, the deal is done.

***

Then, what is the solution to neutralize the Tsar while satisfying the nobles?

“Did you just say you were going to re-establish the Duma [a legislative assembly]?”

Rostovchin, the leader who opposed the serf emancipation decree in the palace yesterday, jumped up.

Duma, a pronunciation that reminds me of Dumas, but it actually means Parliament.

Before Russia called itself an empire, the Russian monarch was established by nobles.

So they operated the Duma, a council of nobles, but it was dissolved when Peter the Great called himself Tsar.

But now Eugene, the Viceroy of France and King of Spain, is proposing the revival of the Duma.

“That’s right, Chancellor Rostovchin. It is the revival of the Duma that disappeared after Peter the Great.”

“But the Emperor will get rid of it?”

“To be precise, there will be no Crown Prince. It will be enough to have a king, a grand duke, and a Duma in this Russia.”

Eugene said with a strange smile.

“Instead of serfs disappearing, a system will be introduced in which lords collect taxes directly. The newly created ‘national’ Duma will decide on this issue.”

In the original history, the Duma is revived only during the Russian Revolution.

After that, it disappeared due to the Soviet Revolution and was re-established only in the era of democratization.

So Eugene’s proposal is literally a hundred years ahead.

Then Rostovchin said to Eugene.

“Then the Russians may hate France.”

Eugene shrugged.

“Really?”

“How can they not! They are going to divide a great empire as it is!”

“After the National Duma is established, how many nobles will want Russia to remain an empire?”

Suddenly, Eugene pointed to the depths of the Winter Palace and asked.

“Do you really want a country where the Tsar can take your life at any time?”

In that depth, there is a Tsar whose mind is going back and forth with anger and madness.

There is already a precedent in Russia for what a crazy monarch can do.

A monarch who killed his son, Ivan IV [also known as Ivan the Terrible, the first Tsar of Russia].

Come to think of it, Tsar Pavel killed his son in a different form.

The moment Rostovchin’s eyes shook violently, Eugene smiled and threw out the temptation.

“I will bestow the title of Grand Duke.”

“What did you say?”

“Now Russia will be a country ruled not by one emperor, but by four kings and twelve grand dukes.”

Fisherman Eugene examined Rostovchin, mentioning the bait.

“Of course, it is natural that those who are close to the liberator, the French Empire and the French Emperor, have priority, isn’t it?”

Of course, it is not enough to catch only Rostovchin.

However, after the Tsar collapsed mentally and the Crown Prince died at Eugene’s hands, there are virtually two centers of gravity in Russia.

Empress Maria and Chancellor Rostovchin.

If Rostovchin is subdued, the center of gravity will naturally disappear.

Suddenly, Rostovchin asked with a stiff face.

“Then, what does France get?”

“Poland, the Cossacks, and Finland.”

“Aren’t those territories too far for France to control?”

However, Eugene replied firmly.

“They are territories that are sufficient to check when Russia becomes one again. What do you think? Will you accept our proposal and become the true ruler? Or…”

In an instant, Eugene’s gaze turned back to the depths of the Imperial Palace.

“Will you become a slave of the Tsar again?”

They don’t like France.

The division of the empire is also unpleasant.

But if they do not accept the proposal, and thus drive out France, is there an alternative?

Excluding Grand Duke Constantine, who is extremely weak, there are no male adults in the imperial family to succeed to the throne.

What comes back is Mad Emperor Pavel.

“There is no choice. I will tell the other senior officials and great nobles.”

In the end, Rostovchin raised both hands.

***

Once a decision is made, things proceed very quickly, which is a historical tradition of Russia.

“Today, at the historic opening ceremony of the Russian Imperial Duma, I will declare.”

Representatives from each region among the nobles of the Russian Empire gathered in the hall of the Winter Palace.

There is no independent parliament building yet.

However, this Duma will eventually become the sole representative of the Russian Empire.

Because the Tsar will not be able to leave an heir.

At that moment, the Tsar gathered the nobles’ attention and declared.

“That all serfs will be liberated!”

The reformist emerging nobles cheered at Tsar Pavel’s cry.

-Wow!

While the great nobles and clergymen looked at each other, Pavel cleared his throat.

“Also! In accordance with the proposal of my friend, Emperor Napoleon, I would like to proclaim a new national reorganization plan.”

Pavel’s gaze trembled as he looked at the reform plan in his hand.

It is a proposal that he does not want to hear at all.

However, Pavel is sane enough to know that this proposal is not a simple recommendation.

“I, the Crown Prince, have faced a situation in which the heir to the empire has rebelled. I think of this situation as tragic, and also…”

“Your Majesty, you are too slow.”

“Na, Napoleon. I, I am…”

Suddenly, ‘Emperor’ Napoleon, who snatched the proposal, declared loudly in French.

“In the future, the Russian Empire will be a country ruled by four kings, twelve grand dukes, and you, Duma members!”

At the last words, the nobles, who were members of the Duma, all stood up and applauded.

-Clap clap clap!

It was the day Napoleon stood tall in the Duma as the proclaimer of the serf emancipation decree.

Along with the declaration of the division of the Russian Empire.