Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1043

1043. The Age of War – The Age of Copycats. (2)

In the case of France, it was necessary to appease public opinion. The Hundred Years’ War had fostered a sense of ‘France’ and ‘the French,’ which was already firmly established.

The reigns of Charles VII, Louis XI, and Charles VIII solidified royal power, and the growth of the commoner class, symbolized by merchants, weakened the power of the privileged nobility and clergy. Subsequently, France healed the wounds of the Hundred Years’ War and achieved remarkable economic growth through major events such as the annexation of the Duchy of Burgundy and the acquisition of a stake in Suez [likely referring to influence in the region, as the Suez Canal was not built until the 19th century].

Before they knew it, the French began to attach the word ‘Great’ (大, Grand) to the words France and French. France, confident enough to use the term ‘Great,’ aspired to become an empire.

-The only country in Europe that can become an ’empire’ is our great France!

This was a sentiment that resonated from the king to the poorest citizens in the slums. However, there were always ambitious individuals, and they went around proclaiming their ambitions like this:

-No, the only empire in the world must be our France!

-How long must we hand over the glorious title of ’empire’ to countries ruled by heathens!

Such radical claims were occasionally heard, but the military and politicians easily ignored them. In fact, they dismissed them outright.

They understood the power of an empire. And when France was soundly defeated in the subsequent Italian Unification War, the momentum of the radicals waned. However, thanks to France’s still robust economic power, the wounds of defeat healed quickly. Subsequently, France’s economic power grew even stronger as it secured colonies in Gloria [a fictional land, presumably rich in resources].

Finally, through its victory against the Habsburgs in the Lorraine region, France was able to restore its military pride to some extent. The problem was that, as this happened, the voices of those who advocated for ‘revenge to become an empire’ began to grow louder. And these people were gaining strength faster than the radicals of the past.

It wasn’t just the radicals who were the problem. The widening gap between rich and poor also began to be an issue. The gold and silver coming in from Terra [a fictional land, presumably rich in resources] and Gloria were the root of the problem. Most of the gold and silver ended up in the pockets of the ruling class and capitalists who invested in colonial projects. Since Terra and Gloria had little value as consumer markets, almost nothing trickled down to ordinary workers or small business owners.

The situation of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer was slowly becoming critical. In the end, France’s leaders had no choice but to plan another war with the Habsburgs.

-This time, we will surely subdue the Habsburgs and prove that France is the rightful ruler of Europe.

-By doing so, we will secure national interests to the fullest extent through imperial diplomacy.

-We will satisfy the pride of the people through victory in the war, and secure jobs through mountain development and railroad construction.

-Through this, we will quell the people’s discontent.

This was the plan of the French leaders. What is noteworthy here is ‘imperial diplomacy.’

-Diplomacy that pursues practical interests based on strong military power.

-We do not wage war unconditionally. However, a single show of force will quell all opposition.

-In other words, ‘To exist is to reign.’

This was the concept of imperial diplomacy that France and the other European powers had in mind. The empire did not move its troops carelessly. However, once it moved, it surely subdued the enemy. In particular, once it suffered an injury, it inflicted several times the injury on the enemy.

‘Without fail.’

Therefore, the empire had never been pushed back in any diplomatic negotiations. Through ‘appropriate adjustments,’ the empire always derived the best result—the best for the empire. That was why the saying ‘To exist is to reign’ came about. And France wanted to be such an existence.

At least within Europe.

* * *

If France was preparing for war for these purposes, the Habsburgs also had reasons to prepare for war.

The first was the political justification of ‘recovering lost territory.’ Although the land that had passed to France was nominally part of the ‘Papal States,’ it was clearly territory of the Holy Roman Empire. If they failed to reclaim it, the prestige of the Habsburg family would gradually decline, and if things went wrong, the imperial dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire could be changed.

The second was an economic problem. Or rather, a problem of losing control in the economic sphere. As many of the iron mines in the Lorraine region passed to France, the Habsburgs had to find and develop iron mines in other regions. The problem was that most of the iron mines developed in this way were located in the territories of nobles who were uncooperative with the Habsburg family.

As iron mines and steel mills were built in places where the Habsburgs’ influence was weak, the center of the economy was slowly shifting there as well. This meant that the Habsburgs’ dominance in the economy of the Holy Roman Empire was decreasing. Therefore, the Habsburgs had to reclaim Lorraine. In the worst-case scenario, the Habsburgs had to be able to survive on their own, even if those uncooperative lords broke away.

Finally, it was for the same reason as France.

-To be the ruler of Europe.

This was the last reason why the Habsburgs had to wage war. Traditionally, the ruler of Europe was the Holy Roman Emperor. This position could never be handed over to France.

* * *

When the ‘foretold war’ between France and the Habsburgs gradually came into sight, envoys from both sides rushed to Spain. The envoys who visited Spain had a simple request.

-Don’t cause trouble, just stay put!

-If you ever call in the Imperial Army, we will attack Spain first!

“Are we not allies! It is outrageous that you would try to stop an ally from recovering lost territory, instead of helping us!”

Isabella I and Ferdinand V, the co-monarchs of Spain, protested fiercely, but the envoys from France and the Habsburgs were equally firm.

“It is because we are allies that we are giving you this advice! Have you not already experienced what the Empire is like!”

“It is because we are allies that we are giving you this advice! Also, as the potential future ruler of Europe, we are giving you this advice for the safety of Europe!”

In the end, Isabella I and Ferdinand V of Spain, unable to overcome the pressure from France and the Habsburgs, had no choice but to draw up a document.

-We will not engage in military action against the Empire without the agreement of France.

-We will not engage in military action against the Empire without the agreement of the Holy Roman Emperor.

The envoys from France and the Habsburgs, having shackled Spain, left Spain with satisfied faces. As soon as the envoys left, Isabella I and Ferdinand V, unable to contain their anger, fell ill with frustration.

The royal physician, who was treating the monarchs lying in bed and groaning, came out and informed the nobles.

“For faster and more certain treatment, we need the Empire’s medical books and medicines.”

“Damn it… Is the Empire showing up even here?”

* * *

As the word spread that France and the Habsburgs had pressured Spain, all the gossips in Europe came to the same conclusion.

“It is certain that a war will break out.”

“Is it finally war?”

The gossips, convinced of the war, soon turned their attention elsewhere.

“The Habsburgs must have prepared thoroughly this time as well. Then what kind of weapons will come out? What about tactics?”

The same was true for the military leaders of the European powers.

-This is the first formal war since the previous Italian Unification War.

What happened in Lorraine last time was not a ‘war’ but a ‘dispute.’ However, this time, both France and the Habsburgs are preparing thoroughly and waging a ‘war.’

-This is the first war waged by those who experienced the previous Italian War, based on the lessons learned at that time.

Many things must have changed in all aspects. After completing this analysis, the military leaders of each European country—including the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the north—persuaded their monarchs to dispatch military attachés to France and the Habsburgs. The military attachés dispatched in this way soon uttered their impressions in unison.

“What? They’re all copying the Imperial Army?”

Both France and the Habsburgs were copying the Imperial Army that had run rampant in the previous Italian War. The first thing that caught their eye was the uniforms.

During the First Lorraine Dispute, the French army wore haphazard uniforms—or rather, everyday clothes—instead of unified uniforms. However, this time, both officers and enlisted men wore black tops and white vests and bottoms, unified uniforms. And they wore helmets or hats covered with black cloth.

On the other hand, the Habsburg army wore dark gray tops and bottoms, and likewise wore helmets or hats covered with gray cloth. The armaments were also the same. Both sides carried Florentine rifles [early firearms known for their quality], or domestically produced rifles made following the framework of Florentine rifles, and formed firepower support units with artillery vehicles or their imitations.

‘The cannons and assault vehicles were all the same.’

France imitated the imperial artillery pieces captured during the Italian Unification War to create its own domestically produced artillery pieces, and created assault vehicles with its own technology. The Habsburgs formed units with imperial artillery pieces and assault vehicles directly imported from the Empire. The military attachés, examining these French and Habsburg armies, shook their heads.

“Now, if only the Bigu [flying machines] came out, we could call them the Imperial Army.”

At that moment, Bigu floated into the sky. At the sight, the military attachés were all speechless. What was interesting was that this time, the Empire also sent out military attachés.

“It would be foolish to miss such an opportunity!”

As a result of Hyang’s MSG [likely a communication or order], Hyun moved immediately. The Imperial Army military attachés dispatched to both the French and Habsburg armies diligently continued their observation and recording. The Imperial Army military attachés, observing the uniforms worn by the French and Habsburg armies, muttered inwardly.

‘It has now become a matter of course to wear unified uniforms. By the way, I heard that new uniforms are being made this time…’

As the Imperial Army military attachés observed the French and Habsburg armies in that way, they became cynical at the stories shared by the military attachés from other countries.

“‘They made it themselves, but what…'”

‘There was a rumor that the Ministry of Strategy and Finance officials were extremely aggrieved because the intellectual property rights claim period had passed…’

When the law on intellectual property rights was created, the period during which rights could be claimed was limited to 30 years.

-This is to compete for even better improvements and modifications. And 30 years had already passed since the development of Bigu and self-propelled flying Bigu. Therefore, countries that had secured their own technological capabilities were already attempting to manufacture or mass-produce their own Bigu and self-propelled flying Bigu.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Army military attachés, confirming that the Bigu floating in the sky were sending out luminous signals, all came to a similar conclusion.

‘Among the artillery pieces made in Europe, are there any that fly far enough to require impact point adjustment using Bigu?’

‘I haven’t heard any rumors that our Empire sold such artillery pieces?’