He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 272

(272) The Peace of Amiens Begins

Amiens, a city in northern France between Paris and Calais.

“This place is famous for its textiles, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we introduce British machinery across the board?”

Napoleon suddenly spoke while looking at the streets from the carriage.

At the same time, all but two of his companions in the carriage began to tense up.

Eugène and Talleyrand were the only ones who remained calm.

Those who were used to Napoleon suddenly ordering ideas that came to mind as policies were not surprised.

It was just a pain to implement.

However, unlike later dictators, Napoleon’s sudden instructions were surprisingly insightful.

Eugène, who was looking at documents in the carriage, raised his head.

“Machinery, you say?”

“Yes, Chief Aide. Weaving machines! I heard the British weave textiles with machines, not people. We need to start changing everything. No, revolutionize it!”

“It will cost a lot of money, and the workers will strongly resist.”

Napoleon smiled at Eugène, who mentioned the situation in London.

“It’s the secretary’s job to solve that. But if we lose in productivity, we can’t beat England. Can we?”

So, it was a matter of introducing the so-called Industrial Revolution.

In the original history, Napoleon also promoted the introduction of steam engines and mechanization to catch up with England.

However, unlike England, France had high agricultural productivity and many farmers, so industrialization did not progress quickly.

Also, due to the continuous wars, substantial industrialization was passed on as a task for the era of Napoleon III.

Eugène glanced at Brienne, the flustered Deputy Chief Aide.

He couldn’t just dismiss it as a joke because it was the Consul’s order, and he seemed unsure how to handle it.

However, Eugène already had a solution in mind.

“We need to recruit talent.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Not exactly, but we’ll eventually have to look in England. These problems can only be solved by bringing in engineers directly. Science and technology are all in people’s heads.”

Soon, it would be time to scout British engineers.

Including George Stephenson, who created the steam locomotive, many inventors were active in England.

Among them were exiles who had moved from France after the revolution.

For example, Brunel, who created the mass production chain.

As Eugène recalled the memories of the original history, Napoleon laughed heartily.

“Haha, yes. You can spend as much money as you want. Ah, are you spending your own money? Hahaha!”

Of course, all of this costs money.

Therefore, Eugène is desperate for today’s peace talks.

More than 30 million francs are tied up in the Orient and cannot be brought to France.

At that moment, Talleyrand, who had been waiting for Napoleon and Eugène’s conversation, elegantly handed over the documents.

“Consul, these are the issues that need to be finalized in today’s meeting.”

“Isn’t it all familiar? Release of prisoners of war, recognition of the Revolutionary War territories, return and exchange conditions for French territories occupied in the New World in exchange for the British East India Company’s trade rights. Oh, and the return of the Batavian colonies.”

“There’s also the withdrawal of the British fleet from Malta. But there’s something more important.”

Talleyrand brought up something unexpected with a serious expression.

“The British King’s renunciation of the French throne.”

Even Napoleon was taken aback by this and opened his mouth in disbelief.

“Did I hear something wrong? Since when has the British King’s family name been Bourbon? Or even Capet?”

“It’s been a demand since the Hundred Years’ War.”

“If it was the royal family back then, wouldn’t it be ‘Plantagenet’? How long has it been since that line died out?”

However, Talleyrand shook his head and explained.

“The Brunswick-Lüneburg family, which currently rules Hanover, is a very distant relative, Your Excellency.”

In fact, even in modern original history, the official title of the British monarch includes the title of King of France.

This is because it is a right that the British royal family has always claimed since the Hundred Years’ War.

Currently, even as the 19th century approaches, Napoleon was dumbfounded by this seemingly ridiculous story and exclaimed.

“That’s the problem with royal families. They demand national power based on lineage without any effort!”

“That’s why we’re making an agreement to give it up this time. We are a republic, after all.”

“Hmph, yes. No British king can be the monarch of France.”

Talleyrand lowered his eyes, staring at Napoleon, who was making meaningful remarks.

“Then, let’s go to the negotiation table, Your Excellency.”

Finally, the carriage stopped.

Napoleon was the first to step down from the carriage.

The British envoy, Marquis Charles Cornwallis, and Foreign Secretary Robert Jenkinson had already arrived at the Amiens Bishop’s Residence.

“Good. Today, I will open a new era for France.”

The French Consul, Napoleon, took a heavy step.

***

However, unexpected problems sometimes suddenly arise at the negotiating table.

“We cannot give up the Cape Colony, soon to be known as Cape Colony [modern-day South Africa].”

The new British Foreign Secretary, Robert Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool, said firmly.

From behind the conference table, where the French attendants were standing, Ippolito and Joseph turned to each other.

Joseph, the Roman ambassador and a diplomat from the Bonaparte family, said.

“He’s talking about the Cape of Good Hope.”

“Oh, wasn’t that originally British territory, Ambassador?”

“No. The British fleet often exercised control, but it was originally the Dutch East India Company’s land. Moreover, the people who first pioneered that place were actually French Huguenots [French Protestants].”

As Joseph said, the Republic of South Africa in modern original history, soon to be the Cape Colony, is actually Dutch territory in this era.

It was around this time that the British seized it from the Netherlands and transformed it into a British colony.

In a sense, it is no exaggeration to say that the French Revolution consolidated British East India trade.

Napoleon was also surprised by the sudden demand and turned to Talleyrand, listening to the interpreter.

Talleyrand rolled his eyes for a moment and reported in a low voice.

“It’s a three-month journey from London to the Cape. It’s farther than Cairo, which is a month away. It’s hard to say it’s dangerous to France.”

“Is there any prospect of a canal being dug in Suez? If not, seizing the Cape might be necessary.”

“We cannot break off negotiations with England here, Your Excellency.”

Napoleon frowned and turned to Marquis Cornwallis.

In fact, Marquis Cornwallis is famous in history as Earl Cornwallis.

That is, in American history books.

Cornwallis is the figure who fought against Washington during the American Revolutionary War, along with General O’Hara, the icon of surrender.

However, now at the age of 62, he is just a diplomatic envoy who has come to acknowledge England’s defeat.

Staring at the renowned General Cornwallis, Napoleon said clearly.

“That place belongs to the Batavian Republic [Dutch Republic]. We cannot give and take it as we please, Marquis Cornwallis.”

Of course, Napoleon does not know English.

Originally, there is a story that he learned English on the way to Saint Helena but gave up.

So, these words were conveyed in elegant English by Talleyrand, a man who had lived in exile in the United States and England.

However, Marquis Cornwallis retorted firmly.

“Absolutely not. We would acknowledge it if it were the property of the Dutch East India Company. But didn’t France, or rather Batavia, dissolve the company and nationalize it?”

Napoleon narrowed his brows at the unusual atmosphere, and Talleyrand immediately retorted without finishing the interpretation.

“The Batavian Republic is an independent country, Marquis Cornwallis.”

“Unacceptable and cannot be accepted. It should be seen as a sister republic of France.”

“It will be difficult to reach an agreement if you suddenly bring up these conditions, Marquis.”

However, Marquis Cornwallis answered with a rock-like face without showing any signs of backing down.

“Our home country absolutely cannot give up the Cape. If you do not give up the Cape, we will fight to the end.”

Inevitably, Talleyrand interpreted Cornwallis’s words in the mildest possible language.

Eugène also failed to react to the sudden situation.

In the original history, tedious negotiations continue at this point.

Moreover, the Cape is eventually temporarily returned to Batavia, that is, the Dutch colony.

It is only when Napoleon and England fight again that England reoccupies it in 1806.

However, now, with the prior coordination of the treaty completed, England suddenly brought up this issue.

How should we deal with it?

Napoleon tapped the table, listening to Talleyrand’s interpretation.

“India, that’s the problem after all.”

“We are going to get Ceylon Island [Sri Lanka] anyway. Ah, the Batavian Republic, that is.”

“I might as well annex the Netherlands. Where.”

Suddenly, Napoleon stared at Marquis Cornwallis again.

“If there is something to give, there must be something to receive. Marquis Cornwallis, you must give up something else.”

“We have already made many concessions, including Ceylon Island. Even the reality that France is illegally occupying Italy.”

“You have already forgotten that Italy is a non-existent entity. Give up the Bahamas.”

Even if Napoleon speaks French, British aristocrats actually understand French.

This is because French is the international common language of aristocrats in this era.

It was just that Napoleon’s French had a strong dialect accent, and Marquis Cornwallis was using an interpreter to assert his pride.

Therefore, Cornwallis, who understood Napoleon’s request, widened his eyes.

However, Napoleon did not change his expression and threatened.

“This is not an unreasonable request. The Cape is worth more than Jamaica.”

This is a problem for the West Indies.

The Bahamas are famous as tax havens in modern original history.

However, in this era, it is a British colony and a gateway to the continent.

But the problem is that these islands are just south of Florida.

This is also why the Florida coast has been easily attacked in the West Indies.

It is a difficult place for England to give up easily.

However, Napoleon said to give up the Bahamas unless they give up an even larger island, Jamaica.

Cornwallis’s face hardened, and Liverpool was seen whispering.

Eugène was staring intently at the situation.

It is an unexpected diplomatic battle.

When you think about it, the fate of land thousands of kilometers away in Europe is being decided at this meeting place.

I finally realize that this war has been fought on a global scale.

But suddenly, someone stood next to Eugène.

“It’s really fierce. This negotiation.”

It was Deputy Chief Aide Brienne.

“How will they decide, the British?”

“Won’t they accept it? Based on my experience meeting them during the pre-negotiations, England is the one who wants peace. More than that, why did Consul Bonaparte make such a judgment? Perhaps, did Aide Eugène tell him?”

“No.”

Eugène shook his head.

“But building an Empire in the New World must be my father’s dream. Probably.”

Immediately after this period, Napoleon sends Pauline and her husband far away to Saint-Domingue [Haiti].

With the dream of establishing a French colony on the North American continent.

However, in the original history, Pauline’s husband dies of fever, and Pauline also loses her child, and the expedition fails.

On the other hand, France now has a base in Florida.

Conquering the New World is not just a dream.

Suddenly, Cornwallis’s mouth opened.

This time, it was very clear French.

“Okay, but we need a complete transfer of the Cape.”

At that moment, Napoleon held out his hand.

“Good, Duke. Finally, France and England have become friends.”

May 5, 1800.

The Treaty of Amiens, three years earlier than in the original history, was concluded.

***

It is customary in this era to hold a reception after all diplomatic negotiations.

-Bbam! Bbam bbam! Bbam bbam bbam!

The loud performance at the Amiens Bishop’s Residence is noisy.

The party did not stop until night.

A place where countless dignitaries engage in social interaction and exploration.

Napoleon was exhausted and came out to the backyard to take a breather.

“Hoo, it’s still not over. Aristocrats!”

Then Eugène, who was accompanying the drunken Napoleon, replied.

“The two countries will handle the unresolved issues appropriately.”

“What is there? Besides the problem of the Nassau royal family of the Netherlands?”

“There’s Louisiana. Land that we should have received from Spain as former New France someday.”

The Nassau family, who was originally the lifelong governor of the Netherlands, eventually failed to return home.

Instead, it was tentatively agreed to remain in England and receive a pension paid by the Netherlands.

However, since this part is not included in the treaty, follow-up measures are inevitable.

However, the bigger problem is still New France.

Napoleon deliberately received the Bahamas.

This agreement is ultimately a problem linked to France’s re-entry into the New World.

Napoleon smiled as he turned to his adopted son, who was reading his mind.

“Hoo, good. Let’s deal with that later. Eugène.”

Eugène smiled and handed Napoleon the glass he was holding.

“You have accomplished a great thing, Father.”

“Hmph, unless it’s permanent peace. This is not a great thing.”

“Pardon?”

For a moment, Napoleon stared at the wine glass and said solemnly.

“There must be no war in the era when you, Hortense, and Florence live. There must be no beheadings with guillotines in the name of revolution. That is truly a great thing.”

Eugène stared blankly at Napoleon.

He is a figure who rose from a mere officer through war.

A great man who left behind an era of war named after himself.

But now, Napoleon’s words did not sound empty.

He wants peace, not war.

He wants an era where people live, not a world where people die.

That is the dream that Napoleon left in his autobiography.

The moment he heard that dream, which he had not achieved, before his eyes, Eugène’s heart was agitated.

-Thump, thump, thump.

Then Napoleon chuckled and pinched Eugène’s cheek.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think the British will give up with this. We will fight again.”

Eugène looked at Napoleon and smiled brightly.