He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 293

(293) Planting Louis as the Grand Duke of Bohemia

Vast amounts of capital have the power to turn the world upside down.

At least, everyone in France knows that as of 1801.

Why did the revolution even happen in the first place?

Clearly, it was because the royal family tried to collect taxes.

But why did they try to forcibly collect those taxes?

Because they poured enormous sums of money into the American Revolutionary War, meaning overseas deployments.

Although closer than the Atlantic, overseas garrisons always require enormous amounts of money.

But wasn’t that the case with Italy as well?

“Huh? Why is that a problem? The Italian Legion procures everything locally,” Eugene scoffed at Hippolyte’s question.

“That’s because it’s practically our vassal state. Austria is different. They pay reparations instead.”

“Oh, we can just handle it with reparations then.”

“They’re paying 120 million francs over ten years, right? The garrison here spends 10 million francs a year. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

It’s very simple arithmetic.

The 50,000-strong Austrian garrison currently spends 10 million francs annually.

Although the soldiers are conscripted, they need to be paid since they’re deployed overseas.

The weaponry must also be kept up to date.

However, Austria pays 12 million francs annually to France as reparations.

Logically, it would be more reasonable to use that money for the garrison expenses rather than transporting vast amounts of silver across the Alps.

But as a result of this logical decision, the reparations flowing into the French treasury would decrease to 2 million francs per year.

The money that should be used to cover the war expenses France has incurred is reduced to one-fifth.

Hippolyte, who had been calculating the numbers for a moment, licked his lips.

“Is France going bankrupt?”

“Of course, there’s also the method of procuring military expenses locally. Looting, that is. Then, Austrian public sentiment would worsen, right? What if an anti-French revolution were to break out? You’ve seen a revolution, haven’t you?”

“We need a very quick solution then. Is there no way?”

Of course, there’s also the method of supplying provisions through local looting, as was done during the First Coalition War.

However, Vienna is one of the top three largest cities in Europe in this era.

London, Paris, and then Vienna.

If a riot were to break out in this city of 400,000 people, it would be difficult to suppress it with 50,000 troops.

In fact, it’s not a very distant possibility.

In the original history, after Napoleon’s downfall, a revolution broke out in Vienna in 1848.

But another person, who had been listening to Eugene’s story, spoke up.

“Can’t we solve it with marriage?”

It was Marie Therese.

Eugene wore a bitter smile at the very dynastic idea.

Of course, this idea was actually considered by Napoleon as well, and it’s a solution he would consistently attempt in the original history.

But isn’t France a republic now?

“Marie, France isn’t like it was during the old royal era. You’re not suggesting I marry Archduchess Clementina, are you?”

“Of course not! Even if she’s my cousin, even if she looks similar to me! Absolutely not!”

“Ah, okay. Then who are you suggesting I marry to solve the problem?”

Certainly, Maria Clementina does look similar to Marie.

But Eugene isn’t confused at all.

Somehow, although the appearance is similar, the eyes and aura are distinctly different.

First of all, Marie takes after her mother and has a larger bust.

Just as Eugene was blushing slightly at that thought, Marie spoke again.

“I don’t know about that. But what Austria wants is to seat Clementina or Archduke John in Bohemia, right? And they don’t like France doing it.”

“Right. Of course, we could just refuse, but there’s a risk. Archduke Charles has already gone to Hungary, and now he’s King Charles, isn’t he?”

“Then can’t we just attach a Frenchman to Clementina or John? Through marriage.”

As Eugene’s head snapped up, Marie added with a strange expression.

“Furthermore, realistically, Archduchess Clementina would be easier to control.”

It wasn’t just a simple idea from a royal maiden.

Choose someone who can be controlled from France and plant them as the Grand Duke in Bohemia.

It’s an even better condition than the Kingdom of Hungary, where Archduke Charles was seated as king.

However, there’s another fundamental problem here.

Hippolyte tilted his head and said.

“Wait, can our revolutionary government even use diplomatic strategies from the dynastic era? Isn’t that why Eugene couldn’t go through with a political marriage in the end?”

“That makes sense.”

“Huh? Then who are you going to marry off? Is there anyone suitable besides you?”

The problem is that there are no [royal family members].

However, Eugene thought of something else.

After all, Napoleon had previously tried to marry Eugene off to a Russian princess, hadn’t he?

Moreover, if the [monarchy] revival that Eugene is secretly planning comes to fruition, the Bonaparte family will become the royal family.

Furthermore, Eugene isn’t the only unmarried man.

“Anyone from the Bonaparte family would be suitable. There’s Lucien, Louis, and Jerome.”

“What? Wait, they’re the Consul’s brothers, but you’re marrying them to royalty?”

“Hippolyte, isn’t that the only way ‘Father’ would accept it?”

Eugene’s eyes sparkled.

“Dividing the Austrian Empire, solving the Moro Corps issue, and even checking the former imperial territories all at once. How? By stationing troops in the Duchy of Bohemia. Reducing the size to 10 percent!”

The reason why the Moro Corps is consuming enormous finances is because of its size.

However, if it’s moved to Bohemia instead of being in the center of the Austrian Empire, things will be different.

Even if the corps size is reduced to one-tenth, it can still sufficiently serve as a check.

Of course, this would mean that Moro can’t continue to be the commander.

Still, Hippolyte, who is somewhat familiar with military affairs as a brigadier general, pointed that out.

“Then with 5,000 men, it’s a brigade level, we can’t just leave General Moro as the commander.”

“The glory of dismantling the empire has already been obtained, right? Besides, who said he’s only commanding 5,000 men? General Moro will still be commanding 50,000 men.”

“What are you talking about?”

Eugene smiled and said.

“He’ll be commanding the French-Bohemian mixed corps. The Russian Empire showed us how to do it once in the Ottoman Empire, didn’t they?”

Of course, Moro has to accept this proposal first.

***

The commander, who had fought for the republic all his life, couldn’t help but be shocked by the unexpected proposal.

“S, so, you’re telling me to become the [Duke] and commander-in-chief of the Grand Duchy of Bohemia?”

Moro stammered in disbelief as he asked again.

He would rather have the corps disbanded and return home.

He had thought of the Naples satellite republic or the Batavian garrison, but Bohemia was beyond his imagination.

However, Eugene sat calmly in the commander’s office and replied.

“It will be a very glorious position. You will become the vanguard of spreading the revolutionary spirit to Eastern Europe.”

“Become a noble? I’m a revolutionary army general. Besides, who’s the Grand Duke going to be?”

“Louis Bonaparte, he’ll be my uncle.”

At that moment, someone slammed the desk.

-Bang!

The man who broke the desk, Deputy Commander Bernadotte, snarled and confronted Eugene.

“You’re making a mockery of us, Freischütz [a marksman or sharpshooter, often associated with folklore], Our Rhine Corps is the guardian of the revolution! We’re not a private army of the Bonaparte family like your Italian Legion!”

Eugene stared at Bernadotte and replied.

“We have the next marriage partner prepared for you as well.”

“What?”

“Habsburg, Hanover, Denmark, it doesn’t matter. If there’s a princess, we’ll provide her. If you’re dissatisfied with the marriage.”

In an instant, Bernadotte’s sword was aimed at Eugene’s neck.

-Swish!

Truly the skill of a swordmaster.

However, Eugene wasn’t just standing there defenselessly.

Staring intently at the pistol pointed back at him, Swordmaster Bernadotte gritted his teeth.

“That’s a serious insult, Freischütz. Both I and General Moro have risked our lives for the revolution, not for personal glory!”

Very touching words.

However, Eugene sneered.

In the original history, among the people in this position, the one who eventually became king was actually the boastful Bernadotte.

He pretends to be a hardline Jacobin, but he’s someone who doesn’t miss the opportunity to seize power when it comes.

That’s Bernadotte.

With a slightly sarcastic tone, Eugene asked.

“Then would you like to go to India?”

“What?”

“The Consul still dreams of India. Or he’s thinking of Nouvelle-France [New France, a former French colony in North America]. Pichegru still hasn’t returned home, it’s about time to replace him, isn’t it?”

Eugene’s gaze flickered towards Moro.

“Do both of you want to go there? Just say the word. I’ll send you anytime.”

Then Moro looked at Eugene with a serious face and rested his chin on his hand.

“The key is money, Freischütz.”

“Unfortunately, that’s correct. We simply cannot maintain the current size of the garrison. But if we want to forcibly change the proposal that Austria has put forward, it will also cost money. Because we have to fight.”

“Because of the financial deficit, you’re seating the Consul’s brother as the Grand Duke? That’s very self-serving. Let’s do this.”

Moro calmly walked over, gently pushed Bernadotte’s sword aside, and said.

“Send this friend as the commander-in-chief and duke of Bohemia.”

“Are you stepping down, Commander?”

“Isn’t reducing military expenses with a mixed corps the core of your plan?”

Moro’s gaze fixed on Eugene.

“Appoint me as the commander of the Helvetian Republic [a republic encompassing most of Switzerland from 1798-1803] mixed corps. How about that?”

This time, even Eugene was briefly impressed.

In fact, he thought that Bernadotte, who would become a monarch in the original history, would make such a skillful proposal rather than Moro.

But Bernadotte still seems to be closer to a simple soldier.

Also, Moro was, in a way, the most skilled soldier at compromise.

The Helvetian Republic is the country currently established in the Swiss region.

It’s practically a French vassal state, and it’s also the battlefield where Moro fought Suvorov during the Second Coalition War.

It’s closer to France than Bohemia, it’s a position that avoids being a noble, and it’s still a foreign country.

Furthermore, even Bernadotte, who had been angry until just now, only blinked when he heard that he would become a duke.

“That’s an interesting proposal. Understood.”

“One more thing. Are Bernadotte and I supposed to stay in foreign countries forever?”

“Surely not.”

Eugene lightly grabbed the broken table and stood up from his seat.

“France still regards both of you as proud revolutionary army generals. Once the situation stabilizes, I promise to bring you back home and give you the greatest glory.”

Moro coldly looked at Eugene and nodded.

“I’ll take that as a promise that we can return home.”

For now, it was the moment when a gentlemen’s agreement was concluded between the Rhine Corps and the Italian Legion.

An unspoken agreement to not fight each other in exchange for guaranteeing each other’s positions.

***

Of course, Metternich, Austria’s negotiating partner, must have felt like he had been hit twice.

“General Bonaparte, the young one. Did I hear you correctly just now?”

In fact, there are complex circumstances behind how Bernadotte, who was a commoner in the original history, became the King of Sweden.

First, Sweden was defeated by Russia.

Next, Gustav IV was overthrown by a noble coup, and his uncle, who had no children, became king.

Eventually, they had to find another crown prince, and it just so happened that Bernadotte, whose wife was Napoleon’s former lover Désirée, was available.

However, Louis doesn’t have any of these complex conditions.

He’s only Napoleon’s brother.

With Bernadotte also receiving the [dukedom] as a bonus, it must be an absurd situation for Austria.

Of course, Eugene looked at Metternich with a calm attitude and smiled.

It’s their first meeting, but it feels very familiar.

Perhaps it’s because they’ve been fighting non-face-to-face all this time.

“Yes, the princess may not like it, but I think Austria will.”

“His Majesty will absolutely not allow it. A marriage between a commoner, not even a noble, and his brother.”

“Or, we will permanently station French troops in Austria.”

As Eugene casually threw out a terrifying statement, Metternich gritted his teeth.

“Is that a threat?”

“Undersecretary Metternich, I am not afraid of royalist members of parliament.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Eugene sat in his chair, crossed his legs, and imperiously told Metternich.

“Because the princess who will become the standard-bearer of those royalists is with me. As long as I am here, the royalists cannot become an independent force in France. Because Princess Marie will be on my side.”

The idea of manipulating the royalists within France is something that only Metternich could do.

Clearly, it’s an outstanding ability.

It’s not for nothing that Metternich toyed with Napoleon in the original history, eventually leading to his downfall.

However, it doesn’t work for Eugene.

Because among the royal guards within France, the most famous person is the princess’s knight.

Just as Metternich’s face hardened, Eugene tapped the desk.

“So, tell King Franz to choose one of two options. Either watch the French army permanently stationed, or approve the marriage between a French commoner and an archduchess.”

Of course, permanent stationing is also a burden for Eugene.

The Moro direct-controlled corps will be created overseas, and enormous costs will be incurred.

However, dividing the Austrian Empire is a task that cannot be conceded.

If the division fails, the unified Austria will eventually remain.

If England is the greatest adversary, the unified Austrian Empire is the greatest obstacle.

But what about Austria?

If permanent garrison troops remain in the future, can that country be called an independent nation?

Metternich gritted his teeth and raised both hands.

“A political marriage would be better. Understood.”

He judged that sacrificing one princess and the dignity of the royal family would be better.

As Eugene watched Metternich get up and leave, he leaned back in his chair.

Louis sitting on the Grand Duke position isn’t bad when considering the original history.