He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 415

(415) Eugene Destroys Austria

One of the events that signals the end of a war is the reunion with one’s ‘family’ after a separation.

“Your Royal Highness! It’s been so long. You’ve become quite the adult!”

Eugene smiled brightly, looking at Louis Bonaparte, who rushed towards him.

“It’s been a while, Uncle.”

“Puhaha! How awkward. What’s with the formalities when we’re not that far apart in age? Just call me Louis.”

“How could I do that? More importantly, where are Marshal Moreau and Commander Bernadotte?”

This is Schönbrunn Palace, the summer palace of the Austrian Kingdom in Vienna.

France has occupied Vienna for the third time already, and Austria has grown accustomed to handing over Schönbrunn to the French army each time.

The royal family has quietly moved to the Hofburg, the winter palace.

However, the main force of the French Grande Armée has not even come near Vienna.

So, who has entered Vienna and is controlling Austria?

“It’s been a while, Your Royal Highness Eugene.”

It is Marshal Moreau, the commander of the Bohemian Legion, and Bernadotte, the former commander of the Duchy of Bohemia.

Although defeated by King Karl of Hungary, Moreau managed to retreat with a significant portion of his legion intact.

Thanks to the efforts of the Polish cavalry commander, Poniatowski.

Instead of holding Moreau responsible for the defeat, Napoleon ordered him to enter Vienna, and eventually, Moreau was there to greet Eugene.

Eugene saluted Moreau and smiled.

“You’ve worked hard, Marshal.”

“What hardship is there for a defeated general? I should take responsibility and step down.”

“That would be troublesome. You will be reappointed as the commander of the Vienna garrison.”

Moreau’s eyes widened, but Eugene conveyed the imperial order with an attitude that did not allow for objections.

“You must take on the role of controlling the former Austria.”

In essence, it is the role that Moreau played after the Second Coalition War.

However, Moreau was reassigned to Switzerland again during the post-war settlement process.

This was a *personnel appointment* made by the core of the French military, specifically Napoleon, to keep Moreau in check.

But now, he is being reappointed as the commander of the Austrian garrison?

Even if Austria is no longer the old empire, the importance of its position has not disappeared.

It means becoming an important military figure in French overseas territories, like Governor Hoche of Egypt, Commander Marceau stationed in Constantinople, or Desaix of New France.

Moreau stared at Eugene with a complex expression.

“I remember His Majesty was uneasy and had me step down.”

“Did His Majesty say that? Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter. Five years ago and now are different.”

“What’s different?”

Eugene shrugged.

“I’ve returned, haven’t I?”

If Napoleon needs to keep the military in check, he can use Eugene.

On the other hand, Eugene is, in a sense, a key figure that Napoleon needs to keep in check.

Therefore, employing Moreau is a subtle move for Napoleon to appease the non-mainstream faction within the military and prevent Eugene from acting alone.

Moreau opened his mouth and clicked his tongue.

“Indeed, what arrogance am I displaying before the victor of Jena.”

“It was just good luck. Also, I came not to boast about my achievements, but to match your status. Duke of Hohenlinden.”

“What did you just say?”

Eugene turned to the side, and his chief aide, Ippolito, smiled and respectfully handed over a golden medal.

“His Majesty the Emperor has recognized General Moreau’s contribution in successfully delaying the enemy with insufficient forces and has bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Hohenlinden. Congratulations.”

It is not yet an era where the imperial system has been firmly established.

However, Napoleon often bestowed noble titles upon his marshals to build the foundation of the empire.

Although they were contemporary nobles, dukes and counts were mass-produced, and at the time, their positions were mainly named after the place where they had achieved merit.

For Moreau, the victory at Hohenlinden is undoubtedly the greatest triumph of his life.

Of course, from the perspective of a promising general of the Republican faction, it is also a title that he cannot simply be happy about.

However, refusing was not an option, considering Napoleon’s prestige and the fact that Moreau was a defeated general.

In the end, Moreau sighed and accepted the medal.

“I’m ashamed.”

“You can repay it with future achievements. For reference, no land is given, but a lifetime pension accompanies the title. It’s 100,000 francs per year.”

“I will convey to His Majesty that I will be worth the pension. By the way, would it be alright to have General Bernadotte with me? It will be difficult for him to continue as the commander of the Duchy of Bohemia anyway.”

Eugene looked at the tall man standing behind Moreau with a tense expression and smiled subtly.

“General Bernadotte will be assigned to another place. The Duchy of Warsaw, perhaps.”

Bernadotte was startled by the name of a country that did not yet exist, the Duchy of Warsaw.

As the commander of the Duchy of Bohemia, he had studied the area quite diligently.

But he never imagined that he would be stationed there.

“Warsaw? Isn’t that Prussian territory?”

“Can Prussia even maintain Warsaw? It will be difficult for them to defend Berlin.”

“But then who will defend Bohemia and Galicia?”

Louis Bonaparte looked uneasy at Bernadotte’s words.

If Duke Friedrich Wilhelm zu Salm-Kyrburg of Galicia, who was too ashamed to even come to this *occasion*, had heard the story, he would have asked the same question.

In any case, both Bohemia and Galicia could only survive as French satellite states.

Eugene replied succinctly.

“There’s no need to defend them. Because Austria will disappear.”

So, the destruction of Austria was the mission that Eugene had received.

***

The Kingdom of Austria is not without power yet.

“Your Majesty King Franz. Austria’s help is needed. If things continue like this, all the princes of the old empire will be destroyed at Napoleon’s whim!”

Franz II sat in his office chair with his eyes closed, clutching his head.

The one speaking passionately in front of him is the Prussian Foreign Minister, Hardenberg.

Austria had already surrendered at Austerlitz, Prussia had lost its main force, and Hungary had been defeated.

So, why is Hardenberg advocating this?

Ironically, it is because Austria has not suffered any war damage.

In this Third Coalition War, the war took place in four major locations.

Jena, Krakow, off the coast of Bordeaux, and Austerlitz.

Each in the Duchy of Saxony, the Duchy of Bohemia, the French coast, and the Margraviate of Moravia.

In the process, Prussia suffered immense damage, with its main forces being annihilated despite its already small direct population.

On the other hand, the Austrian Kingdom, which is Austria’s homeland, is mostly intact.

So, if they issue the national mobilization order that was issued shortly after the start of the war, they can fight back again.

But is this realistic in a situation where French troops have entered Vienna?

Of course, Hardenberg is not arguing for that.

“Only Austria can have negotiating power with France. Reissue the mobilization order and demand negotiations. That’s the only way Austria can survive!”

So, he is saying to use it as a negotiating card against France.

In fact, it is not entirely wrong.

In any case, if Austria wants to engage in diplomatic warfare with France, it has no choice but to rely on popular uprisings or reservists.

But for Franz, who was an emperor, a king, and aristocratic from birth, it is a very unfamiliar story.

“Enough, Minister Hardenberg. We have already implemented unconditional surrender. In return, Vienna is safe, and French troops have entered.”

“Minister Thugut! You stop it! Unconditional surrender? That’s handing Franz’s head to Napoleon!”

“That’s harsh! If it were 10 years ago, you would have been shot first!”

However, Hardenberg did not back down from Thugut, the former empire’s minister.

“We should have killed Napoleon then! Because you Austrians failed to do so, all Europeans are suffering today!”

At that moment.

“W, what is this!”

“Stop them! Guards!”

“My God, protect His Majesty!”

Suddenly, the winter palace became noisy.

Soon after, the sound of fighting is loud.

Members of the royal family are seen running in screams.

“Your Majesty! It’s a disaster, soldiers!”

“Father, no, Your Majesty! F, French soldiers!”

“What should we do!”

Queen Maria Theresa, eldest daughter Marie Louise, and eldest son Ferdinand each ran in with their younger siblings.

This means that soldiers are ransacking the entire winter palace.

King Franz jumped up and shouted.

“What, what is going on!”

At that moment, a young man in a black uniform entered alone and replied.

“Since you won’t step down on your own, I’ve come myself. Your Majesty Franz.”

Eugene Bonaparte, the fiancé of Franz’s cousin, Marie Therese.

***

The New France Guard, armed with *Boarneh-style* rifles, filled the winter palace.

“My ‘brothers-in-law’ are pointing guns at me!”

Franz shouted, displaying his last dignity.

As he said, those at the forefront of the New France Guard are Eugene and Louis Bonaparte.

Each Eugene is the fiancé of his cousin, so he can be called a cousin-in-law, and Louis is the husband of Franz’s sister Clementina, so he is truly a brother-in-law.

However, at this moment, such family ties are completely trampled upon by international affairs.

Just as Franz’s father and uncle ultimately failed to save Louis XVI during the French Revolution.

Also, the Austrian Guard, which should have protected the kingdom, could not move.

If a shootout were to break out here, the 30,000 Bohemian Legion stationed in Vienna, and further, the 150,000 Grande Armée stationed in Prague, would come running.

Suddenly, Eugene twisted his lips and said to Franz.

“Your Majesty, Emperor Napoleon and I have given you many opportunities.”

“Opportunities? Is giving humiliation to the loser, taking away territory, and demanding reparations an opportunity?”

“But we haven’t beheaded you, have we? Our French ‘Revolution style’ originally starts with taking the heads of the royal family.”

Eugene glanced at the dumbfounded Franz and Marie Louise beyond him, and said coldly.

“Nevertheless, we allowed Your Majesty to keep the crown. But now the limit has been reached.”

Originally, in the original history, Franz and Marie Louise ultimately bring down Napoleon.

Perhaps they are the ultimate winners along with Metternich, who is not present here.

But Eugene, the son of the ousted empress, finally stood before the throne of Austria.

Franz gritted his teeth.

But there is no way to resist the suddenly invading French army.

If he had appealed to the citizens of Vienna as Hardenberg said, he might have been able to incite a *civil uprising*.

In the end, Franz lowered his head in front of the guns and asked.

“Who is the new king?”

“There isn’t one.”

“What?”

Eugene turned to the horrified Habsburg courtiers and smiled mockingly.

“Now, the single political entity called Austria no longer exists. We will return to before the Habsburgs. Of course, in fact, you are originally from the [House of] Lorraine family.”

Habsburg-Lorraine.

The family name changed after Empress Maria Theresa.

Now, the family that has taken the imperial throne and ruled the land of Austria for a thousand years has come down from the throne.

Before Bonaparte’s command.