He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 447

(447) Pitt Plans the European Great War

The third term as Prime Minister was unprecedented, and in later history, only Gladstone would achieve this feat.

“Indeed, you have achieved an unprecedented feat, Prime Minister.”

“Gaining power is not an achievement. Power is merely a means.”

“Then, what achievement do you desire?”

Back in the Prime Minister’s official residence at 10 Downing Street, Pitt replied succinctly.

“Naturally, to overthrow the French Empire. Napoleon and Eugene!”

Wickham, the head of the Alien Office [a British intelligence agency focused on monitoring foreigners and subversive activities], who greeted Pitt at the Prime Minister’s residence after a long absence, raised his eyebrows.

Of course, Wickham knows that Pitt has been advocating for anti-revolution, anti-France, and anti-Napoleon from the start.

In fact, not all British people share this sentiment.

There are always those who want to find common ground with neighboring countries, in any era and in any nation.

However, Pitt adheres to the belief that Britain can only truly thrive if France is diminished.

Looking back at later generations, history proves this to be partially true. Britain’s golden age dawned as French hegemony waned, but when France was utterly weakened, Britain’s dominance also faced challenges.

Anyway, what surprised Wickham now was not Pitt’s opposition to France.

“King Eugene is on par with Napoleon.”

“Yes. He was just a child at one time, but not anymore. He’s more than just a young man. Isn’t he the King of Spain?”

“He’s been effectively dismantling the country since he became king. He may be holding it together with his authority for now, but in the future, there will be chaos with independence movements everywhere, much like our United Kingdom’s Ireland.”

Wickham doesn’t perceive Eugene as a significant threat.

In particular, the measure to virtually divide Spain is quite clever.

The Spanish nobles will be pleased because they will regain their power, the commoners will be happy because taxes will be lowered, and the clergy will be happy because they have curbed the anti-religious fervor of the Great Revolution, even if they are losing some of their jurisdiction.

However, the path to weakening royal power and the centralized state is unavoidable.

Naturally, the navy, which requires a substantial amount of funding, is likely to decline.

No matter how great a king who rules a vast colonial empire, what good is it if the resources he can mobilize are limited?

However, Pitt shook his head.

“If Eugene becomes the Crown Prince of the French Empire, it won’t matter. Not to him, nor to the constituent states of the former Spanish kingdom.”

Wickham’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean?”

“The old Holy Roman Empire was like that. The emperor had territories outside the [German] kingdom, territories in Hungary or Bohemia. Based on that power, he controlled the princes he did not directly rule.”

“No, I’m not discussing history, but who becomes the Crown Prince?”

The threat Pitt sees is straightforward.

Spain weakens?

Then it becomes much easier for France to control Spain.

What if France, a centralized empire, effectively seizes all of Spain’s colonial territories with its power?

A vast economic zone emerges that is larger than Britain, which controls the world’s wealthiest region, the former Mughal Empire [a vast and prosperous empire in the Indian subcontinent].

It is a threat that cannot be compared to the mere 300,000 people in New France or the underdeveloped Egypt with a population of 8 million.

However, Wickham seems surprised by another aspect.

Leaning on his cane, Pitt clicked his tongue and said.

“Eugene Bonaparte. He is legally Napoleon’s son. Moreover, France is nominally structured as a civil empire, so it is by no means impossible.”

Until now, Wickham naturally assumed that Napoleon would pass on the throne to his biological children.

In fact, this is a natural assumption for the British.

Currently, it is the 19th century, and monarchy is the prevailing ruling system worldwide.

Monarchy is based on blood succession, and adopted children who do not share a drop of blood are naturally excluded from the line of succession.

Eugene is not even a son-in-law of the Bonaparte family.

However, Pitt focused on the legal framework upon which the current French Empire is based.

The French Imperial Constitution elects the emperor by popular vote.

Almost all adult men are voters, and there is no specific mention of eligibility requirements for those to be elected.

However, it is clear that Napoleon’s children or relatives would be eligible to be elected.

Because the French Empire is modeled after the Roman Empire.

This stems from the fact that the French Revolution was initially inspired by the republics of Greece and Rome, and Napoleon and the Bonapartists argued as follows.

In the end, the Greek Republic collapsed, and Rome also transitioned to an imperial system, so the empire is the inevitable outcome of the revolution.

From the perspective of later history, this is sophistry, but it wasn’t necessarily so in the early 19th century.

This is because all countries except France, the Netherlands, and, oddly enough, Venice were monarchies.

However, there is one loophole in this argument.

If you are familiar with it, the Roman Empire was not an empire that adhered strictly to blood succession.

It was an empire where so-called adoption succession occurred frequently.

“Then, does Your Excellency intend to eliminate King Eugene first?”

Wickham, who was momentarily recalling Roman history learned from his childhood tutor, asked, and Pitt waved his hand.

“I would have done that if I were going to live long. Cough, cough, cough!”

“Your Excellency! Call a doctor quickly!”

“No, it’s okay. I’m being diagnosed by my doctor every day, so there’s no need to make a fuss. Mr. Wickham.”

Pitt, who was coughing dryly, said with a pale face.

“It’s easy to disrupt the relationship between Eugene and Napoleon. Just continue to support the anti-French alliance forces that failed this time.”

“Why aren’t you continuing that strategy?”

“It takes too long. It would be easier if Eugene wasn’t the King of Spain, or if he showed signs of making Spain independent. But he is the King of Spain and is thoroughly aligned with the policy of division.”

If Eugene pursued a so-called independent path, it would be simple.

Originally, in history, Napoleon’s relatives who were installed as kings of vassal states all attempted to become independent.

From King Louis of the Netherlands, King Joseph of Spain, King Murat of Naples, to Grand Duchess Elisa of Tuscany, all were preoccupied with their own national interests, regardless of France.

However, Eugene is instead dispersing the united power of Spain.

Conversely, if Eugene’s position was simply the French Viceroy, it would be easy to dismiss him through discord.

However, as the monarch of the personal union of the former Spanish kingdom, even if someone deceives him with sweet words, it is difficult for Napoleon to remove Eugene.

Rather, due to the nature of the personal union of the former Spanish kingdom, there is even a concern that if Eugene is dismissed, each country will independently form an anti-French system.

Pitt believes that such machinations are too slow and uncertain, given his declining health.

“So, we need to prepare a faster and more effective method.”

Wickham frowned as he supported Pitt’s body.

“What is it? I’ve worked in the intelligence agency for quite a while, but I don’t see any brilliant solutions.”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Napoleon has no choice but to destroy himself. A quick solution.”

“Should we put poison in the food Napoleon eats?”

Wickham asked jokingly, and Pitt laughed heartily.

“Puhahaha! That’s not bad either! But there’s an easier way than that! Drag him into Russia!”

Pitt, leaning on his cane, walked to the conference room desk and unfolded a letter.

-Chwaaak!

Wickham carefully examined the tightly sealed letter and had an intrigued expression.

“This is a personal letter from Viscount Castlereagh.”

“As you know, we are currently at war with Russia. Well, the only place we actually fight is in Canada.”

“Isn’t that over yet? Fox ended the war with the United States last year.”

It wasn’t necessarily bad for Britain that Fox took power.

Anyway, it was Fox who ended the war with the United States, which Pitt had been stubbornly fighting.

However, the British New World colony, Canada, was still at war.

This is because they have never officially made a peace treaty with France, and the New France army led by Deje has occupied Quebec with Russia at the forefront.

Pitt retorted cynically.

“Should we call it the [Cold War]? Anyway, that’s why Castlereagh is suffering in Hanover. In a situation where the French army might invade at any time.”

Conversely, Hanover was returned to Britain by France in exchange for not targeting French civilian ships.

Of course, this agreement is unofficial and can be broken at any time.

This means that French civilian ships and British-ruled Hanover can be attacked at any time.

Viscount Castlereagh was continuing diplomatic maneuvers in Europe under these adverse conditions.

Suddenly, Pitt’s eyes turned to the globe.

“But it seems he has finally achieved results. The Tsar of the Russian Empire is starting an invasion of India.”

“Yes? No, isn’t that an emergency?”

“Oh, you didn’t know it was being promoted by the Foreign Office. It’s intentional.”

Pitt smiled strangely, watching the largest part of the globe, the Russian Empire.

“Then, who should we send to the Crown Prince?”

It is a smile anticipating the news of the upcoming Russian-led [civil war].

***

Foreign Secretary Granville looked wide-eyed at his newly appointed third-term Prime Minister cousin.

“Did you just tell me to go to Constantinople [modern-day Istanbul]?”

Pitt coughed lightly and nodded.

“Ahem, that’s right. Granville, my cousin and Foreign Secretary.”

“Don’t call me so formally. I understand sending Castlereagh to Russia. But, what is the reason for me to go all the way to Constantinople? Especially since the Mediterranean is currently virtually a French lake!”

“That’s precisely why you have to go. That’s the only way to influence the Sultan.”

Currently, the Mediterranean is a very dangerous sea for Britain.

Originally, in history, none other than Nelson established the Mediterranean as a British sea.

This is because he won in Malta, Alexandria, and above all, Trafalgar, and smashed the French Mediterranean fleet to pieces.

But currently, there is no Nelson, and admirals like Sydney who could replace him are mostly in the Atlantic.

As a result, it is quite risky for the British Foreign Secretary to secretly travel as an envoy.

But Pitt is not sending Granville to his death.

Granville is the only one of Pitt’s confidants who can effectively persuade the Sultan.

“Incite Constantinople to attack Russia.”

Granville blinked at the absurd suggestion.

“Russia, not France?”

“You can’t drive out the French garrison by going alone, can you? But you can incite the Sultan to attack Russia.”

“Well. I thought France was allied with Russia.”

It is not inherently difficult to get the Ottoman Empire to attack Russia.

Anyway, the history of the two empires fighting over the Black Sea has already spanned centuries.

But isn’t Marceau controlling the Sultan in Constantinople?

But Pitt smiled and presented an outlandish idea.

“Granville, by the time you arrive, the French Emperor will probably be considering an expedition to Russia. You’re simply fueling that atmosphere.”

Instantly, Granville was startled and asked back.

“How is that possible?”

Because he couldn’t even fathom what grand strategy Pitt was devising.

***

Of course, Pitt is taking a calculated gamble.

“Because the Russian Empire will be divided and embroiled in internal conflict.”

Pitt finished explaining, with the last envoy to be dispatched standing before him.

This envoy is not of high rank, but he is a shrewd diplomat.

George Canning, the man who duels with Castlereagh in history, tilted his head.

“Prime Minister, there are two problems with the strategy you mentioned. It seems Castlereagh didn’t report everything accurately.”

“Tell me. Mr. Canning.”

“No matter how war-obsessed the French Emperor is, Russia is far away, vast, and cold. But, to invade this ostensibly allied country simply because a civil war has erupted?”

Canning actually competes fiercely with Castlereagh after Pitt’s death in history.

The first to achieve prominence is Castlereagh, but the one who eventually becomes Prime Minister is Canning.

Unfortunately, Castlereagh commits suicide, and Canning dies from overwork.

Pitt, a man with a face that suggests he might die from overwork at any moment, nodded.

“That’s why you have to go. To Prussia.”

“Are you instructing me to persuade the Prussian King to support France? Then Napoleon, driven by his war mania, will march into Russia?”

“That’s right. As you said, Napoleon is obsessed with war. However, there are numerous spies from the French Sûreté [the French secret police] on the continent. You must persuade the Prussian King, acting as if their ears are listening. At the same time, King Wilhelm must understand the true intent.”

Canning frowned, looking perplexed, and reiterated.

“Okay. Then here’s the second problem. Even if the French Empire attacks Russia, how do you seize France by the back of the neck?”

France has now secured hegemony over the European continent.

Furthermore, Napoleon has avoided foolish actions like the Continental Blockade [a trade embargo against Britain] and intervention in the Spanish Civil War, and the Austrian Empire has been dismantled.

Even if the situation mirrored history, anyone suggesting that the French Empire could be overthrown would be considered delusional.

What Pitt is proposing now seems equally improbable.

But Pitt still smiled and glanced towards the corner of the office.

“So, I need that friend. Do you have a strategy to advise me? Mr. Wellesley?”

Arthur Wellesley, commander of the Portuguese garrison, stepped forward and said.

“Yes, Prime Minister. It is a strategy to defeat Napoleon. It is to wage a European [Great War].”

European Great War.

This is the only way Pitt plans to defeat Napoleon.