He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 463

(463) The Ottoman Empire Wants the Black Sea

April 1809 marked a time when a race against the clock was desperately needed.

“Why are we rushing like this for a mere message, not even moving troops!”

Ippolito, who had been riding beside Eugene, couldn’t contain himself and shouted.

Under Eugene, Ippolito had practically circled half the globe.

He had accompanied Eugene on the voyage to Martinique when Eugene was still young, participated in the Orient expedition, returned to the New World, and even went to South America as a special envoy.

He thought he had grown accustomed to long journeys, but this horseback ride seemed too much to bear.

Eugene spurred his horse and replied,

“Because it’s at least 2,800 kilometers to Istanbul.”

“No, this is something you should assign to an ambassador! Or a special envoy! Talleyrand or Rochejacquelein would be good, right?”

“Wrong. Unless I go myself, it will be difficult to persuade either side.”

Eugene slightly frowned at the dust flying around.

“Ugh, the dust is terrible. Anyway, His Imperial Majesty, the marshals, and the Sultan too.”

Logical persuasion doesn’t move people.

People, in any era, respond to actions.

The reason people follow leaders is because they throw themselves into the fray.

Moreover, the ones Eugene needs to persuade this time are not just allies.

Just then, Commander Champot of the Guards Cavalry, a major general who was leading the way, shouted from the front.

“Your Majesty, cavalry ahead!”

“Whoa, stop the horses!”

“Whoa whoa! Alert!”

As the group stopped their horses in surprise, Eugene slowed down and said,

“I don’t think there’s any danger. It looks like they’ve come to meet us. Huh?”

This was the border region adjacent to the Ottoman Empire.

To get here, Eugene had traveled from Fontainebleau to Marseille, then across northern Italy, and through the western Balkan coast, which was under French imperial control.

And now, the flag of the Kingdom of Greece was waving.

Of course, this area was a border between Greece and the Ottoman Empire, but that flag wasn’t something just anyone could use.

A group waving the king’s flag, with a familiar face at the front, appeared.

“Your Majesty Eugene, it’s been a while.”

Eugene greeted the approaching figure with a very welcoming expression.

“Your Majesty King Constantine, it’s good to see you here. How did you know we were coming?”

“I had a friend who arrived earlier.”

“Who is it? I don’t think there was a special envoy who went faster than us.”

King Constantine of Greece turned his gaze, and another familiar figure jumped out from the ranks.

“It’s me! The best gambler in Paris! The Gale of France! The hussar who will remain a legend! Lasalle!”

This time, Eugene was genuinely surprised.

Lasalle was supposed to be unable to participate in this war due to Berthier’s orders.

Besides, wasn’t he supposed to be sent back to Spain in the first place?

Yet, he had appeared in this unexpected place without royal orders.

Eugene, dumbfounded, rubbed his forehead and retorted,

“First of all, you’re not good at gambling. Didn’t you lose 200,000 francs in a month before?”

“Ahem, losing is also a skill! An unskilled gambler can’t lose a fortune!”

“I completely disagree with that. I told you to stay in Madrid and reflect on your actions, so why are you here?”

Lasalle chuckled and winked at Eugene.

“Well, I just had to get out of Paris and not participate in the war! This isn’t Paris, and Your Majesty’s group isn’t an army!”

Of course, the army that Eugene would command, the 4th Corps of Jena, was to be led by Junot.

But wouldn’t Berthier be angry if he found out about this kind of loophole?

As Eugene pondered how to deal with this, Ippolito chuckled and advised,

“He’s really incorrigible. Let’s order Marshal Junot to make him run laps in full gear later, Your Majesty.”

“He’d probably like that even more, Ippolito.”

“Haha, that’s an accurate assessment, Your Majesty! Haha!”

Eugene frowned at Lasalle’s last words.

However, Lasalle was definitely Eugene’s best cavalry commander card.

He couldn’t possibly order him to return to Paris or Madrid from here.

At that moment, Constantine asked with a worried expression,

“More importantly, Your Majesty Eugene, are you really going to persuade the Turks to join the war? They have no integrity.”

Apparently, to 19th-century Europeans, the Ottoman Empire was a symbol of distrust.

In fact, it was understandable.

Luring people in for negotiations and then ambushing them was the Ottoman Empire’s way.

Nevertheless, Eugene was confident from the start in persuading them to join this war.

Eugene smiled.

“My friend, Your Majesty Constantine. I didn’t come here because I trust the Turks.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“I simply brought an offer they can’t refuse.”

Eugene narrowed his eyes and looked east.

“The Ottoman Empire has no choice but to participate in this war.”

It just depends on whether that participation is sooner or later.

***

In 1809, the Ottoman Empire was truly in a state of crisis.

“Even though we are allied with France, Your Majesty the King of Spain.”

Mustafa IV, 31 years old, was the Padishah [Ottoman Ruler] and Sultan installed by the French Empire.

Originally, he had ascended as a puppet.

However, now, under the guidance of Grand Vizier Hussein Pasha and French garrison commander Marceau, he was achieving a considerable reign.

The bustling appearance of Constantinople [modern-day Istanbul], which Eugene had entered, was one example.

However, upon entering Topkapi Palace, Mustafa was only lamenting.

“I know the reason, Your Majesty.”

“You know? That we are losing territory, the public sentiment is turning, and we cannot expand outwards again, all because of France?”

“I also know that you cannot advance into Persia.”

Eugene smiled, ignoring the gazes of the Ottoman Empire’s officials staring at him, and asked back.

“However, great Sultan Mustafa, the Ottoman Empire is currently receiving vast amounts of French funds. Right now, even the fountain in this palace was made by the French, wasn’t it?”

Outside the window of the audience hall of Topkapi Palace, the sound of an artificial fountain soaring was loud.

– Swish!

That fountain, along with countless buildings and facilities, was installed in Constantinople.

Naturally, most of the funds were not from the Ottoman Empire’s own capital, but from investments by French merchants.

Sultan Mustafa, who had been flinching, glared.

“Even so, it’s not as much as the money you make from the Suez Canal!”

“The Ottoman Empire wouldn’t have been able to build it anyway. No, you wouldn’t have been able to stop Egypt from becoming independent.”

“It was different before you came!”

Mustafa pointed at Eugene and roared.

“France took the Balkans, Syria, and Egypt from us. You destroyed the empire built by our great ancestors!”

Indeed, France had taken vast territories from the Ottoman Empire.

Furthermore, by signing a non-aggression treaty with Persia, they made it difficult to expand abroad arbitrarily.

Yet, a canal was built in the lost territory, and enormous profits were being generated.

Here in Constantinople, the city the Turks call ‘Konstantiniye,’ anti-French sentiment was bound to be brewing.

However, Eugene remained calm, and Mustafa frowned.

“You’re not surprised. King of Spain.”

“Because I know it’s not Your Majesty’s true feelings.”

“Ha! Do you use some kind of mind-reading? Yes, that’s right!”

Mustafa ignored his bewildered officials, or rather, he spoke words that only Grand Vizier Hussein Pasha could understand.

“I know that what you call modernization is important. I have also learned that population, education, and development are important, not just the size of the territory! But not all subjects and nobles understand that!”

Furthermore, it would be difficult for Islamic jurists, the Imams, to understand.

In any case, even in Egypt, which France directly controlled, there had been quite a few assassination attempts on the governor-general.

Everyone likes to acquire more and hates to lose.

The benefits of being a French ally were indirect, while the damage was direct through territorial encroachment.

But Eugene, still smiling, made an astonishing statement.

“I will solve the problem with new territory.”

Mustafa, like Hussein Pasha and the other officials, asked back with a dumbfounded expression.

“Why? Does France even allow it?”

“The Black Sea and the Caucasus will become Ottoman’s.”

“What?”

At that moment, Eugene’s eyes gleamed as he pointed next to the Sultan.

“If the French Empire defeats Russia this time, the entire northern coast of the Black Sea and the Caucasus will belong to the Ottoman Empire.”

There was a globe that France had exported.

The side the globe happened to be showing was the Ottoman Empire.

The land north of the empire, beyond the Black Sea.

Once occupied by the Crimean Khanate, a vassal state of the empire, it was territory that had been lost to Russia and had caused several wars.

Furthermore, the Caucasus was a famous border region from Russia to Persia.

“Then, the road to Persia will also be opened.”

“You will allow me, our Ottoman Empire, to go to Persia?”

“Furthermore, the road to India too.”

Eugene whispered to Mustafa.

“Your Majesty can become the sole ruler of the Muslims.”

An offer that the Padishah of the Ottoman Empire could not possibly refuse.

***

The French embassy is located in the best place, overlooking the Golden Horn [an inlet of the Bosphorus Strait].

“It’s been a while. Should I call you King now? But somehow, I feel like you’ve been scamming me?”

Marceau scratched his head and asked.

It had been 10 years since they last met.

However, he felt more displeasure than joy.

First of all, the great expedition to Russia didn’t seem easy to Marceau either.

But what Eugene had come to propose was too absurd, so he couldn’t help but feel even more displeased.

“The Ottoman Empire traditionally has a supply system that mobilizes 200,000 troops, Marceau. A system that can distribute supplies every four days, and warehouses full of food. Also, mobile supply corps.”

“We have 600,000, so we need three times that? Well, let’s put that aside, are you really giving Persia to the Ottomans?”

“The Sultan is so blinded by the territory right now that he hasn’t received the real thing.”

Eugene stared at Marceau and smiled.

“If you really want to conquer Persia, shouldn’t you get weapons from us? Not territory.”

Marceau took the coffee brought by his wife, Angelique, and clicked his tongue.

“So we’re just using the Ottoman Empire? I’m definitely returning home after this war? I’ll be dead if I come back.”

“It’s not necessarily like that. In fact, loans and capital investments will continue anyway. It’s difficult for us to control the Ottomans, and the Ottomans will be loyal allies. Just like you’ve been doing so well until now.”

“It’s not going to be that easy. Besides, investing without any return? That’s ridiculous.”

At that moment, sparks flew from Eugene’s eyes.

“If you really want to win against Russia, you can do even more than this.”

“What? Wait, what are you talking about?”

“Marceau, my life, sending you here, planting Hosche in Egypt, it’s all for this moment.”

Half of it was a lie.

Strictly speaking, preventing the Russian Grand Expedition from happening was ‘Plan A.’

But if it was unavoidable, Egypt and the Ottoman Empire needed to help.

That was the real reason Eugene hadn’t recalled Marceau and Hosche to the home country all this time.

Just as Marceau, who still hadn’t understood properly, was about to turn to Angelique, Eugene gazed north.

“Now, the Grande Armée [Grand Army] is coming via the northern coast of the Black Sea. To defy fate.”

The sunset over the Golden Horn was dyeing the sea crimson.