The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1972 The Agreement
"I believe that the true emperor of the Western Roman Empire should be crowned in Rome."

Nicholas I showed extraordinary enthusiasm and attention to Franz's coronation, believing that only the coexistence of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires could solidify their rule.

Although Russian ministers disliked Nicholas I and Franz, they had to admit that if Franz were crowned in Rome, it would greatly alleviate the pressure on Russia.

In fact, the main reason why Russia had not yet gone to war with the Austrian Empire, besides the harmonious relationship between the monarchs, was that the two sides were evenly matched in strength.

Russia could muster a million soldiers, and so could the Austrian Empire. Russia was invincible, and so was the Austrian Empire.

Russia controls Eastern Europe, while Austria controls Central Europe. Both sides have sufficient strategic depth and the ability to sustain combat operations.

If a fight really breaks out, it will either result in mutual destruction or the fight will drag on endlessly.

The Russians aren't stupid; they don't want to do something they're not sure they can succeed at.

Despite Russia's continued victories in recent years, and the apparent rise of Pan-Slavism, Russia's political system remains strong.

But the Russian elites had a lot of contact with Austria, and they could feel that pressure.

The Russian leadership also sensed that scarcity, and coupled with the Tsar's personal will, no one dared to take that step.

Furthermore, Russia's diplomacy had always been abysmal, like a slow-witted elephant. Even so, the Russians found that the Austrian Empire seemed to be their only ally at this time.

Given Russia's current size, no country can directly challenge it.

You can say Russians are arrogant, but you can't say they're blind.

The Austrian Empire was both the largest buyer and the largest seller in the Russian market.

If the Austrian Empire were to withdraw from the Russian market, the entire Russian market would be instantly paralyzed.

This is not an exaggeration
However, that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that many people in Russia are still counting on the Austrian Empire to make their fortune, and they will not allow anyone to disrupt their path to wealth.

The luxury goods of the Austrian Empire were also a source of pride for the Russian upper class, even surpassing the status of France in this respect.

However, Russia is actually very sensitive to the term "Western Roman Empire," because many Russian high-ranking officials believe that they are the true and only successors of the Roman Empire.

In fact, they did not agree with Nicholas I's idea of ​​dividing the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. They believed that Russia should inherit everything from the Roman Empire, and even Nicholas I's self-proclaimed title of "Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire" was a desecration.

This was also an ideological war, as the ideological differences at the time were mainly in the religious sphere, with the conflict between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church being irreconcilable.

This struggle for the right to interpret scriptures is a life-or-death battle; neither side can convince the other. Only a life-or-death struggle can end this conflict.

Moreover, these voices will grow stronger as Russia triumphs and grows larger, regardless of whether the Austrian Empire is an ally fighting alongside them during this period.

There was little objection within the Austrian Empire to the name Western Roman Empire. Franz's governance over the years had been quite effective, and few people would take sides haphazardly before he made his decision.

For the minority groups within the Austrian Empire, it didn't really matter as long as they didn't directly become the German Empire.

Whether it's the Holy Roman Empire or the Western Roman Empire, it doesn't make much difference to them.

However, a small group of people strongly supported the name "Western Roman Empire," and some even felt that the coronation ceremony should be held in Rome.

Most of them were clergy from the Roman Catholic Church, and their primary concern was the impact on the Church.

However, the Habsburg family was one of the few legitimate dynasties that were entitled to be crowned in Rome, and even the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor in Rome was a tradition.

The last emperor to be crowned in Rome was Charles V of the Habsburg family. Now that Franz is rebuilding the Holy Roman Empire, it is only right to restore the tradition.

But where there are supporters, there are bound to be opponents. If it were the former Austrian Empire, no one would have opposed the coronation in Rome or Vienna.

The problem is that the Holy Roman Empire of Franz has now once again included the northern German region, and the former Catholic country has suddenly gained a large number of Protestants.

Although the Habsburg family had deliberately downplayed religious issues since the Thirty Years' War, Franz drew upon the power of religion in leading the Austrian Empire to its resurgence.

There's a saying that goes, "When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven," and the Roman Catholic Church is similar in a sense. As Franz overcame numerous obstacles, this group of people returned to the public eye.

In fact, Franz's reforms of the church were very successful. Whether it was the Purity Act, internal reforms, or participation in colonial activities, they all greatly enhanced the church's influence.

In particular, the revenue streams and paramilitary organizations established for the church have given the crumbling Vatican a much-needed boost.

As for the territories lost by the Papal States, no one cared. Rather, after Franz purged the church's high-ranking officials, these newcomers felt that the church should have done this in the first place. They had no idea how chaotic the church had been in the past.

Of course, those who truly experienced the dark times will cherish this hard-won life even more.

Furthermore, Franz's status as acting pope was seen as sacred by many clergy, who believed that the pope should live in Rome and that Franz should move the capital to Rome.

Especially after Nicholas I announced the relocation of the capital to Constantinople, many within the Austrian Empire wanted to move the capital to Rome.

After all, Franz had already been crowned in Rome once, and even had the key to the city of Rome personally presented by Pius IX.

Especially for those traditionalists, they would love for everything to be restored to how it was hundreds of years ago.

Besides them, the Austrian Empire also had no shortage of far-sighted technical officials who had recognized the national issues.

Faced with numerous ethnic issues within the Holy Roman Empire, the best solution was to find a capital that transcended worldly concerns—Rome, the Eternal City, was the best choice.

The title of "Emperor of the Roman People" was far too important for the ancient Habsburg family.

Finally, from a military and strategic perspective, moving the capital to Rome would also facilitate better governance and integration of the Italian region.

Although the Habsburg family had been operating here for centuries, the integration process was surprisingly slow, even slower than the results achieved in the eleven years following 1848.

Within the empire, even the most liberal officials had to acknowledge Franz's role, leading some to suggest that His Majesty the Emperor should govern personally. This would stabilize morale, accelerate integration, and even, if necessary, suppress rebellions.

From a strategic perspective, although Vienna is located in the heart of Europe, its mountainous terrain and numerous rivers, along with its many geographical barriers and centuries of decadent music, have prevented it from possessing the grandeur and magnificence of a great imperial capital.

But Rome is different. The fact that it was able to inherit the Roman Empire is enough to be awe-inspiring, not to mention the ancient ruins that once carried its glory.

There were also some who genuinely wanted to restore Rome's glory, and they hoped to establish a super empire around the Mediterranean.

That center could only be Rome.

Franz personally could not accept the name "Western Roman Empire," no matter how much he and Nicholas I boasted about it to each other in their letters.

From a practical standpoint, the title "Western Roman Empire" was far too dangerous for the Austrian Empire; in comparison, the title "Holy Roman Empire" was much safer.

However, Rome itself is a good place for coronation, and Franz had no reason to refuse it. He did indeed need a coronation place with universal values.

However, before that, Franz needed to fulfill a promise: he had to restore Franz II's title and allow him to be buried with the title of Holy Roman Emperor.

The family was deeply moved by this, as few families in history have been able to regain their former glory.

Since it was the late emperor's will, the other family members naturally couldn't say much. In fact, at this moment, they really had nothing to say in front of Franz.

Even Madame Sophie did not want to interfere too much with Franz's policies.

In fact, the complexity of imperial politics at this time had already exceeded her ability to handle it. In addition, Franz had found other hobbies for her, and Madame Sophie was well aware of this, so she simply chose to stay away from politics completely.

“My child, I am so proud of you. Your grandfather, uncle, father and I were right about you. You have truly lived up to expectations.”

No, it's better than we imagined.

Mrs. Sophie paused for a moment and then continued.

"You have given a great empire a new life, which is undoubtedly a great achievement. But remember, they will envy you, hate you, and curse you. They will say you are too ambitious, and they will say you are a ghost of the old era."
Franz, as your mother, I wish you a peaceful and happy life, but as a member of the Habsburg family, I demand greatness from you.

Over the years, Mrs. Sophie has aged considerably, and the strong, domineering aura she once possessed has long since faded with time.

Franz couldn't help but lament the passage of time; he seemed to have a long life ahead of him, but his tasks were still many.
"I will, thank you, Mother."

In fact, the people and government of the Austrian Empire were equally concerned about the funeral. According to the official statement of the empire, "The Holy Roman Empire never perished, but was forced to stop due to war."

The situation was similar in the German region, since the Holy Roman Empire was very familiar to them, and many families' fiefdoms and titles originated from that era.

Furthermore, no one would question Franz's legitimacy, because questioning it would be utterly foolish.

There was little opposition to the imperial government's announcement that it had posthumously recognized "Holy Roman Emperor Francis II and Austrian Emperor Francis I".

In fact, what the people were more concerned about was the burial itself, since Franz couldn't really dig up the old emperor and bury him again.
The so-called state funeral is actually a large-scale memorial service, which also involves changing the epitaph and adding some text to the family tombstone.

"Franz II, by the grace of God, Emperor of the Romans. In the face of national crisis, to preserve the kingdom among the nations, he endured humiliation and temporarily suspended the legitimacy. Now, with the restoration of the legitimate order, the title of Emperor is returned to him."

This transformed the forced abdication of 1806 into a story of enduring humiliation for the sake of the country.

Although it has some suspicion of being fabricated, it perfectly reflects the mentality of the people of the Holy Roman Empire at that time. They did not care about the truth; they only wanted what they believed.

Although it was just a memorial service, the pomp and circumstance were still considerable. St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna was filled with various crowns, scepters, edicts, and imperial symbols.

Royal families from various countries were required to pay homage, not only those within the Holy Roman Empire but also royal families from other European countries.

Even the British royal family sent Prince Albert as their representative to Vienna, although the British government had originally hoped that Crown Prince Edward would attend.

However, Victoria and her husband abruptly called it off, for a simple reason: if they didn't want relations between the two countries to deteriorate, it was best not to send Edward.

The Crown Prince has just committed a scandalous act in the Cork County barracks, where he had multiple inappropriate relationships with a popular female celebrity, and the details of these relationships have even been exposed.

In particular, due to certain actions, it even earned the nickname "Rifle." (At the time, a British rifle took approximately 25 seconds to fire a single shot.)
The actress's net worth skyrocketed, but Prince Edward's reputation was completely ruined, and he was even considered the biggest joke in London.

This incident angered Prince Albert so much that he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Fortunately, he was in good health in this life, and medical technology was relatively advanced, so he recovered well.

But Victoria and Prince Albert dared not send their eldest son, who was both uneducated and utterly absurd, to attend such an important occasion abroad.

Although the British royal family and the Habsburg family have a good relationship now, the relationship between Britain and the Holy Roman Empire is not so good.

If the Austrians were to act without martial virtue, the consequences would be unimaginable. In fact, there was no need for coercion or deliberate mudslinging; they knew very well that with a little guidance, their eldest son would fall into their trap.

This memorial service is quite large, with almost all European royal families in attendance. However, losing face is a minor matter; if it were to cause a major international incident, they would have no choice but to regret it.

Left with no other choice, Prince Albert had to go in person, as the matter was of utmost importance and he genuinely wanted to discuss many things with Franz in person.

In fact, as a member of the British royal family, he was less concerned about the interests of Britain and more concerned about the interests of the royal family itself.

The British royal family has long benefited greatly from its cooperation with the Habsburg family, and he hopes that this cooperation can continue unaffected by the relationship between the two countries.

In fact, Prince Albert was also leaving a way out for the British royal family. No one can guarantee that Britain will always be powerful, not to mention that Britain has been defeated by the Austrian Empire many times before.

In the event that the ship capsizes, Prince Albert hopes to resolve the issue through negotiation.

At least it can preserve the British royal family
Prince Albert thought his arrival would make him the center of attention, but he soon realized he was wrong.

Because Nicholas I has arrived.