The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 344 “Anti-French Alliance”?
"France's participation in the War of the Polish Succession, in conjunction with Sweden, Spain and Sardinia, was essentially part of France's efforts to rebuild its hegemony on the European continent."

On August 1734, 8, Jottwip van Artesen, Grand Speaker of the United Provinces, met with Xie Daoren, the General Representative of Qi State to Europe, at the Parliament Palace in The Hague (now the Parliament Building in The Hague). After exchanging sincere greetings, the two sides quickly shifted the topic to Polish affairs.

The United Provinces were critical of Qi's support for France, believing that this was tantamount to condoning and encouraging France to rebuild its European hegemony, thereby fueling their desire for expansion and posing a certain military threat to neighboring countries, especially their own United Provinces.

"We can all see that the main rivals for Poland are Russia, Sweden and Austria. The above three countries all want to bring Poland into their sphere of influence and expand their political influence. Although France actively participates in the succession of the Polish throne, their focus is on the Duchy of Lorraine, and their higher strategic goal is to weaken the power of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. From the perspective of political logic and geopolitical environment, it is unlikely that France will retain the Polish throne through military support to Leszynski. We believe that France's greater interests lie in Italy and the eastern border, and we do not even rule out coveting the Netherlands. This is why France declared war on Austria even though Russia was the main aggressor against Poland."

"It is conceivable that the Austrians will find it difficult to cope with the full-scale attack of France, Spain and Sardinia. At present, the French army is advancing straight into the Rhine region. After capturing Philipsburg, half of the territory of the Duchy of Lorraine was occupied by the French army. In Italy, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia dealt a heavy blow to the Austrian army in the Battle of San Biagio and advanced towards the Milan area. In addition, the Spanish army also landed in southern Italy in large numbers and began to attack the Kingdom of Naples. I am very worried that if the Austrian Habsburg dynasty is severely weakened in this war, which major power in Europe will be able to balance France in the future?"

"Mr. Speaker, I understand your worries and concerns very well, and I can empathize with you." After listening to the interpreter's retelling, Xie Daoren pondered for a moment, and then said solemnly: "The hegemony of a great power will inevitably seriously damage the interests of most small and medium-sized countries, and even their territorial integrity and legitimate sovereignty, and must be effectively prevented or restricted. Although our Qi country is far away from the European continent, we are always concerned about the peace and stability in Europe, and we are firmly opposed to any form of aggressive war. The United Provinces Republic is our traditional friendly state of Qi, and it has always been at the top priority in our European diplomatic affairs. In terms of many European affairs and overseas colonial affairs, our Qi country will continue to give the United Provinces Republic the greatest support. Our Emperor and the Cabinet Government have sent instructions, and they all agree to upgrade the relationship between our two countries to a comprehensive strategic alliance partnership, and further deepen the political, economic and military exchanges and cooperation between the two countries."

"On behalf of the two million people in the United Provinces, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Emperor and the Prime Minister of your country for their attention and importance to the United Provinces." Speaker Atson smiled and said, "Qi is the most important ally of our United Provinces. It can be foreseen that we will be your most trustworthy partner in Qi, both in the past and in the future. However, the entire European region is still likely to have a large-scale war due to geopolitical, religious beliefs, economic disputes, and even territorial disputes. It is difficult to guarantee that the regional conflict caused by the succession to the Polish throne will not expand further and involve more countries and regions. Although France did not launch an attack on the Southern Netherlands (i.e. the Austrian Netherlands) after declaring war on Austria, this does not mean that they have completely given up the attempt to annex the Netherlands. The strategic goal of the French is very clear, which is to capture the Duchy of Lorraine first, so as to expand their defense depth and ensure the safety of their northeastern border. Then, at a suitable opportunity in the future, they will definitely turn north and show their terrible fangs."

"Your Excellency, Grand Speaker, in view of France's aggressive external expansion, we in Qi fully understand your vigilance against the United Provinces." Xie Daoren nodded and said, "In order to maintain regional security and prevent France's radical expansion policy from harming the United Provinces, we in Qi have a preliminary idea, which is to unite the countries in the region that are committed to peace and establish an alliance mechanism. In the process of France's external aggression and expansion, we can coordinate with each other and jointly perform collective defense to curb France's ambitions."

Hmm? A military alliance against France?

Speaker Artson looked at Xie Daoren in surprise and remained silent for a long time.

"Will your country participate in this alliance?" Artson asked tentatively after a while.

"Your Excellency, Grand Speaker, as I said just now, our Qi country is concerned about the peace and stability of Europe and opposes any hegemonic behavior. If the European people need it, our Qi country is willing to participate in such a military alliance."

"Mr. Ambassador, I am very happy to see that your country Qi can contribute to the peace of Europe." Atson felt relieved and smiled with satisfaction. "Then, which countries do you think should be invited to participate in this alliance dedicated to opposing European hegemony?"

“Although the Kingdom of Ireland is isolated on the sea and far away from the mainland, it has always been involved in European affairs and concerned about regional peace since its independence. If we extend an invitation to it, I believe it will definitely receive a positive response.”

Ireland?
Well, as a loyal brother of your Qi country, Ireland will naturally maintain a high degree of consistency with your foreign policy. As long as your Qi country speaks, they will definitely follow closely in your footsteps.

But do we need to find a few continental countries to balance the powerful French army?

"Mr. Minister, I suggest that the Kingdom of Spain be invited to this alliance as well. I believe that with the existence of Spain, France will definitely respond positively when it wants to expand wantonly and invade the territories of other countries." Artson then also proposed an invitation.

"The Kingdom of Spain?" Xie Daoren hesitated. "The Spanish royal family and the French royal family both belong to the Bourbon dynasty. By then, will it be possible..."

"Mr. Minister, although Spain and France both belong to the Bourbon dynasty, they may not remain united due to their differences and disputes over their respective interests. The Italian War (War of the Quadruple Alliance) more than a decade ago proved this very well. When it comes to national interests or certain major overseas interests, Spain and France will also go to war."

"Since Spain has been invited to join this alliance, the Kingdom of Portugal is also a good candidate." Xie Daoren also proposed another invitation.

"Mr. Minister, do you think that inviting the Kingdom of England to join in would further strengthen this military alliance?"

"Mr. Speaker, your proposal is very constructive. I believe that if the Kingdom of England can also join this alliance, it will definitely be able to better maintain peace and stability on the European continent."

"..." Upon hearing this, Artson's eyebrows twitched and he looked at the envoy of Qi State fixedly.

When did the Qi people hook up with the English again?
Yesterday, a sudden rainstorm hit London. All the dirt on the streets was washed away by the rain, and the reflective stone pavement was gleaming. There were almost no pedestrians on the street, only a few carriages hurried on the road.

The smoke from the chimneys exuded a fresh and moist scent, and the air after the rain was filled with the fragrance of grass and soil. The tall buildings looked even more desolate under the gloomy clouds, and there were still raindrops on the windows, flashing a faint light.

In the central square of the city, an ancient statue was washed clean by the heavy rain, as if it had regained its youth. The surrounding buildings and sculptures looked even more ancient and mysterious under the heavy rain.

In a narrow alley, a solemn church stands on a dark street corner, and the moss on the wall looks particularly green. After the heavy rain, the stone steps in front of the church were washed clean, and the roses in front of the door were blooming beautifully under the nourishment of rain.

In the sky, the dark clouds gradually dissipated, revealing a ray of sunlight, shining through the clouds onto a corner of the city, casting a golden glow. A breeze blew by, bringing cool air, the fog gradually dissipated, and the city regained its vitality.

"Since the Austrians are not the invaders, then the French are the shameful invaders. According to the Treaty of Vienna, the conditions and occasions for fulfilling the covenant are met, and then we, the Kingdom of England, have the military obligation to send troops to assist Austria."

A luxurious carriage drove away from St. James' Palace, with Secretary of State Earl Cole Harrington and Secretary of the Navy Viscount Spencer Compton riding in it. After a long silence, someone finally broke the silence in the carriage. "Moreover, as the Elector of Hanover, His Majesty the King not only has deep German sentiments, but also has the responsibility to protect the safety of his territory, Hanover. Therefore, His Majesty has a strong desire in his heart to help the Austrian Emperor resist the invasion of the French Bourbon forces. However, Prime Minister Sir Walpole adheres to the policy of neutrality and tries his best to avoid the kingdom from being involved in the war. His actions are undoubtedly fueling the French desire for expansion and greatly weakening the influence of our Kingdom of England on European affairs."

After hearing this, Viscount Spencer Compton couldn't help but sigh softly, with a helpless look on his face.

He was always resentful about his failure to replace Walpole as the new Prime Minister of the kingdom after the Anglo-Saxon War. He established a potential alliance with some opponents in Parliament and kept looking for opportunities to overthrow him.

But Walpole had deep connections and broad public support in the kingdom, and always held firmly on to the position of prime minister.

"Yes, Sir Walpole's neutral policy has seriously damaged the national honor and national interests of our Kingdom of England. If the French win this war, the harm will be very serious. It means that the balance of power on the European continent will be broken again, and our ally Austria will also suffer a heavy blow and embarrassing humiliation. Because of our Kingdom of England's inaction, France is likely to become a major power that dominates European affairs again. Sir Walpole's neutral policy only allows us in England to avoid war temporarily, but not permanently."

That's right. After the Polish succession crisis broke out, even the Qi State, which was far away in the Hanzhou Continent, wanted to get involved. However, the Kingdom of England, as an active participant in European affairs, adopted a rare neutral and conservative foreign policy.

This is definitely not because the Anglo-Islamic War a few years ago destroyed the ambitions of the Kingdom of England, nor is it because the loss of the Irish colony caused the kingdom to suffer a temporary blood loss and be unable to intervene in European affairs.

Because Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of the kingdom, believed that the dispute over the Polish throne had no direct benefits for England and would not undermine the existing balance of power in Europe.

France and Russia were in direct confrontation over the Polish throne. In fact, Russia, Austria and Prussia were in the same camp against the French candidate for the throne. The outbreak of war made it impossible for the European balance of power to be disrupted quickly.

In a speech to Parliament earlier this year, Sir Walpole, in order to gain the support of the public and MPs, declared: "If England can be guaranteed not to participate in the war, in more than a year, England will be able to give orders to the whole of Europe."

Obviously, he believed that France would suffer a setback in the face of the joint counterattack of Russia, Austria and Prussia. At that time, England would actively deal with the aftermath of the war as a mediator, so as to obtain the benefits that the kingdom deserved.

As the leader of the Whig Party, Sir Walpole always followed an active diplomatic principle, that is, "England should intervene only when the balance of power on the European continent is truly threatened, and should withdraw immediately once the threat is eliminated."

In addition, Sir Walpole was also worried that if the Kingdom of England rashly participated in the European war, it might not be able to guarantee internal stability, which would lead to internal political divisions and rebellion by restoration forces.

In fact, because of the failure of the Anglo-Stylish War, the Jacobites (supporters and advocates of restoring the rule of the Stuart family) became extremely active and frequently caused trouble in the coastal areas of Scotland, making the kingdom face a much greater risk of foreign invasion than decades ago.

Sir Walpole once predicted that if a war broke out, the King of England would probably abandon his subjects and return to Hanover to fight, and would most likely drag England into the war.

The 1701 Act of Succession carefully stipulated that England could not be involved in a war to defend foreign territory, especially one that would harm England's interests. Hanover was located in Central Europe and was surrounded by powerful nations. Once George II, as the Elector, joined the war, England would have to go to war to protect Hanover's interests.

Therefore, Sir Walpole's goal was peace at home and abroad, and even if it cost a little for peace, it was worth it.

Furthermore, the Kingdom of England had no desire to expand its territory on the European continent, and the "European balance of power" and continental alliance policies previously formulated were subject to the strategy of competing for maritime interests.

When the War of the Polish Succession broke out, colonial competition and maritime conflicts between Britain and France did not intensify. England's maritime trade also quickly recovered after the end of the Anglo-Serbian War, and the slave trade in Spanish America was not seriously threatened.

If England participated in the Continental War at this time, the retaliatory measures of France and Spain would certainly damage its overseas commercial interests, thereby benefiting the Dutch and Qi people.

"By the way, Sir Compton, what do you think of the Qi proposal to establish the so-called Atlantic Alliance?" After complaining about Walpole's neutral policy, Earl Harrington suddenly shifted the topic to Qi.

"It is obvious that the people of Qi have set their sights on France, and are prepared to use the power of the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and England to contain or suppress it in some form to prevent France from re-establishing European hegemony." Viscount Compton pondered for a moment and said solemnly, "Qi's move actually coincides with our European continental balance of power strategy. I think this is a good suggestion, and we in England should actively join in it."

"Sir Compton, the people of Qi have also dragged in the lowly Irish..." Earl Harrington said dimly.

"Uh..." Viscount Compton's expression froze, and then he smiled bitterly. "The Irish have been independent for six years. Sometimes we shouldn't cling to the past. After all, this new kingdom has been officially recognized by most European countries, and has established corresponding political and diplomatic relations. If our Kingdom of England continues to be hostile to it, it will definitely take up too much of our energy and hinder and hinder our affairs on the European continent."

"Even if we no longer cling to the past, the Irish still have strong hostility towards our Kingdom of England and are still resentful of their past colonial history."

"The Irish's opinion is not important." Viscount Compton said with a smile: "As long as the Qi people need us and are willing to cooperate with us, even if the Irish have endless hatred for us, they can only bury it deep in their hearts. After all, when it comes to European affairs, the importance of our Kingdom of England is beyond doubt."

(End of this chapter)