I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 873: Dramatic Changes in Northern Italy

Adrian Casanova had Medici blood in his veins.

However, under the joint suppression of the Austrians and the Vatican, his father's bloodline was not recognized, and his father did not even get a penny of the Medici family's inheritance.

The Medici family is the real master of Florence, which is the core area of ​​Tuscany!

Half a century ago, Anna Maria's younger brother Gian Gastone died, and the Medici family became extinct.

Relying on its strong influence on Italy, Austria, with the cooperation of the Vatican, forcibly rejected Anna's right to the throne of Tuscany and snatched Tuscany into the hands of the Habsburg family.

Today, Casanova and his grandson are the last bloodline of the Medici family in this world.

Mr. Hahn was a captain in the French Intelligence Service, and his mission was to bring Casanova back to Tuscany.

After Hahn's brief explanation, Casanova was so shocked that he was speechless.

After a long while, he looked at his frail grandson and finally nodded: "Okay, I'm willing to go with you."

He thought of something again and said hesitantly, "If you can take those paintings from my room, I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life."

"painting?"

"It was a birthday present my grandmother gave me when I was a child." The old man said, "Works by masters such as Botticelli, Canaletto and Boucher. Although they are not their famous works, they are also of great artistic value."

These names made Hahn swallow his saliva - these people's paintings could easily be sold for more than 100,000 francs in Paris.

Anna Maria is the most famous art collector in Europe. She invested more than half of the Medici family's wealth in buying art. But her collection is now almost all in the Florence Art Gallery.

In fact, these paintings in Casanova's hands were the reason why he was framed.

"Okay, I'll do my best to bring the painting to you." He nodded.

three days later.

Casanova was riding in the "Jewel VI" carriage to Florence, with the four paintings of the great artist in the back of the carriage.

On the same day, the Treviso News published the news that Albesio, the local tyrant who harmed Casanova, was killed in his own home.

The murderer did it very cleanly and left no clues.

This was a small gift that Hahn gave to Mr. Casanova.

……

Northern Italy.

Piacenza, Duchy of Parma.

Amid the sound of stirring and majestic military music, the Genoese Legion, dressed in white uniforms and fully equipped with French equipment, passed in front of the viewing stand under the command of a lieutenant colonel.

Napoleon glanced at the untidy queue, turned to the Crown Prince's envoy, Viscount Durand, and whispered:
"You know that it would take a great many troops to besiege Mantua. We can leave this matter to the Sardinians, who have nothing to do in Brescia."

In accordance with the resolution of the Mediterranean Security Organization, the troops of the member states have assembled in Piacenza.

Parma, which sent the largest number of troops, sent 4 soldiers, while Lucca, which sent the least, only sent a force of 800 mercenaries.

The total force is just over 1.

Viscount Durand brought the order from the Crown Prince, asking Napoleon to dispatch 5 troops to participate in the security organization's operations.

The targets are naturally Tuscany and the Papal States. Viscount Durand shook his head and said, "You should have noticed that His Highness deliberately excluded Sardinia from this operation."

Napoleon wondered, "Why is that? Sardinia's military strength is the strongest in northern Italy."

"Balance." Viscount Durand smiled. "The army of Sardinia alone can defeat the Papal States, and then they will suppress other countries in terms of strength. Your Highness hopes that all countries can get along equally.

"Of course, the ostensible reason is that Sardinia once declared war on our country, and this is punishment for that."

"Well," said Napoleon reluctantly, "then I will place the Army of Nemours at the disposal of the General Staff of Security.

"But I suggest recruiting some mercenaries from Flemish. You know, they are Protestants, which makes them more convenient when fighting against the Vatican."

"Okay, I will report your suggestion to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Viscount Durand nodded and continued, "By the way, General Bonaparte, Vienna has issued a mobilization order, and it is estimated that troops will soon reinforce Mantua. Your Highness asked you to prepare in advance.

"After you win this battle, you should be a major general."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness. I will never let him down!"

A week later, the coalition forces of France, Parma, Modena, Genoa, Lucca and Baden launched an attack on Ferrara, the northwestern province of the Papal States.

At the same time, Adrian Casanova de' Medici, heir of the Medici family, arrived in Modena, only 40 kilometers away from Florence.

Tuscany and Modena are neighboring countries and often go to war with each other, so Modena is very enthusiastic about him, the original owner of Florence.

Many former members of the Medici family had already heard the news and rushed to the scene. In just a few days, more than 700 soldiers gathered around Casanova.

Well, no one cares whether Casanova was an illegitimate child.

As long as he has Medici blood in his veins and France supports him, he is the true heir to the Medici family!
With this identity, it would be a good idea to follow him to pursue a better future.

Immediately afterwards, Casanova entrusted his spokesman to publicly announce in the Royal Palace of Modena that Ferdinand III, who was currently occupying Florence, had no right to rule Tuscany.

We will represent the Medici family and drive away the Habsburg invaders!
At the same time, in the name of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, he applied for Tuscany to join the Mediterranean Security Organization and the Iberian-Apennine Common Market.

The Medici family's supporters cheered and the celebrations continued until late at night.

The Palace of Versailles also formally approved the application of the new Duchy of Tuscany through the Chap signal tower two days later.

……

The security organization does not have a large number of troops. Together with the French Nemours Corps, it only has 1 soldiers.

Their combat capability was not strong at all, with half of the strongest Nemours Legion being new recruits.

But even so, the Papal States was still greatly shocked.

The slogan "Returning Piety to the Holy See" began to spread throughout the Papal States.

The Colonna family and the Orsini family, who had already had disagreements with the Holy See, began to gather their own forces in various provinces, openly responded to the Mediterranean Security Organization, and announced their independence from the control of the Holy See.

Even within the city of Rome, the "Roman Autonomous Organization" began to stir in places where the Vatican Guards could not notice.

St. Paul's Cathedral.

Pope Pius VI and nearly 30 cardinals gathered in the high mass hall, discussing with worried looks how to respond to the current situation.

(End of this chapter)