Rise of Empires: Spain.

Chapter 114 Wedding

Prime Minister Primo and Carlo could understand the thoughts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Franz Joseph I.

Regardless of the reasons, neither of them would refuse Franz Joseph I's request.

After all, the larger the scale of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's naval and land forces, the more it proves how much importance the Austro-Hungarian Empire attaches to its eldest princess, Archduchess Sophie.

Since the Austro-Hungarian Empire attaches so much importance to Archduchess Sophie, doesn't it mean that the Austro-Hungarian Empire will also attach importance to its ally Spain?
Although it is of little help to the national interest, it can still be used to bully others in diplomacy. Spain or Austria-Hungary alone are not that powerful, but if the two countries unite, even superpowers such as Britain, France and Germany will have to carefully consider the pros and cons.

This also makes people have to be thankful that the relationship between Italy and Spain was very good at that time, and the King of Italy was Carlo's father, Vittorio Emanuele II.

If someone else became the King of Italy, he might not be able to trust the troops deployed by Spain and Austria-Hungary in the wedding procession.

If the king was more suspicious, he might not be able to sleep all night. After all, if these troops attacked by surprise, it would be enough to cause trouble for Italy.

Fortunately, Italy was also an ally of Spain at that time, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not have too many ideas about Italy. Otherwise, Italy, sandwiched between the two countries, would have become the most painful role after this marriage.

Since the Austro-Hungarian Empire has dispatched more than 5000 troops for protection, Spain will naturally not remain indifferent.

Prime Minister Primo made some changes to the bride-picking process. After the bride-picking fleet docks at the port of Valencia, it will be escorted by an army of more than 10,000 people until it arrives in Madrid.

In order to ensure safety along the road from Valencia to Madrid, Prime Minister Primo specially approved an action to clean up this road one month in advance to prevent any possible accidents.

Finally, the time came to February 1872.

Carlo personally led the army through numerous difficulties to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and under the reluctant gaze of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I and Queen Sissi, he took Archduchess Sophie away and boarded the fleet to Spain.

The journey was very smooth. After arriving at the port of Valencia, we took a modified royal train and slowly traveled from Valencia to Madrid.

Madrid in February has been carefully decorated by the government, and at first glance it looks like it is preparing for some grand event.

The closer you get to the Royal Palace of Madrid, the more you can appreciate the importance the government attaches to this wedding. Not only around the Royal Palace, but even on the streets and alleys of Madrid, you can see fluttering colorful flags and the striking Spanish flag.

Spanish newspapers have also been publishing news about the friendship between Austria-Hungary and Spain these days, as well as news praising Archduchess Carlo and Archduchess Sophie as a perfect match.

The Royal Palace of Madrid was extremely busy on the wedding day. Not only did a large number of nobles try their best to attend the wedding, but many officials and capitalists also tried their best to get a seat.

If one is indeed not of high status enough to attend the wedding, they will find ways to send a gift to the royal family to express their loyalty to the royal family and Carlo.

The situation at this moment is different from when Carlo came to Spain before. Carlo has already firmly established his throne, and is no longer the powerless king that anyone can despise. Especially after the marriage with the royal family of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Carlo's influence in Spain has also been infinitely increased. The Savoy family only has a certain influence in Italy, but the Habsburg family, where the Austro-Hungarian royal family is located, has a great influence in Europe.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Habsburg family is currently the world's number one family, a world's number one family with more influence than the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family and the Hohenzollern family.

During the heyday of the Habsburg family, they ruled Spain, the Two Sicilies, Hungary, Austria and a large area of ​​Germany, and held the only imperial throne in Europe at that time, that is, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Of course, the Habsburg family still holds the title of Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to this day, but the Habsburg family at this time is only a side branch, and its full name is the Habsburg-Lorraine Dynasty.

The Habsburg family once ruled Spain, and had been ruling Spain since the early days of Spain's birth.

The famous Iberian Wedding marked the official merger of Castile and Aragon into Spain, which is also the origin of the birth of Spain.

The first king of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty was the two protagonists of the Iberian wedding, Juana, the daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, and the offspring of Prince Philip of the Holy Roman Empire.

The reason why the Spanish throne fell into the hands of the Bourbon dynasty was the result of negotiations between the Habsburg family and the Bourbon dynasty after the War of the Spanish Succession broke out.

Although the Bourbon dynasty obtained the Spanish throne, it also returned the Netherlands under Spanish control, namely the three Low Countries, as well as the Kingdom of Naples, Sardinia, Sicily and part of Italian territory to Austria.

Therefore, compared to royal families like Savoy, which do not have a prominent history, dynastic families like the Habsburgs have too prominent a history and have a certain influence on the Spanish people.

After Carlo married Archduchess Sophie of the Habsburg family, it also meant that their future offspring would have the blood of the Habsburg family.

The Habsburg rule in Spain lasted for nearly 200 years, which is longer than the Bourbon rule in Spain.

Compared to the Bourbon family, which has a bad reputation in Spain, the Spanish people are more supportive of the Habsburg family. The Spanish are also quite willing to see the marriage between the king and the Habsburg family.

After all, Spain under the rule of the Habsburg family was still the overlord in Europe at that time, even more powerful than France.

At that time, Spain also ruled a large area including the Two Sicilies and the Netherlands. Whether in terms of army or navy strength, it could be called the overlord of Europe.

It's a pity that while other countries are becoming stronger, Spain is also declining.

The British Empire eventually became history, and Spain became weaker and weaker, being trampled under the feet of up-and-coming powers such as France and Britain.

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(End of this chapter)