Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 188 in Prussia
"Shah, this is the Brandenburg Gate, built by our greatest king, Frederick the Great, to commemorate the victory over Austria."

Count von Kluge led Naserdin on a tour of Berlin, where the scenery paled in comparison to Vienna. But it was also the fastest-growing city, a vibrant hub where diverse ideas clashed in parliament, and everything seemed wonderful.

But beneath the surface, the old aristocracy still held a dominant position, with intellectuals and capitalists serving as tools to help them maintain their rule.

“You will certainly be proud of King Frederick’s Prussia as it is today,” Naser al-Din said.

Led by the Count, Nasserdin and his entourage continued to visit other attractions in Berlin.

At the Imperial Palace in Berlin, important members of the delegation, including King Frederick William IV, his brother Prince William, Prussian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Otto von Manteuffel, and Minister of War Friedrich, attended the meeting.

The relationship between Iran and Prussia was the best in Europe, with students studying there and substantial trade. Furthermore, their spies in Vienna reported that the Iranian Shah and the Austrian Emperor were having a pleasant conversation, which made many people feel threatened.

They believe that if Iran takes sides in a future war between Prussia and Austria, it will have adverse consequences for the other side, regardless of which side it chooses.

"What should we do about Iran?"

The king spoke first, and then Prime Minister Manteuffel offered his own ideas.

“Your Majesty, we should cultivate good relations with Iran. There will inevitably be a war between Prussia and Austria, and we must ensure the neutrality of other countries. The involvement of any country could disrupt this fragile balance.”

Prince William slammed his fist on the table and berated the Prime Minister. "Do you think Austria will defeat our army? No, we will not only defeat Austria, but we will also occupy Prague, take Vienna, and unify the entire German region under the leadership of the Kingdom of Prussia."

Prince Wilhelm favored the Greater Germany plan, but he preferred that Prussia complete the unification. The centuries-long Habsburg rule of Germany needed to change; it needed to be led by a new, more dynamic family with a strong sense of patriotism, and clearly, the Hohenzollern family was such a family.

“Your Highness, we must ensure the neutrality of other countries, including Britain, France, Russia, and even Iran. We cannot allow any accidents to happen.”

"Doesn't Prussia have any allies? We can use Austrian interests to win over other countries. Prussian troops are invincible; otherwise, why would they even send people to study in Iran?"

It was precisely because Prussia was powerful that other countries sought to continue fragmenting the region. Moreover, the Habsburg family had enjoyed centuries of glory, and other royal families would agree to some extent out of respect for their ancestors.

What did Prussia have? Besides a capable army, it also had a stubborn aristocracy and weak intellectuals, all of which hindered Prussian unification.

However, Austrian unification also faces numerous difficulties, as they also have a Greater Austria plan. This plan encompasses all other nationalities within Austria and Prussia, creating a giant state in Central Europe. This plan has received the least support, with only a few extremely conservative German nationalists backing it, because it would allow the Habsburg dynasty to continue ruling, and its territory would even be larger than the original Holy Roman Empire. However, radicals, youth enthusiasts, and pragmatists mostly oppose it, arguing that the number of "non-Germans" in Austria is too large and difficult to assimilate, completely contradicting the original idea of ​​establishing a single nation-state, and that even if the plan succeeded, it would repeat the chaos of the Holy Roman Empire era. "Our cooperation with Iran can be used as leverage. Our companies that participated in exhibitions in Iran have gained a lot of business. We can take advantage of this opportunity of Iran's rising status to increase cooperation; perhaps we can learn something from the Shah."

The only thing that everyone here values ​​is diplomatic and military cooperation with Iran; they don't pay much attention to trade and economic matters. So the trade treaty between the two countries was quickly concluded, basically the same as with Austria.

However, unlike the other two countries, to demonstrate the unbreakable friendship between them, Iran and Prussia will jointly establish a weapons manufacturing company, with Prussia providing the technology and Iran providing the funding. It is believed that they can produce excellent weapons.

After touring Berlin, Naserdin returned to his lodgings. The trade treaty with Prussia went smoothly, but other areas of cooperation still needed to be negotiated.

"Take it slow. If Prussia wants more benefits, then it has to spend more time."

Naserdin wasn't in a hurry either, since his meetings with other monarchs were already scheduled, though he wouldn't be able to visit England and France until next year. Staying in Prussia for now was fine; he could travel to other places.

"Chah, news has come from Spain. They are seeking investment from all over the world to build a railway."

Naserdin knew very little about Spain at this time, except for the Spanish-American War. However, the Spanish monarch at that time was Isabella II, and the early part of her reign was chaotic.

Three conservative rebellions destabilized Spain, which had seen 34 different governments and various factions of sycophants rise to power. The Queen herself led a dissolute and decadent life, sometimes interfering in domestic politics in capricious and irrational ways. Her apparent fondness for reactionary elements within the military and the Catholic Church further fueled her contempt among the Spanish people.

But everyone recognized the importance of railways. Spain is mostly mountainous and needed railways to connect different parts of the country. In 1848, Spain got its first railway, but the government lacked sufficient funds to support large-scale construction, so it sought investment from all over the world.

"Spain wants to build a railway, aren't Britain and France interested?"

"Britain and France intend to get Qing China to revise the treaty, and they are probably negotiating in the East now."

Ah, then Iran could try joining. After all, it's free trade, and there won't be any arbitrary asset confiscation like in later generations.

"Let our ambassador talk to the Spanish prime minister to see if we can establish a railway company, which would be good for them as well."

Iran also wants to progress, and I imagine Britain wouldn't mind. Besides, this isn't really an investment from the Iranian government; it's purely the Shah wanting to make more money. As a country that upholds free trade and the inviolability of private property, Britain shouldn't object. Furthermore, Britain doesn't value Spain much; they value countries like Portugal and Denmark, which are easier to control. Spain is still considered a colonial power, with colonies like Cuba and the Philippines, though it has declined. Therefore, this is an investment.

(End of this chapter)