Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 345 Investment in Austria

"Please wait here for a moment, Mr. Ambassador. His Majesty will be here shortly."

"Thank you for showing me the way."

Iranian Ambassador to Austria Mohammed thanked the butler, and shortly after, Franz arrived in the reception room.

"Your Excellency has been waiting for us."

"His Majesty"

Relations between Iran and Austria were at their best, with Iranian ambassadors and businessmen frequently visiting the Austrian court. Trade between the two countries developed rapidly, and some even speculated that the Austrian emperor was preparing to visit Iran.

Whether it is true or not, it demonstrates that relations between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level. Franz's invitation to the Iranian ambassador was related to the increasingly tense situation in the Schleswig region. Prussian Chancellor Bismarck had already invited Austria to join in military action to reclaim these two German-held territories, but Austria's economic situation was mediocre; there had been some improvement, but only a slight one.

"The reason I invited the ambassador here today is to discuss economic cooperation between our two countries, and I think we can take our trade ties a step further."

Franz wants more economic support from Iran; the Kingdom of Sicily has already stabilized its situation by borrowing £100 million from Iran. Therefore, he also wants to reach out to Iran to see if he can attract some investment.

"Trade between Iran and Austria is complementary and has great potential for development. To be honest, if I weren't so busy, I would visit your country directly to discuss this."

Muhammad expressed his understanding, "That's natural, there are still many things going on in your country recently. However, we have a new plan that His Majesty has not yet reviewed, and I happened to bring it with me today."

Franz took the document; it was a draft of an investment cooperation agreement between Iran and Austria. The main points included: Iran and Austria would jointly establish a shipping company to operate the ports of the Austrian Empire. A railway company would also be established. Of course, this was only a draft; specific details would need to be discussed with officials.

"I agree with this document, but we need to discuss the specific details further."

"That's natural. The Shah attaches great importance to investments in your country, especially the factory in Venice. Of course, we also thank His Majesty for simplifying the procedures for our factory."

Franz personally confirmed all the investments in Iran, with the majority flowing into Venice, Prague, and Cluj. The port of Venice, benefiting from this influx of capital, is currently operating well and generating an annual profit of 20 florins.

The port's successful operation has increased Austria's welcoming attitude towards Iranian investment, with a friendly trade exchange association formed by businessmen from both countries providing an investment platform. However, currently, trade between the two countries is mainly focused on goods, and large-scale investments are generally led by the governments.

Austria is also facing a predicament; its fiscal deficit this year is 8000 million florins, and its debt is a staggering 28 billion euros. This would be overwhelming for any country. Due to its low level of industrialization, its tariff revenue is limited. Foreign investment is their only hope.

Austrian government bonds have recently plummeted to rock bottom, and the massive funding required for railway and other infrastructure construction has further increased its debt. Britain and France, on the other hand, have money, but their loans come with conditions and exorbitant interest rates. That's why they turned to Iran for help in this emergency.

Similar to Austria, the Kingdom of Sicily has also benefited. The initial loan has been transformed into a Sicilian shipping company, a partnership with Iran, which holds a 55% stake. This company manages four ports: Naples, Palermo, Messina, and others. They had no choice; they were short of funds. Having such a favorable country, they had to contribute something. Moreover, these nobles and royalty are also shareholders in the company and are entitled to share in the profits.

Nasser al-Din's investments in Europe generate 600 million rials annually, and he's recently been planning to expand. He intends to demonstrate the scale of Iranian investment to Austria, the Ottoman Empire, and Sicily. However, at this time, problems arose in Venice.

In St. Mark's Square, tens of thousands of Venetian citizens waved the Italian tricolor flag and sang patriotic songs. At the head of the procession was Giuseppe Garibaldi, the revolutionary leader who had returned from America. He waved the flag and led the crowd toward St. Mark's Square.

"For the unity of Italy!" Garibaldi shouted, his voice echoing among the ancient buildings.

On the balconies of buildings surrounding the square, Austrian police officers nervously watched the march. Police Chief von Hohenlohe stood atop the clock tower, observing the crowd's every move through binoculars. "It looks like just a normal march," his adjutant whispered. "Should we disperse them?"

Von Hornloer shook his head: "No, let them make a fuss. As long as they don't cause any major chaos, we'll turn a blind eye."

As night fell, the procession gradually dispersed. Garibaldi and several revolutionary leaders quietly gathered in a basement, where a map of Venice lay open on the table.

“The police station has 50 armed officers,” Garibaldi said, pointing to the map. “We must take this place and seize the weapons before dawn.”

“But,” a young revolutionary hesitated, “we don’t have enough weapons. How can we take the police station?”

Garibaldi smiled mysteriously: "We have a secret weapon."

At 2 a.m., an explosion suddenly rang out outside the Venice Police Station. A homemade bomb exploded in front of the police station, shattering the surrounding glass.

"Attack! For the unity of Italy!" Garibaldi shouted, leading hundreds of revolutionaries toward the police station.

Inside the police station, von Hohenlohe was awakened by the sound of explosions. He grabbed his pistol and rushed to the window. By the moonlight, he saw hundreds of revolutionaries charging towards the police station.

"Damn it!" von Hornloer cursed. "Sound the alarm! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Chaos erupted inside the police station. Police officers hastily donned their uniforms and grabbed their rifles. But before they could organize an effective defense, the revolutionaries had already stormed the police station building.

"For Italy!" Garibaldi shouted, waving a revolver he had brought from America. Behind him, revolutionaries carried a variety of weapons, from kitchen knives to hunting rifles.

A fierce gunfight erupted inside the police station. The revolutionaries, though poorly armed, were numerous and highly motivated. The well-trained police, caught off guard, were forced into retreat.

"Hold the second floor!" von Hornloe shouted, leading several policemen to retreat to the stairwell. They set up makeshift cover using desks and filing cabinets and fired their rifles downstairs.

Garibaldi hid behind a pillar, bullets striking the stone and sending up shards of stone. He glanced at his watch, anxiously waiting for something.

Suddenly, a loud explosion came from the back door of the police station. Another bomb had detonated, blasting open the back door. Dozens of revolutionaries poured in through the back door, forming a pincer movement with the revolutionaries at the front.

"The time has come!" Garibaldi shouted. "For Italy, charge!"

The revolutionaries, their morale soaring, charged toward the second floor regardless of casualties. The police lines finally collapsed, and von Hohenlohe, along with a few surviving officers, jumped out of the windows and fled in panic.

As dawn broke, the Italian tricolor flag flew over the Venice police station. Garibaldi stood on the roof, gazing at Venice in the morning light. Italian unification would eventually be achieved.

The news quickly spread throughout the Venice region. Citizens took to the streets, cheering with joy. More revolutionaries emerged from hiding and joined the uprising. Venice, this ancient water city, once again ignited the flames of unity.

(End of this chapter)