Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 508 The Situation in Paraguay (Part 2)
Shortly after his coronation, López continued his offensive into Brazil. He personally oversaw the front lines, preparing to march on Rio de Janeiro and realize Paraguay's dream of access to the sea.

But fate is unpredictable; Paraguay was suddenly hit by torrential rains, the worst in a century. Various regions suffered varying degrees of flooding, making the army's advance extremely difficult. Despite this, López forced the army to set out, and desertions increased along the way; it would be considered a success if half reached their destination.

Lopez arrived in Estèphe, where torrential rains had severely hampered the city's administrative and military operations. But more bad news was arriving from the front lines.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, please forgive me for disturbing your rest at this time."

"Tell me, where did the telegram come from?"

"We have just received a telegram from General Conte that they were attacked on their way to São Paulo and have now retreated."

Lopez had anticipated this; no matter how hard he tried, he was no match for Brazil. Brazil's size was greater than that of hundreds of Paraguayans.

"Damn it!"

Lopez is in a bit of a headache. If he can't quickly seize the opportunity, then negotiations are the only option. But will Brazil accept that?

Pedro II has ordered the mobilization of another 10 troops and a £500 million loan from Britain to expand the military industry. Brazil is a vast and resource-rich country; if it successfully mass-produces military equipment, Paraguay will be no match for it.

"Your Majesty, our country has now acquired a considerable amount of territory, while Brazil is currently facing difficulties. Perhaps we should negotiate with Pedro and wage war against them a few years later."

As a close confidant of Lopez, Chief of the General Staff Sanchez would likely listen to the King's suggestion to some extent.

"Maybe, but I have to go to the front lines."

Ignoring advice from others, Lopez prepared to go to the front lines. He stepped onto the wooden bridge over the Paraná River, from which he could directly enter Brazil. The reason it was a wooden bridge instead of a stone one was that the original stone bridge had collapsed under the weight of the load, and a temporary wooden structure had to be built.

“Tell Conte to hold out no matter what. I will bring troops to his aid, and then…”

Before he could finish speaking, the entire bridge began to shake violently. Lopez felt himself becoming lighter and lighter, as if he were flying.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

The bridge suddenly collapsed, and Lopez, who was walking on it, fell into the river.

His consciousness gradually faded, and the calls around him grew fainter. When little Lopez awoke again, he found himself on land.

"Your Majesty, you're awake."

Where am I?

Upon learning that he was still in Este, Lopez wanted to continue. However, his personal physician advised him to return to Asunción for treatment and to make further plans after he recovered.

“No, the soldiers at the front need their king’s leadership. I cannot abandon my promise to the soldiers at the front and return to Asunción halfway.”

Lopez struggled to move his body a little, and said firmly, "I know my physical condition. It's just a small problem because of the damp and cold weather. I'll be fine after a few days of rest."

“Your Majesty…” The doctor tried to persuade him further, but Lopez stopped him. He devised a series of arrangements, entrusting Sanchez with the planning of all military operations during his convalescence.

Just one day later, Lopez's condition suddenly worsened. Chest pain, difficulty breathing, and weakness in his limbs! The intense pain radiating from his limbs to his chest gave young Lopez a very real sense of his body: "This time, I'm afraid I won't make it."

As he neared the end of his life, even with a thousand regrets in his heart, young Lopez had to consider the most pressing question: "What will happen to the Queen and their children after I die? What will become of the kingdom?"

"Guard! Guard!"

"His Majesty!"

Using the pain as a trigger, Lopez gave the order, "Go and inform Dr. Arno and General Sanchez immediately!"

"Yes"

The king's condition deteriorated drastically, and dozens of guards near the heart of the camp frantically relayed information in other directions. Two or three minutes later, General Sanchez and Dr. Arno arrived at the scene.

"I won't make it this time. After I pass away, I hope you will support the Crown Prince as you supported me."

With his last breath, Lopez instructed Sanchez: "The operation to Brazil is to be immediately suspended. Order all troops to retreat to favorable terrain for defense. Temporarily agree to the Indians' political demands and promise to grant them equal rights with the Mestizos."

In addition, a date should be announced for the convening of parliament so that everyone can vote.

He relayed several important matters intermittently, and at the end, Lopez said one thing: "Tell the Crown Prince to improve relations with Iran... make sure not to become his enemy..."

Having exhausted his last bit of energy, young Lopez reached the end of his life, and finally closed his eyes with reluctance to leave this world.

On June 16, 1866, Francisco Solano López Carrillo, the last president of the Republic of Paraguay and the first king of the Kingdom of Paraguay, died at the age of 38. This was only 33 days after his coronation.

News of López's death spread rapidly through the camp, and the fact itself gradually made the soldiers and officers realize a real problem: the "Supreme Leader" was dead, and he had not left a convincing successor to his rule.

In Paraguay, the rights of citizens from all walks of life to freely express their opinions and exercise autonomy have long been suppressed by López Jr. Now that López Jr. is dead, the violent machine that oppresses and enslaves them has lost its most crucial controller.

Without the suppression and deterrence of Lopez Jr., the accumulated pressure throughout Paraguay, across all levels of society, could trigger a terrible social explosion if ignited by a single spark! The power of this social explosion would destroy the Paraguayan government's ruling order and bring about violent and profound destruction!

When news of Lopez's death reached Asunción, Queen Lynch was terrified, unsure of what to do next. But Prime Minister Kaminos knew that he should try to secure the army's support as much as possible, while simultaneously ending the war quickly and focusing on dealing with those who refused to obey.

First, in the name of the Crown Prince and Queen, General Sanchez was made a duke, and then several generals at the front were also granted titles and large amounts of land.

After this, Caminos assembled all the royalist troops in Asunción, ready to deal with other forces at any time. Once everything was in place, he announced the death of King Lopez.

Then, the country descended into chaos. Local powers rose to power and launched a war against Asunción, their aim being to seize national control. After López's death, everything took a different turn.

(End of this chapter)