Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 197 Discussion
Naser al-Din was in Paris, either talking with Napoleon III or meeting with Iranian businessmen in the area.

Yes, Iranian merchants are leveraging their long-distance trade advantage and beginning to penetrate across Eurasia. This is supported by the Iranian government, which is providing a range of assistance.

Trade between Iran and France mainly involves kerosene, silk, and wine. Specifically, France is currently only a semi-industrialized country. It has few large factories, and those that exist are largely dominated by the luxury goods industry.

The French Industrial Revolution was slow and unsuccessful mainly due to the following reasons: France lacked coal, the main fuel for the Industrial Revolution, and the lack of coal restricted the development of related industries.

Secondly, France lacked a large domestic market like the United States, and had lost most of its overseas colonies during the Napoleonic Wars. Coupled with underdeveloped domestic transportation, the limited market hindered large-scale economic development. Furthermore, the increasingly fragmented, self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy also constrained further industrial development to some extent.

These factors limited the development of French industry and were a major headache for Napoleon III. Naserdin's suggestion, however, truly solved the problem of finding markets for goods.

“Compared to a vast country like Qing China, Japan can be divided into several parts for governance. If we can help the ruler there quell local rebellions, I think he will agree to any conditions.”

Napoleon III and Naserdin looked together at the brand-new map of Japan, a place much smaller than Qing China. It was probably only slightly larger than Britain.

Napoleon III was somewhat apprehensive, as he knew very little about Japan. Unlike Britain, the United States, and the Netherlands, France had few merchants operating in Asia, little interest in Japan, and was even unsure what goods should be shipped there. It was only after the Black Ships incident that France formally contacted the shogunate in Japan.

"This should require the support of the UK."

After the Crimean War, relations between Britain and France improved considerably. They could maintain peace until the world was fully divided.

Moreover, Britain has considerable influence in the East, coupled with the world's number one navy, making it impossible for them to intervene without prior notice.

“We could include Britain as well, for example, by giving them a piece of land,” Nasser al-Din suggested.

However, Britain has been quite busy lately, with the situation in India causing a great deal of headaches for everyone in the country. From ordinary citizens to the Queen, and even beggars, everyone is paying close attention to the situation in India.

This unexpected uprising quickly swept across northwestern India, drawing in numerous princes who refused to submit to British rule. They even reached the outskirts of Delhi and, in the name of the Mughal Emperor, called for a nationwide uprising.

But this call to action was actually not very effective, because the most important region, Bengal, was directly under the control of the East India Company. Other vassal princes also acted according to their circumstances; they lived quite well under the East India Company's rule, so why would they rebel? As long as they had sons, their lineage could continue indefinitely.

Meanwhile, the insurgents had a strong sense of community and village affiliation. Many soldiers, after fighting in the central towns or cities of the region, chose to return to their villages to defend and consolidate their gains, leading to the dispersal of the insurgent forces. Once an uprising achieved victory in a region, old conflicts such as caste hierarchy, religious differences, and historical animosity resurfaced in the occupied territories. They recalled grudges and coveted their neighbors' wealth, sometimes resulting in tragic infighting. The Sikhs, in particular, were caught in this situation. Punjab, India, held a strategically important position. When the insurgents besieged the British forces stationed there, the Sikh soldiers not only failed to seize the opportunity to cooperate with the insurgents and eliminate the invaders, but instead helped the British suppress the uprising.

These Sikh warriors, who grew up hearing stories of the Mughal rulers' brutal treatment of their ancestors, wanted to use the British to avenge long-standing ethnic hatred. On the other hand, perhaps recognizing the situation, they hoped to curry favor with the British invaders and improve the Sikhs' future status in Indian society.

More importantly, the rebel armies fought independently, lacking a unified objective. Some wanted to restore independence, while others demanded concessions from the East India Company, or were even content with simply plundering money. This gave Britain the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

Moreover, the nominal leader of the uprising, the Mughal emperor, actually resisted the rebellion. His ultimate decision to support it was not for the sake of India's suffering masses, but rather out of his own discontent with the colonizers. After all, the Mughal dynasty had suffered enormous losses in power and territory over the past few centuries.

Therefore, while he supported the uprising, his attitude was not enthusiastic, and his resolve to overthrow colonial rule was wavering. Even more surprisingly, after expressing his support for the uprising, the emperor actually hid British citizens in the palace to protect the colonists. Only when pressured by the rebels did the emperor reluctantly hand over the British citizens hidden in the palace.

No matter what they did in the world, they had to consult with Britain. Napoleon III had no choice but to oppose Britain, and his uncle's fate became his own. This was true not only in Japan, but also in Mexico and the New World.

Napoleon III has transferred 100 million francs to the Davis brothers, who are currently enjoying considerable success in Mexico. He has also personally purchased shares in the Mexican railway company, effectively becoming a shareholder.

Gaining French support was crucial for Lawrence, as it meant that finally a European country was willing to back him, and it was France, no less. The conservatives on the other side must be having a sleepless night.

"I wonder what your views are on Africa."

The sudden shift in topic caught Napoleon III somewhat off guard: Africa, a mysterious land. France currently knew very little about it.

In 1827, France invaded Algeria and quickly seized Algiers by 1830, rapidly gaining control of other coastal areas. France treated Algeria's Mediterranean coast as its own territory. Subsequently, it aggressively expanded into Tunisia to increase its influence in North Africa.

"I'm not so sure about that. What's your opinion?"

"I wouldn't say that, but the exploration here is still in its infancy. It's certainly necessary for someone like Champlain to explore for your country again and secure a piece of land."

Goodness, even Champlain brought it up. But it's true that a vast colony is needed to alleviate financial strain, just as Britain had India and America had the West. France also needs a large territory.

(End of this chapter)