Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 265 The End of 1858

After several years of governance, local resistance in the South Caucasus has largely subsided. Compared to fellow Christians, non-Christians seem to treat them better.

The settlement of Iranians from the south has gradually impacted the lives of the locals. Since you're living on Iranian soil, you must learn Persian and strive to integrate into Iranian society. Only then can you continue to rise in society, earn money, and support your family.

In the South Caucasus, the main inhabitants are Georgians and Armenians, and local communication is primarily conducted in these two languages. North Azerbaijan, which was annexed by Iran, did not have this burden and reintegrated into Iranian society.

This year, changes have occurred in eastern regions like Tbilisi and Yerevan. A large influx of people from Iran has come to live and trade here. Since they've come, they inevitably bring their families, and these families inevitably influence all aspects of the region. Dietary habits, culture, and language are the most direct manifestations, as they are primarily business people and workers, whose incomes are undoubtedly middle to upper class in the region. And if you want to make money from them, how can you do so if you can't even communicate with them?

Naser al-Din and his family were having a great time in Sukhumi, but it was tough on Amir in Tehran, who still had to go to work, overseeing both domestic governance and diplomacy as the Grand Vizier.

Recently, due to fundraising efforts, the prices of tea, sugar, tobacco, and other domestic commodities have risen, prompting numerous complaints. However, the war with the Ottomans has allowed them to tolerate this situation, and various issues have shifted due to the victory.

"The first indemnity from the Ottomans has arrived, and we have invested it in railway construction. I heard that in order to raise funds, the Ottomans sold everything they owned and borrowed another 8000 million francs from France."

The Ottoman Empire was in a predicament. Although it had a vast territory and abundant resources, it was struggling to raise 6500 million riyals in cash. Coupled with various domestic issues, it had no choice but to borrow again from Europe.

"Just wait, they'll get what's coming to them. We need to send immigrants to Mesopotamia to cultivate the land, and according to the Shah's orders, we need to allocate 4000 million to plant trees throughout the country in the future."

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry knew this was their responsibility; tree planting was one of the projects that the Shah particularly valued. Domestic trees could only meet 20% of the requirements, and the rest had to be imported from Russia and India.

Of course, that's secondary; the most important thing is water. Planting trees can improve the current soil and water conditions, and some drought-resistant plants can also bring other benefits to the area. This is something Naserdin has always emphasized.

"Don't worry, Shah, we will continue to follow up."

These are the domestic situations. As for foreign countries, I don't know what's happening in the Far East, but there's an important development in Europe: Austrian Chancellor Rothenlov will be traveling to Tehran to meet with Nasser al-Din.

This is likely the first time a European head of state has visited Iran, demonstrating the positive impact of Iran's rising international standing. Furthermore, the delegation brought along numerous ministers and nobles, suggesting they were there to discuss some important matters.

Naserdin, far away in Sukhumi, also received a private letter from Emperor Franz, which began with "Your friend Franz."

That's true. Among the rulers of major countries, Naserdin and Franz had the smallest age gap; Franz was only one year older than Naserdin. They also ascended to the throne in the same year, experienced civil wars, and both were eventually quelled. Such similar experiences are probably hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Franz was actually quite lonely, facing setbacks both domestically and internationally, and his personal life was also unhappy. His wife and mother were at odds over various issues, putting him in a difficult position. Domestic problems, especially ethnic issues, caused him even more headaches. Hungary had calmed down after 1848, but some people were dissatisfied. They even claimed that without their help during the War of the Austrian Succession, would Queen Maria Theresa have been able to secure her throne?

Other ethnic groups within Austria were also debating whether to gain independence, which posed a powerful challenge to the Habsburgs' sacred status.

This was just the internal trouble; the external threats were numerous. Prussia in the north had been constantly causing trouble for Austria since its founding, first seizing Silesia, and then vying for dominance in the German Confederation. Meanwhile, the once stable south was suffering from the Italian unification movement.

While the war between Iran and the Ottoman Empire was raging, a war was also taking place between Austria and Sardinia. Sardinia intended to seize the Austrian-controlled Lombardy and Venetian regions, but they couldn't do it alone and needed outside help, so they turned to France.

At this time, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia was Cavour. He was a very shrewd diplomat who had always wanted to break free from Austrian control and achieve the unification of Italy. Cavour analyzed the situation and believed that to achieve unification, it was necessary to rely on the power of France.

In response, Cavour, while attending an international conference, vehemently condemned Austria's blatant interference in Italy and extended an olive branch to France. Napoleon III of France reciprocated by offering sympathy and support to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Following a secret meeting, Napoleon III and Sardinian Prime Minister Cavour signed a secret alliance treaty for a joint war against Austria: France would assist the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piemont if attacked by Austria, but in exchange, the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piemont would exchange Nice and Savoy. This secret alliance benefited both sides: on the one hand, it aided each other's plans to unify the Italian peninsula, and on the other hand, it weakened France's formidable rival, Austria.

Cavour and Napoleon III further strengthened their Franco-Sardinian relationship, with Napoleon III deciding to marry his cousin to the daughter of the King of Sardinia. Then came the war.

The outcome of the war was obvious: with French support, Austria lost. Austria ceded almost all of Lombardy to France, which subsequently transferred those territories to Sardinia.

The war severely damaged Austria's prestige, and Franz was deeply distressed. His family was no longer someone he could confide in; in this situation, Naserdin, a year younger than him, was the only one with whom he could truly connect.

In the letter, Franz sincerely invited his friend to visit Vienna again. He explained that his son, Rudolf, was born in August, and he wished to invite his friend to come. He also emphasized that both countries should shoulder their responsibilities in jointly maintaining peace from the Adriatic Sea to the Black Sea.

Nasserdin has also begun replying, indicating that he will have the government discuss the matter. We believe it will happen soon.

Speaking of which, Austria is the European country that Nasser al-Din enjoys the most favor with. Perhaps this is because they are the country with the smallest expansion, and under the current circumstances, using Austria as a breakthrough point to enter Europe is Iran's best option.

The letter was written, stamped, and sent to Vienna as quickly as possible.

Naser al-Din celebrated Nowruz in Sukhumi, a significant day that also served as a retrospective of Iran's past year. Iran has shed its past poverty and weakness and returned to the ranks of major powers.

(End of this chapter)