Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 273 A Second Visit to Vienna

A cruise ship slowly sails on the Danube River. Martial law is in effect along the entire Danube River in Austria. The people inside are of great importance to His Majesty the Emperor; if anything were to happen to them, His Majesty would hold them accountable.

"Time flies. I remember it was ten years ago when I first came to Austria."

Abdullah looked at the scenery along the Danube River and felt it looked somewhat desolate than before. After all, there weren't so many police officers before, and people were coming and going everywhere. But now, everything had changed.

"Everything has changed in ten years. This place is so beautiful. If we don't make changes, it will probably be ruined."

With no one else around, Naserdin discussed Austrian affairs directly with his uncle. "The Hungarians' actions have set the region back 20 years."

When it comes to Hungary, Abdullah feels they are not good people. They suffered a long period of Ottoman occupation in history, and if it weren't for the counterattack by the Habsburg coalition, they would probably have been occupied by the Ottomans for even longer.

However, placing all the blame on Hungary is somewhat unfair; the Habsburgs also bear some responsibility. But given the current situation, unless the political system is changed, it will inevitably disintegrate.

"Everything depends on God; we don't know if their God will be willing to help."

As they were talking, the ship docked at the Vienna pier, and crowds of people crowded both sides of the riverbank, waving Iranian and Austrian flags to welcome the Shah's arrival.

Upon his return, Count Rothenlov quickly approached Naserdin and spoke to him, offering words of welcome upon his arrival in Vienna. He was then seated in the Habsburg's golden carriage, the highest level of protocol.

"My goodness, it's a royal carriage! It seems His Majesty attaches great importance to relations with Iran."

Several nobles, seeing the emperor greet them with the highest level of ceremony, wondered if they should go to Iran to do business.

People-to-people exchanges between Austria and Iran have increased significantly. Carpets and kerosene from Iran are important exports to Austria, and Austrian businessmen are also traveling to Iran to engage in trade. The two countries are growing closer through these exchanges.

At Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, everyone was in a frenzy of preparation. The Emperor had ordered them to do it perfectly, as it was a chance to showcase the best of the Habsburg family.

However, Franz's approach was met with disapproval from some nobles, including Empress Dowager Sophie and the new Archbishop of Vienna, who felt they were being too kind to a pagan ruler. Shouldn't they have treated him like an Ottoman monarch? Why were they being so enthusiastic?

They had no idea what Franz was thinking, but meeting with Iranians wasn't so bad compared to meeting with Hungarians. It just meant talking less.

Schönbrunn Palace was brightly lit that evening, as many nobles came to welcome guests from afar. Franz and Naserdin appeared together before the crowd, raising their glasses to toast the unbreakable friendship between Austria and Iran.

As before, Naserdin saw many familiar and new faces. The meeting went smoothly; they simply exchanged greetings with the nobles before discussing important matters in a back room.

"I wonder how our distinguished guest is feeling on the journey?" Earl Rothenlowen asked.

“No problem, it’s just that we see a lot of police in Buda and Pest, and the scenery in many places is different from before.” Franz knew this was a result of the crackdown, but he didn’t have a better solution. Naserdin was just saying it casually; he had a big project to discuss with Franz this time.

"Our country and the Ottomans fought a war last year, which led to instability in the Ottomans in the Balkans. This also shows that the Ottomans were simply incapable of ruling such a vast territory, and their rule over the past is over."

However, the two countries should be even closer, and railways are precisely such a solution. Building a railway from Tehran to Vienna would, I believe, change history.

A map with the route drawn by Naserdin was laid out on the table, starting from Vienna, passing through Buda and Pest, crossing the Carpathian Mountains, then through Bucharest, Tervono, and Plovdiv, to reach Istanbul, the Ottoman capital.

Then, starting from Istanbul, they entered Anatolia, and after reaching Erzurum, they split into two groups, one going to Tehran and the other to Baghdad.

This project is unprecedented. It not only has to cross numerous mountains, but it also seems likely to have to challenge the Bosphorus Strait.

However, given that the Ottoman Empire had no railways at all, this was a lucrative opportunity. It easily attracted British interest, and Russia would likely also join the fray.

"Isn't this project too large? It's likely to provoke opposition from other countries. Especially the Constantinople section, the Russians will do everything in their power to stop it."

Franz had some understanding of Russia, and his natural demand was for the Ottomans to hand over Constantinople. However, the British clearly wouldn't let the Russians succeed, leading to the Crimean War.

"Of course, it won't be built all at once. Our idea is for the two governments to jointly establish a railway company, first complete the construction in the Balkans, then extend it into the Anatolian interior, and finally complete the merging in Constantinople."

Nasser al-Din still wants to push this project forward; Britain wants to control Egypt, so let them. But the British can't stop his strategy. It sounds quite absurd.

"Moreover, this would also be very beneficial to your country. Bulgaria is currently considering building a railway, and the Ottoman Empire is selling the rights to build the railway due to outstanding debts. Why not take it on?"

Upon hearing this, Franz was somewhat tempted. Since they had already broken ties with Russia, why not go a step further and directly block its access to the sea?

Furthermore, this plan takes into account the strained relations between Austria and Greece/Serbia, specifically choosing the route along the Bulgarian and Danube River lines. This not only addresses the issue of non-cooperation from the other side but also improves relations between the two newly emerging Balkan nations.

“Iran and Austria have great potential for economic cooperation, not only in railways, but also in the oil of Eastern Galicia.”

Austria is currently short of money, but due to its vast territory and abundant resources, many of these resources remain untapped. Cooperation with Iran might alleviate its financial pressure.

Naserdin naturally agreed to Franz's proposal. Oil in Eastern Galicia, agriculture in Hungary, and industry in Bohemia were all potential areas for cooperation. Given the distrust of Britain and France, and the unsuitability of Prussia, cooperation with Austria was the best option.

(End of this chapter)