Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 275 The Prague Declaration
Prague, the capital of Bohemia, is the second largest city after Vienna and has been the capital of Bohemia since its founding. It also played a significant role during the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years' War in Europe.

The locals naturally knew about the Austrian Emperor's visit in advance, but because it was so sudden, they didn't know what the Emperor was there for. They only knew that he was traveling with the Iranian monarch.

"What do you think His Majesty is here for this time?"

"I don't know, I've never heard of it."

The citizens near the train platform whispered amongst themselves, but the governor, mayor, and local dignitaries waiting on the platform sensed something more amiss. Given Austria's defeat in the foreign wars, the emperor's every move was closely watched.

When the Emperor's train arrived at the train station, the welcoming ceremony officially began. The band played the Austrian national anthem, and the governor and his entourage welcomed the Emperor.

“Welcome to Prague, Your Majesty. We have made all the necessary preparations,” the Governor said to Franz.

"I have an important announcement to make today, and I hope it has not disturbed your work."

Since this was a major event for His Majesty the Emperor, everything else had to take a backseat. Prague was swept up in a wave of welcomes for the Emperor, and for some, his arrival was a significant opportunity.

Franzšek Palacki was an important liberal leader in the Czech Republic. During the 1848 revolution, he was a leader of the bourgeois liberals, refused to attend the Frankfurt National Assembly of Germany, promoted Austrian Slavism, and advocated for the preservation of the unity of the Austrian Empire.

He stood in the welcoming crowd and shook hands with the emperor. He thought to himself that His Majesty still had feelings for Bohemia; he'd heard that this trip hadn't been fully discussed with the government. At that moment, a picture flashed through his mind.

A good emperor who cared for his country and its people broke through numerous obstacles to personally come to Prague to listen to the voices of his people. What is this? This is loving his people like his own children! Such a great emperor, and yet the Hungarians oppose him.

"Hello, Mr. Palacky. I will always remember your contributions to Bohemia."

Hearing the Emperor say this, Palacky was moved to tears. He hadn't expected the Emperor to know him, unaware that Franz had learned about the Czech political situation on the train.

Currently, Czech politics is divided into an older and a younger faction. The older faction advocates cooperation with the nobility and hopes to restore the historical legal status of the state; the younger faction holds a radical democratic stance. Both factions share the common goal of restoring Czech state rights and transforming the Habsburg Empire into a federal state.

"Let them feel your grace and be willing to fight for you. Don't let the Hungarians stand in your way; they are all your subjects."

Naserdin encouraged him to first reach out to the most moderate Czechs, so that he would have more help when dealing with the Hungarians in the future.

Upon arriving at the Prague Parliament, Franz looked at the Czech nobles present, then at Naserdin beside him, and made his final decision.

"My people, for over 400 years Bohemia and Austria have worked together hand in hand. Vienna and Prague have always moved forward in friendship."

However, the evil enemy sought to destroy this hard-won friendship. They attempted to separate us by threatening independence, but fortunately, the people of Bohemia were loyal and were not deceived by their sweet talk. As the emperor spoke, the people were convinced that his tolerance towards Bohemia meant he had something important to announce.

Franz did have something to announce: he announced that in order to establish a civil society where everyone is equal, he would hold a nationwide debate and travel to every part of the empire to listen to the opinions of the local people.

Franz then read out a document he had drafted, outlining 16 things to be done in the future, including improving transportation, developing the economy, and expanding parliamentary discussions.

"Railways are the new mode of transportation for the future, and we will build railways in every city of the empire."

We also need to develop the country's economy so that every Austrian can live well here. There won't be a single beggar or thief on the streets.

Franz presented them with a vision of Austria's future, including a booming economy, a thriving society, and an invincible military—all essential features of a great power.

As a Habsburg empire, replicating the glory of Charles V was something every monarch wanted to achieve. Franz, however, became increasingly enthusiastic, even expressing a desire to contribute more to the nation.

Finally, he said, "To achieve this goal, I urge you to contribute to the unity of the nation, rather than tearing it apart for your own benefit. Austria is not the property of any individual, but is upheld by all its citizens."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone applauded with the utmost enthusiasm. It seemed the Emperor truly wanted to change the status quo in Austria, and they had no choice but to cooperate.

This speech to the Prague Parliament is considered the beginning of Austrian reforms, as the Emperor began to inspect Prague's infrastructure and social conditions. The whole thing seemed to be an attempt to revitalize the empire.

The Czech region naturally began cooperating with the Empire first, and Franz announced the reopening of the Prague Parliament and the Bohemian Parliament, but he also made several demands.

First, the official language of Bohemia must be German, but Czech can be used for civilian communication. Second, important defense, foreign affairs, and major decisions must be subject to Vienna's orders, while economic and domestic affairs during peacetime can be adjusted according to local needs.

Franz thought the other side would struggle to agree to these two conditions, but to his surprise, they exclaimed that the Emperor was wise. This was truly a blessing from God; they had to unite around Vienna to preserve this hard-won victory.

Newspapers nowadays are full of praise for the emperor's benevolence, considering him another wise and great monarch after Maria Theresa.

However, some rejoiced while others grieved. The Viennese government was shocked by the emperor's capriciousness; in their words, this one act of recklessness had destroyed 400 years of Habsburg rule in Bohemia. They believed that centralized power was essential for the empire's prosperity, and that the previous battles with Italy and France were merely accidental mishaps. They still had a chance.

But the emperor's actions only put them in a more dangerous situation. If the Bohemians ruled Bohemia, then the Hungarians would rule Hungary, and the Italians would rule Trieste and Venice. Wouldn't their country then fall apart?

They reported the situation to Queen Mother Sophie, who was furious. She thought it was utter nonsense and decided to go to Prague to find her son.

(End of this chapter)