Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 300 The Naples Upheaval
In the royal palace of Naples, Francesco II was adjusting his military uniform before a mirror. His pale face and trembling fingers were reflected in the mirror. "Your Majesty," the Prime Minister whispered, "the envoy of Grand Duke Maximilian is awaiting an audience."

The king whirled around, knocking over the inkwell on the table. The black ink splattered across the carpet, resembling a map of the divided Italian peninsula. "Tell them," he gritted his teeth, "that the Bourbon family would rather ally with the devil than hand the throne to the Habsburgs!"

Francesco II's roar still echoed in the hall, but the Prime Minister had already quietly retreated into the shadows of the columns. He touched the secret letter in the hidden pocket of his sleeve—it had been sent from Vienna three days ago, the edge of the letter bearing the golden double-headed eagle emblem of the Habsburg family.

“Your Majesty, perhaps we can try another approach,” the prime minister tentatively suggested, but was deterred by the king’s bloodshot eyes.

"Are you going to betray me too?" Francesco II grabbed the ink-stained carpet, the dark stains seemingly swallowing the outline of Sicily. "Look! Even the carpet is mocking the decline of the Bourbon family!"

At that moment, light footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. Count Riccardo, the Grand Master of the Imperial Guard, strode closer, his silver spurs tapping rapidly on the floor tiles: "Your Majesty, the Swiss Guard has mutinied! They demand immediate payment of their overdue wages."

The king's thoughts were expected; who would agree to relinquish the throne to someone else? But others didn't think so.

At a manor outside Naples, a dozen nobles were gathered, discussing the conditions offered by Grand Duke Maximilian. According to them, if he became king, their privileges and property would be preserved to the maximum extent possible.

"To be honest, it's really frustrating. All of this was earned through the hard work of our ancestors, and now we have to give it away."

"Don't say that. It's already very good under the current circumstances. Otherwise, if everything is lost, there would be nowhere to cry."

Maximilian also stated that he would preserve as much as possible, and since it was "as much as possible," there would inevitably be losses. Their losses would consist of some of their land and certain privileges.

The land system of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies largely continued the feudal system. Feudal lords owned vast tracts of land and enjoyed corresponding privileges, such as tax exemption and exemption from military service. This system was particularly evident in rural areas, where many peasants were dependent on their feudal lords, forming a dependency relationship.

Land ownership was primarily held by feudal lords, who acquired land through inheritance and purchase. Peasants typically only had the right to use the land, not ownership.

Such a system has hindered the kingdom's development, especially in recent years, as the economy has become increasingly poor, farmers have faced hardship, and calls for Italian unification have spread throughout the country. In a moment of passion, the people naturally want to support it.

Maximilian, however, came to them and said that he could help them keep their property, provided that they supported his reforms.

At this point, it was best to agree first. Maximilian's announcement in the Neapolitan newspapers, however, still sent shockwaves through the nation.

Simplifying taxes, encouraging the economy, and establishing a parliament were all quite normal measures. Then came the land reform. Some nobles "voluntarily" sold a portion of their land, which was then allocated to tenant farmers. At the same time, landowners needed to negotiate land rent with the farmers.

This directly offended the landowners, but currently they don't have a better solution. Compared to Garibaldi, this loss is still smaller.

Maximilian also did not forget Iran, Austria's most important ally. He wrote to Nasser al-Din through his brother's private channels, offering to give Iran investment in the Sicilian sulfur mines if they recognized him as King of Naples.

"Things are getting more and more complicated every year. It was so peaceful when Iran hadn't defeated Russia yet. Now, we have to watch everything." Amir listened to the Shah's teasing and said, "This is precisely because the country's prestige is rising. They are writing to you to seek your support."

"So, according to the Grand Vizier's opinion, what should we do?"

Instead of discussing how to proceed, it's better to observe the situation first. Garibaldi has already landed in Sicily, and undercurrents are stirring in Naples. This power struggle surrounding the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies is not only a crucial battle in the Italian unification movement but also a microcosm of the European powers' re-division of spheres of influence. The struggles of the Bourbon family, Austria's ambitions, France's calculations, the Kingdom of Sardinia's choices, and Garibaldi's heroism all converge here. Given this spectacle, Iran might as well simply observe.

"We don't need to support Austria too much; we just need to wait and see. But we also have a bottom line: we can't afford to lose our investment in Venice."

Of Iran's investments in Austria, Venice accounts for the largest share. However, Venice has a large Italian population, leading to intense ethnic tensions. We must not allow them to disrupt these investments.

“That should solve the problem. I’ll write back to Maximilian and tell him to seize the opportunity. If he succeeds, maybe last year’s defeat in the war will be wiped clean.”

That's absolutely right; everyone in Austria is preparing to wash away their shame. Squadrons of hussars are escorting twelve new breech-loading cannons toward the train station, the newly painted Habsburg yellow and black stripes on the cannons gleaming like the markings of a venomous snake in the sunlight.

In the Hall of Mirrors at Schönbrunn Palace, Grand Duke Maximilian was toying with a dagger inlaid with turquoise. The hilt was engraved with the coat of arms of Naples, a "surprise" gift he had received during his visit last year.

“Francesco is more stubborn than I imagined.” He plunged the dagger into the map of Naples on the Italian map. “But that’s alright, we have a backup plan.”

The attendant, understanding, unfurled a scroll of parchment: "The Marquis of Moncada of Palermo has promised to open the city gates once you land in Sicily."

"Okay, that's the right choice."

Franz, listening nearby, felt that this was finally the right path. Since the north wouldn't work, they would choose the south.

After resolving the issue in Bohemia, Franz decided to target the Italians in Venice. Knowing that Iran had investments there, he naturally wanted to clear obstacles for his friend.

Venice was under the direct control of Vienna, and the local population could choose to leave, with plans to garrison it with a large army to prevent a Sardinian attack. Meanwhile, in Trieste, ships were ready, and Austria could directly support the royalists should they launch a campaign.

"Now, no one can stop us. The Habsburg family will surely rule Italy again."

Maximilian was thrilled by these bold words. The thought of becoming king made him even more excited, and he even came up with policies to implement.

(End of this chapter)