Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

On August 15, 1866, French Prime Minister Olivier, Italian Prime Minister Marco Minghetti, Spanish Prime Minister Ramon Narvaez and Portuguese Prime Minister Barreto jointly visited Constantinople.

Dark clouds seemed to be gathering over Constantinople.

France, Italy, Spain and Portugal also expressed their thoughts on Prussia and the Netherlands purchasing the territory of the Arabian Peninsula from Constantinople.

And the targets are all pointing to the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

This is okay, the Ottoman Empire has not said anything yet, but far across the English Channel, Britain is anxious.

Even in a hurry, the new Prime Minister Creston immediately sent Foreign Minister Russell, launched a battleship from London, and brought Minister Russell to Constantinople. He also expressed the idea of ​​​​purchasing Constantinople, and his ambitions were even greater. , joined the ranks of these four countries and sought to purchase the Arabian Peninsula territory of the Ottoman Empire.

For this reason, Constantinople's thoughts at this moment are: I am too difficult!

Some regret having agreed to the deal between the Netherlands and Prussia.

Eventually, under combined pressure from these countries, Constantinople compromised, albeit reluctantly.

However, the money still needs to be collected.

Three parts of the Oman region, from Raihiut on the southern border of the western Oman region to Amal and Mughashin (the future Dhofar Province of Oman) in the southeast, were sold to Portugal for 500,000 pounds.

Sokira to the island of Daoua in the south and Al Qubar (future Central Province of Oman) in the north were sold to Spain for £500,000.

The remaining ones run from Qalit and Qabay east to Mascot and north to Sohar and so on (the future Oman’s Zahira Province, Interior Province, East-North Province, East-South Province, Mascot Province, North Pakistan Tinai) were purchased by the French Empire, valued at £1.6 million.

The remaining areas east to the Gulf of Oman were purchased by the French Empire, valued at 1.6 million. After all, this place is close to the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The strategic location is too important. It faces the sea on both sides, so the value is naturally different. Originally, the Ottoman Empire wanted 2 million, but France has already suppressed 400,000 pounds.

Italy, on the other hand, bought Yemen from the west of the border with Oman to the east of Ataq City (mainly in the future Mehra, Hadramawt and Shabwa provinces of Yemen, covering an area equivalent to the area of ​​western Yemen). 2 times). Although there was more desert, Italy still wanted to capture this huge territory, so it paid 1 million pounds.

The British took over the area extending to the Red Sea in the west (Jawf, Saada, Hajjah, Mehweit, Hodeidah, Zaymar, Ibb, Abyan, Lehi Ji Province, Taiz Province, and Dali Province). Obviously, because the British control the Suez Canal, they do not want to be controlled by other countries on the side entering the Indian Ocean. Therefore, taking this place will allow them to occupy Somalia on the south side. Prussia engaged in confrontation, and the two countries formed a confrontation in the Gulf of Aden. However, Britain offered the same price as France for eastern Oman, totaling 1.6 million pounds.

All in all, Constantinople's harvest was quite good this time, with a total of 7.2 million pounds sold. But the sacrifice of territory also completely pushed Constantinople out of the stage in the direction of the Indian Ocean.

This is not a question of willingness or unwillingness, but forced by the situation, not to mention that everyone has spotted the opportunity. The stalemate between the Ottoman Empire and the Tsarist Empire is the best opportunity to take advantage of it. Constantinople does not dare to offend easily. In these countries, most of their energy and military strength have been restrained by the Tsarist Russian Empire.

Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hesbert von was conducting an internal meeting of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs with his three right-hand deputies.

They are First Deputy Minister Venus, Second Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jerry Hunter, and Third Deputy Minister Nicholas Pearson.

"The reason why we went so smoothly this time is that, in addition to the fair price we offered, the most important thing is that the war between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire made it difficult for Constantinople to persist, and the breakup with the United Kingdom made it even more difficult. Let the Ottoman Empire see the great powers and be frightened."

Nicholas Pearson summarized his trip to the Near East. He also said: "But the most important thing is that the people of the Ottoman Empire are in dire straits. The upper echelons of Constantinople feel the pressure. Therefore, they are prepared to use this as an opportunity to put aside Britain had always had influence over the Ottoman Empire and was prepared to accept the influence of other countries to check and balance Britain.

For the Ottoman Empire to conduct peace negotiations with the Tsarist Empire on a more equal footing. I think this is what the Ottoman Empire’s ruling class needs most and is most urgent. It is easy to understand why the Ottoman Empire agreed to almost all requests for territory from European countries.”

Upon hearing this, Hesbert Feng paused, looked up at Pearson, and asked: "Will the armistice between the Ottoman Empire and the Tsarist Empire be completed soon?"

Nicholas Pearson: "Recently, Alexander II has been under great threat from public opinion in the country. The publication of the book "Crime and Punishment" triggered an anti-Alexander II trend in the Tsarist Russian Empire. Therefore, the Tsarist Russian Empire seems to also intend to follow the Ottoman Empire. Let’s just stop here. After taking Romania, we’ll stop when we’re ready. But”

Hesbert von: "But what?"

Nicholas Pearson: "However, the Tsarist Empire seems to have frequently mobilized its troops in the Balkan Peninsula recently, intentionally or unintentionally. It may be said that they are retreating, but they don't want to, because the army has not changed much and seems to be in the same rotation. But now the Tsarist Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary The overall empire is stable. Is there any conflict with Prussia? This rotation seems unreasonable."

Hesbertvon also pondered, and the First Deputy Minister Venus and the Second Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jerry Hunter next to him frowned even more.

Venus asked: "How do you know, Pearson?"

Nicholas Pearson: "When I was in Prussia, many military figures there often expressed various military opinions, so I learned about them."

Hesbertvon asked: "What do you mean?"

Nicholas Pearson: "So I guess that Alexander II of the Russian Empire didn't seem to give up, and even had the idea of ​​using the Ottoman Empire to train his troops."

What! Training!

Hesbert von, Venus and Jerry Hunter all looked at Nicholas Pearson in disbelief.

Shah Empire, St. Petersburg.

Under the strong suppression of Alexander II, the recent chaos caused by "Crime and Punishment" in the Tsarist Empire was finally suppressed and finally subsided.

He also took advantage of the opportunity and unplugged the internal contacts stored in the Tsarist Russian Empire in European countries including the United Kingdom, which made Alexander II feel bad.

All the happenings in the southern Ottoman Empire made Alexander II jealous. If the Russian Empire hadn't contained most of the energy of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, how could these countries have taken the opportunity to capture those important territories.

However, the dissatisfaction in my heart is still dissatisfaction, but I still need to face reality.

On the Balkan Peninsula, although the Tsarist Russian Empire had stabilized its domestic situation, it began to have the spare capacity to increase its troops to the Balkan Peninsula. However, it seems that these countries have reached many agreements with the Ottoman Empire in order to gain territory from the Ottoman Empire. The most common one is the agreement with the Ottoman Empire. On the Balkan Peninsula, the party that supports the Ottoman Empire prevents the invasion of the Tsarist Russia.

This is why the Ottoman Empire is willing to sell those territories this time, because this is the guarantee of the seven major European powers: Britain, France, Prussia, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Portugal. Is there any stronger commitment than this?

Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire expressed dissatisfaction with this afterwards, these countries were just at peace with the Russian Empire and obviously would not give in. This time, even the Netherlands made a helpless "diplomatic courtesy" gesture towards the Russian Empire.

What can St. Petersburg say about this.

But it would definitely not work for Alexander II to suffer easily and hunt for himself while others eat the hunted meat for free.

So recently, after discussing with Gorchakov, Milyutin and others, he came to the conclusion that the war in the Balkan Peninsula should end at this point, because the Tsarist Empire currently does not have the capital to turn all seven countries into enemies. Although it is unwilling to do so, But reality is like this.

However, it is not possible in the Balkans, but it can be obtained elsewhere.