Chapter 146: Austrian Netherlands

Currently, the war between France and Austria continues. The conflict, which started in May, has dragged on until August, lasting three months. During this time, both sides have suffered losses exceeding 150,000 men. This has been a significant blow to both nations.

Although the war rages on, everyone knows that it is increasingly unlikely for the Austrians to reverse their fortunes. Despite their reluctance to end the war and their desire to continue fighting, the harsh reality forces them to lower their proud heads. With the fall of Venice, the French army has completely invaded Austria, causing panic among the Austrian people. Unfortunately, they have no good solutions at hand. Reorganizing their army would take at least six months, a period during which the French could wreak havoc throughout Austria.

Therefore, by early September, the Austrian government could no longer hold on. They dispatched diplomats to seek help from the British government, hoping that Britain could mediate and bring an end to the war, restoring peace to the world. Britain gladly accepted this request.

"Haha, those arrogant Austrians have finally bowed their brainless heads," laughed King George III of England in Buckingham Palace. The Austrians' reaction brought him great joy. During the initial mediation attempt, the Austrians, not recognizing the situation, made excessive demands, causing the negotiations to fail. But now, the Austrians could no longer hold out and came begging for help.

"Your Majesty, that's just how the Austrians are. If you don't teach them a lesson, they still think they're the old Holy Roman Empire," chuckled Edward Grey, the British Foreign Minister.

"That may be so, but since the Austrians have come to ask for my help, I can't refuse them. After all, I still need their assistance in Egypt," said George III.

"So Your Majesty intends to help Austria mediate?" Edward Grey inquired.

"Why not? If Austria is weakened too severely in this war, it would harm British interests as well. So, let's help poor little Franz. Edward Grey!" called George III.

"Your Majesty!"

"Send diplomats to contact the French government again and inform them that the Austrians are willing to negotiate," ordered George III.

...

"Consul, the British have contacted us again. They propose negotiations between us and the Austrians to end the war. Although the Austrians haven't responded yet, we estimate that they will eventually agree to the talks," Marmont said.

"The British proposal? It's probably at the Austrians' request," Napoleon said.

"Most likely! So, Consul, how should we respond?"

"This war has already achieved our initial objectives. There's no need to continue fighting. If we can secure our interests through negotiations, that would be ideal," Napoleon nodded. After all, once a war is over, it ultimately comes down to negotiations to clarify the benefits gained during the conflict. Napoleon understood this well.

"Your Highness, should we respond to the British now?" asked Talleyrand, the French Foreign Minister.

"Reply to the British, tell them we are willing to negotiate. However, France's interests must be guaranteed," Napoleon instructed.

"Consul, what should our bottom line be in these negotiations?" Talleyrand asked. He needed to understand Napoleon's intentions, as this would determine the strategy to adopt in the upcoming talks.

"My demands are the same as before. Firstly, the Italian territories must be ceded to us, and a formal treaty must be signed. Secondly, in terms of war reparations, we should demand as much as possible. We spent a considerable amount on this war, and the country's reconstruction needs significant funds," Napoleon stated.

"Consul, such demands might be unacceptable to the Austrians. Even now, they are stubbornly refusing to admit defeat," Talleyrand replied, breaking into a cold sweat. Napoleon's demands seemed excessive, and the proud Austrians would likely find it hard to agree to them.

"Talleyrand, use your brain. If the Austrians refuse to pay war reparations, it doesn't matter. We can call it something else, like ransom for prisoners of war. We have five to six thousand Austrian prisoners in our hands. If the Austrians want them back, those men will be ready soldiers once they don their uniforms and pick up weapons again, saving training costs. This clearly benefits the Austrians."

"And if necessary, we can relinquish Venice," Napoleon continued.

"Consul, won't the military object to giving up Venice?" Talleyrand asked.

Although Venice was easily occupied without much effort, it was still territory captured by the military, and simply handing it back put significant pressure on Talleyrand as the Foreign Minister. Surrendering that land would undoubtedly meet with opposition from the military. However, overall, it was the most advantageous move. By returning Venice to the Austrians, they must make concessions as well, such as ceding the Austrian Netherlands to us," Napoleon said.

Napoleon had carefully considered whether to return Venice to Austria. After much thought, he decided that returning Venice was the best course of action. This would make negotiations easier and remove the burden of holding onto a troublesome territory. Venice, being closer to Austria and farther from France, would require significant resources to defend. Moreover, as Austria's only port, its importance was undeniable, and the Austrians would undoubtedly strive to reclaim it, potentially leading to continued conflict.

At this point, France urgently needed a stable environment to recover its economy. Continuing to fight Austria over Venice was not worthwhile. However, Napoleon was not one to come out at a disadvantage. Although he couldn't hold Venice, he wanted the Austrian Netherlands in return.

The name "Austrian Netherlands" might not be well known, but more people were familiar with Belgium, which is the modern equivalent. The Austrian Netherlands were ceded to the Austrian Habsburgs in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, in exchange for Charles VI's recognition of the Bourbon family's claim to the Spanish throne. This region included the remaining parts of the Spanish Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples, Sardinia, and the Duchy of Milan. In 1744, France invaded, and except for Limburg and Luxembourg, the Austrian Netherlands fell into French hands. After 1787, reforms by Joseph II disrupted local interests, leading to the Brabant Revolution, spearheaded by the region of Brabant. In 1792, the French Revolutionary Army began its invasion of the Austrian Netherlands. By 1794, the Netherlands were occupied by France, which established puppet governments, the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of Holland. In 1815, after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the northern and southern Netherlands were merged into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1831, the southern Netherlands gained independence as Belgium.

Currently, the Austrian Netherlands are still under Austrian control, and Napoleon has set his sights on this region. Unlike Venice, the Austrian Netherlands are right next to France's northern border. Occupying this area would require significantly less effort than holding onto Venice. Moreover, the region's flourishing shipbuilding industry would greatly benefit Napoleon's plans to expand the navy.

Thus, Napoleon decided to exchange Venice for the Austrian Netherlands.

Upon learning of Napoleon's plan, Talleyrand couldn't help but admire Napoleon's cleverness. Immediately, French Foreign Minister Talleyrand met with British diplomat Sir Thomas to formally respond, stating that France was willing to engage in peace negotiations with Austria. However, the prerequisite was that France's legitimate interests must be ensured.

Britain was very pleased with France's response. Regardless of what interests France demanded, the fact that France was willing to negotiate was undoubtedly a very positive start.