African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 451: Chapter 129 Countdown

”Hmm, why do I feel that there’s not much difference in what you’re wearing today compared to usual? There’s nothing particularly striking!” Grand Duke Ferdinand commented as he gazed at Ernst.

Because Constantine was stationed in East Africa, the responsibility for handling this marriage primarily fell on Grand Duke Ferdinand.

”Being no different from usual is also one of the greatest highlights, doesn’t that just show that my usual fashion sense is still up to par?” Ernst said, standing in front of the mirror.

Ernst’s daily attire was always a suit, and he almost never wore anything else, so putting on a formal outfit didn’t make a big difference.

It wasn’t that Ernst liked suits, but the clothes of this era were really less comfortable than those of his previous life, and suits were actually the most well-fitting. Of course, military uniforms were also comfortable, but since Ernst was not leading troops, there was no need to wear them; he only wore them for a period while commanding operations in South Africa.

Dressed in his groom’s attire, Ernst’s appearance was still considered attractive, which was enough since in political marriages, factors considered were never related to looks. Politically, economically, in terms of status and strength, Ernst was an excellent choice for the Habsburg family.

If it were Franz’s daughter getting married, the Habsburg family would definitely choose carefully, but the daughter of Grand Duke Ferdinand naturally received less attention.

Thus, the international community’s attention to this marriage was actually relatively ordinary, although Austria did a decent job promoting it because 1873 was rife with troubles, with bad news continually emerging, leaving the Habsburg family and the Austrian government overwhelmed.

Now, Princess Karina’s wedding was considered a rare happy occasion, used to end the dismal year of 1873 on a positive note.

To manage this wedding, Ernst was willing to spend money—this was the first marriage in both of Ernst’s lifetimes, so he rarely indulged extravagantly.

To organize the wedding, Vienna, which had just concluded the World’s Fair, continued to maintain its police force to ensure the security of the capital, and the streets remained clean and tidy.

The festive lights from the Heixinggen Electric Company were arranged along the streets of Vienna, ready to dazzle the Viennese citizens at night.

The armed forces of East Africa, also stationed in barracks near Vienna, had completed their training. This was one of the main highlights of the wedding, fully showcasing the Kingdom of East Africa’s national strength.

In Europe, although on the surface it wasn’t as fragmented as it was in the previous era (mainly due to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Yugoslavia, with the Soviet Union’s dissolution), the actual number of countries was greater.

For instance, within Germany, although the many principalities lost their sovereignty, their titles were preserved, and it was the same within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Three kingdoms, seven duchies, one vassal state, and one region and province each, but since Franz held so many titles, the Habsburg family served as the glue holding the empire together.

Of course, the reason these principalities have their current status within the Austro-Hungarian Empire is inseparable from their ancestors’ efforts, all having been supporters of the Habsburg family in the past—like Hungary, which opposed Austria yet did not oppose the Habsburg family.

However, today’s Habsburg family is different from the earlier Habsburg family; it is more accurately called the Habsburg-Lorraine family now.

On October 20, 1740, the original Habsburg family became extinct, with the eldest princess Maria Theresa inheriting the titles of Grand Duke of Austria, and the thrones of Bohemia and Hungary. Her husband, Franz of Lorraine, did not become the Holy Roman Emperor, meaning the current Habsburg family’s paternal line is the Lorraine family.

The contribution of the Lorraine family to the Habsburg family could be the improvement of the Habsburg family’s genes, making the royal family members of the Austro-Hungarian Empire generally considered attractive.

Just the confirmed German royal family members and vassals attending Ernst’s wedding numbered over a dozen, and from overseas countries such as Sweden, Romania, Russia, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and others, delegates were also attending. As the wedding was held in Austria, even more people attended. However, except for Franz, no major national leaders were present personally, though many crown princes from various countries were, such as Prussia’s Crown Prince Frederick, and Russia’s Crown Prince Alexander III.

Noble weddings are important social platforms, and less important political exchange platforms. The crown princes of the Three Kingdoms, who had already secretly allied, gathered to exchange sentiments, with Rudolph being the youngest.

Honestly, only Frederick among the three crown princes had unquestionable abilities. As a key political participant of the empire, he assisted William I for years and had deep roots among Prussian officials and the military.

Alexander III was much worse. Originally, he was not in line for the throne, but after his elder brother Nikola fell off a horse and died from a severe illness in 1865, Alexander III became the primary heir to the throne.

As for the youngest, Rudolph, his situation was much worse, with only Ernst knowing Rudolph’s position as the crown prince was still a distant reality.

Despite being young, Rudolph held his own when facing the other two imperial crown princes, engaging in intense discussions on global affairs.

”In the current world, the most powerful are Britain and France; their established international order is still effective. Although our three nations are not weak, our geographical location is in a very awkward position,” Alexander III eloquently stated.

”In the end, it’s a matter of geopolitics. The European continent is too narrow, and we happen to sit in the heart of Europe, where maneuverability is far less than in the wider world. But the seas are controlled by Britain and France, which means even Americans have more advantages than us. It’s just that the Americans are currently restrained by Britain and dare not act recklessly, but once someone loosens the reins on America, it will become an enemy to all of Europe!” Rudolph started off by labeling America, not knowing whose influence that was.

At this point, the seasoned Frederick finally spoke: ”Hehe, today is Ernst’s wedding day, so let’s not discuss these topics. The changes in international order have their patterns but also unexpected factors; these issues are still far from us.”

”Furthermore, it’s best if the relations among our three nations do not get swayed by foreign opinions. Consolidating forces against external threats is our opportunity, so unity is essential. None of our nations can dominate Europe on its own, as that is not what Britain, France, and other countries wish to see—a power imbalance among our three nations.”

Saying this, Frederick was indeed the only one among the three who deeply engaged in international affairs. He understood that the current size of the German-Austrian-Russian trio was at the limit of what Britain and France could tolerate. Anyone wanting to go further would have to solve it with muscle.

Frederick concluded: ”In unfavorable external circumstances, competition amongst ourselves serves no purpose; so, we should set aside disputes and unite for warmth.”

Frederick also hoped for fewer disputes between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia; although the Balkans were important, the concern was that while the clams fought, the fisher profited. Although Alexander III and Rudolph were only crown princes now, Frederick hoped they would remember his words when they eventually became emperors.