Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Proposal to Abolish the Tithe

The news of Carlo’s assassination instantly became the hottest topic in Madrid, reported frantically by major newspapers and spread by word of mouth among the Spaniards at the scene.

Although the camera on the scene did not capture the moment Carlo was assassinated, the final scene of Carlo raising his arm and shouting was recorded.

This unclear black-and-white photo was also published in the Spanish Sun on the same day, and the entire article was given a striking headline: “Make Spain Great Again!”

The Spanish Sun praised Carlo’s bravery in the face of danger and the beautiful idea of making Spain great again.

Finally, it pointedly asked: “If even a monarch like His Majesty Carlo cannot shoulder the great responsibility of making Spain great again, who else is qualified to lead Spain forward?

The Carlos Faction accused the government’s reforms of affecting capitalists and factories, putting many workers at risk of unemployment. But what are they doing? They are plunging Spain into the abyss of civil war, bringing the great Spanish nation to a situation of fratricide, and causing tens of thousands of families to lose their source of income.

Queen Isabel of the Bourbon family has already made the Spaniards miserable, so does Carlos, also of the Bourbon family, want to drag Spain into the abyss again?”

Due to extensive news coverage, combined with the word of mouth of tens of thousands of Spaniards at the scene, hundreds of thousands of citizens in Madrid quickly learned about their monarch’s glorious deeds, earning Carlo a reputation for bravery in the face of crisis.

Although Carlo’s actions did indeed seem somewhat calculated to curry favor with the people, for the Spaniards, this was still far better than having a cowardly and timid king.

Carlo’s arm-raising shout before “fainting” also successfully moved the Spaniards present at the scene and, through their spread, affected more people.

After the assassination incident, the struggle for Spain’s greatness became another hot topic second only to the assassination event.

Carlo is not a Spaniard but has the courage to fight for Spain’s greatness. Do true Spaniards not have the courage to fight for Spain’s greatness?

As the protagonist of the assassination incident, Carlo was sent to a nearby hospital and then transferred to the Royal Palace.

The Royal Palace released the news that Carlo was injured in the assassination but was not in any life-threatening danger, and he was currently recuperating at the Royal Palace.

Prim, who was initially worried about Carlo’s safety, was relieved after he rushed to the Royal Palace and saw that Carlo was unharmed.

“Your Majesty, what happened?” Prim asked, puzzled yet relieved, as he saw Carlo unharmed.

“Luckily, the assassin’s handgun was not very powerful, and I had a steel plate in advance, so I am fine.” Carlo did not provide a detailed explanation, merely stating that he had placed a steel plate in advance.

Upon hearing Carlo’s explanation, Prim nodded but still felt a little apprehensive: “Your Majesty, you are still too impulsive. If you need to speak publicly in the future, please communicate with the government in advance. I will arrange for the military to maintain order on-site to ensure your safety.”

Prim’s concern for Carlo was genuine, as Carlo’s safety was also crucial to the success of Prim’s reforms.

If anything should happen to Carlo, Spain will enter another period of chaos.

In that situation, it would be almost impossible for Prim to select a king again since the Carlos Faction would not give Prim enough time to choose the next king.

Only if Carlo continues to sit safely on the throne can Prim’s reforms proceed smoothly without worrying about any major internal disruptions in Spain.

“I understand, Prime Minister Prim.” Carlo nodded in acknowledgment of Prim’s words.

Speaking of this, Carlo also took his safety very seriously.

Though a transmigrator, this world is very real. As a transmigrator, Carlo’s life is still singular, so naturally, he would not disregard his personal safety.

Besides the “assassin” prepared in advance for the speech this time, any other person who could possibly approach Carlo was under surveillance, and it had to be ensured that they were not carrying any firearms.

The outer masses, which seemed like a sea of people, were impossible to get close to Carlo, and the shooting range of smaller firearms was not that far.

In addition, Carlo had a steel plate on his chest in advance, which gave him the confidence to hold a public speech under such circumstances, facing thousands of Spaniards.

“God bless, am I not fine now, Prime Minister Prim? Moreover, after this assassination incident, I believe the majority of the populace will oppose the war initiated by the Carlos Faction and will hold hostility towards those who obstruct the reforms.” Carlo said with a smile.

“Your Majesty, I plan to abolish the tithe tax completely, bringing all Spanish peasants to our side.” After a moment of silence, Prim revealed his plan.

“The tithe tax? Those people in the Church wouldn’t be willing, would they?” Upon hearing Prim’s intention to abolish the tithe tax, Carlo immediately thought of the Church, which imposed the tax.

“Of course, they wouldn’t be willing, but what can they do?” Prim’s face held a gentle smile, yet it had a hint of coldness: “If they side with the Carlos Faction, then God bless us.

I’m just afraid that those people in the Church choose to swallow their anger. I’ve been coveting the Church’s lands for a long time.”

The influence of religion on European countries is still significant now, and the power of churches in various countries is innumerable.

Spanish peasants have to pay roughly one-tenth of their income as a tithe to the Church every year, which is one reason for Spain’s low per capita income.

Most of the tax revenue is taken by the Church, leaving the impoverished Spaniards with no choice but to sell their land in exchange for food sufficient to save their lives.

In this process, the Church also accumulated vast amounts of land, becoming the largest landlord in Spain after the nobility.

Spanish peasants are getting poorer, while the Church is becoming wealthier. This kind of development is quite abnormal, and the tithe tax, which is specifically used to exploit peasants, must be abolished early.

Carlo nodded, understanding Prim’s plan.

After abolishing the tithe tax, Spanish peasants would be completely liberated.

At least they could ensure that most of their income from farming goes into their pockets, and they would be more enthusiastic about agricultural work.

The government, having abolished the tithe tax, would receive strong support from Spanish peasants. Compared to the support of the majority peasant population in Spain, the Church’s opposition seems less important.

After all, it’s already 1870, and religious influence is no longer as dominant as it once was. Even the Pope is confined within the Vatican Palace; what storm could the Spanish Church possibly stir up?