Rise of Empires: Spain.

Chapter 532 Letter of Persuasion to Surrender

"Carlo, is everything you're saying true?" Inside the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, Queen Sophie looked at Carlo with a worried expression and asked anxiously.

Carlo nodded, his face expressionless, and replied, "Although Russia will not participate in the attack on Austria-Hungary, the combined forces of the Balkan countries, France, Italy, and Spain still amount to more than two million troops attacking Austria-Hungary."

This attack was not a feint; both France and Italy were prepared to defeat Austria-Hungary.

Therefore, I believe that the time for Austria-Hungary to withdraw from the war is not far off.

Queen Sophie of Carlos was the eldest daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary. Before the outbreak of World War II, the relationship between the Spanish royal family and the Austro-Hungarian royal family was very good.

However, this did not prevent Spain from joining the Allied Powers in the World War, just as Spain could not prevent Austria-Hungary from joining the Central Powers.

The current world war situation was a mixed blessing for Queen Sophie. On the one hand, her husband had chosen the Allied Powers, and the Allied Powers were on the verge of victory.

What's worrying is that her father chose the Allies. Regardless of what the future holds for the Allies, the future of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is already clearly visible.

If this war is not handled properly, not only will the Austro-Hungarian Empire be torn apart, but the Habsburg royal family may also face annihilation.

Although Queen Sophie knew she should prioritize the interests of the Spanish monarchy, she couldn't help but worry for her father when she learned of the precarious state of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Carlo noticed Queen Sophie's worry and smiled as he said to her, "It's alright, Sophie, I've got you covered."

Austria-Hungary's defeat in this war was inevitable, and even Hungary might break away from it. However, Austria's core territory could be preserved; with me present, other countries would not shift the blame for the war onto the Habsburg family.

Carlo was very confident about this. He was no longer the young monarch in a foreign land, but one of the most prestigious kings among all the rulers of Europe.

If both Britain and Germany are defeated in this war, the word "one of" can be removed, and Carlo will become the most prestigious king and ruler in Europe.

Even if it were only out of respect for Carlos, European countries would absolutely not pursue the Habsburg family's responsibility. After all, Spain was not weakened by the war; in fact, its industry and economy experienced rapid growth during the war.

With just a single sentence, Carlo could easily save the Habsburg family. Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire's territory would shrink, it would be far better than losing its ruling position outright in history.

Hearing Carlo's relaxed assurance, Queen Sophie nodded, showing her great trust in him.

Despite the fierce fighting between the Allied and Central Powers in this World War, the atmosphere among the top leaders of the European powers was not so tense, and the relationships between the royal families of various countries were not bad.

Unless they are mortal enemies like Germany and France, no one would go to such lengths to exterminate another. After all, no one can guarantee that they will always be on the side of the victor. Every country is bound to suffer defeat at some point, and leaving some room for maneuver is also a way to maintain one's dignity.

The decision to preserve the Austrian imperial family after the world war was a well-considered one by Carlo.

The loss of Hungary would certainly have significantly weakened the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, if it could have maintained its core strength in Bohemia and Austria, it could have remained roughly among the top ten in the world.

Of course, when we say they're in the top ten in the world, we're really referring to the top ten goalkeepers.

However, such strength is quite impressive. For Spain, Austria would be a valuable asset, allowing Spain to extend its reach further into the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

In addition to considering the interests of Spain, there is also the interest of the Spanish royal family.

Spain is a monarchy, and to make the Spanish monarchy more stable, there must be more monarchies around the world.

Only when monarchy was the mainstream in European countries would the European people not think about abolishing it. The reason why the British in later generations occasionally thought about abolishing monarchy was actually because, among the world powers at that time, Britain was already one of the very few monarchical countries.

Although there is much debate about the ranking of countries in later generations, it is generally certain that only the United Kingdom and Japan are monarchies that make it into the top ten in the world.

Under such circumstances, even though Britain still possessed the strength of a superpower, it could not prevent criticism of the monarchy from the people both domestically and worldwide.

The best solution would be to make most countries in Europe and even the world monarchies. With everyone in a monarchy, the king's position would naturally become very stable.

It is well known that the two world wars further fragmented Europe. Numerous small states emerged in Europe, and its power became more dispersed.

This might not be a bad thing for Carlo. Spain now has the power to use its influence to turn these soon-to-be-established states into monarchies.

By employing a two-pronged strategy of maintaining existing monarchies while simultaneously creating more, Spain's future monarchy will naturally not face criticism.

Of course, the most important thing for the Spanish throne to be passed down for a long time is to ensure that all future Spanish kings are recognized by the people.

This is also why Carlos was so strict about the succession to the throne. Becoming King of Spain certainly brings a great deal of power, but it also represents enormous responsibility and obligations.

Therefore, in choosing a successor to the throne, one must first have certain abilities, and secondly, one must know how to cultivate one's reputation.

Regardless of whether they genuinely care about the people, they must pretend to care about the people and continue to do so consistently.

Only in this way can the support of the people be gained, and the Spanish throne be passed down forever, rather than being interrupted by an accident.

Back in his office, Carlo pondered for a moment and ultimately decided to write a letter in his personal capacity to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary, urging him and the Austro-Hungarian government to surrender to the Entente Powers in a timely manner.

Carlo did not write this letter as the King of Spain, but as the husband of Queen Sophie and the son-in-law of Franz Joseph I.

If it were the former, then the letter would seem somewhat arrogant. Carlo's intention was not that, and he naturally didn't want to be misunderstood at such a crucial moment.

In this letter, Carlo analyzed the current situation on the European battlefield for Franz Joseph I and the Austro-Hungarian government, and also subtly reminded the old emperor that the situation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not peaceful.

Carlo persuaded Franz Joseph I to order all Austro-Hungarian troops to cease resistance and avoid unnecessary casualties.

Carlo promised that if Austria-Hungary surrendered and began peace negotiations with the Entente Powers, Spain would persuade the Entente Powers to cease their attacks on Austria-Hungary and resolve the war between Austria-Hungary and the Entente Powers through peaceful negotiations.

Carlo also assured Franz Joseph I that, regardless of the outcome of the peace talks, he would ensure that the Austrian throne would not be lost in the war, and promised to request the support of France and Italy.

Carlo's letter was quite sincere. France and Italy would not refuse such a request if Spain simply asked.

After writing the letter, Carlo summoned his butler, Lauren, and asked him to send someone to Vienna to deliver it.

Now it was up to Emperor Franz Joseph I to make a decision.

If the old emperor has already grasped the situation, then it wouldn't be unreasonable for the Allied Powers and Austria-Hungary to sit down and end the war through peaceful negotiations.

This would not only reduce Allied casualties in the Balkans but also give Austria-Hungary a much-needed breather, allowing Franz Joseph I an opportunity to resolve internal conflicts. Carlo still had considerable trust in the old emperor's prestige. Despite the ongoing conflict between the Austrian and Hungarian governments within Austria-Hungary, the Hungarian government would always give the old emperor face whenever he spoke.

Carlo's current concern is the age of the old Emperor Franz Joseph I.

Franz Joseph I was born in 1830 and is now 85 years old. This age would be considered very old even by today's standards, let alone in an era when the average lifespan was only around 40 years.

If Carlo remembers correctly, Franz Joseph I died in the later stages of World War I.

Although the world war broke out two years earlier, it was now mid-1915. If we follow the historical timeline of Franz Joseph I's death, the old emperor had at most a year and a half left before departing this world.

The death of an elderly monarch normally does not have a significant impact on an empire, as such a long period of time is sufficient to cultivate a capable new monarch.

However, for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the death of Emperor Franz Joseph I would have a significant impact.

Rudolf, the heir to the throne whom the old emperor had carefully groomed, died young, and the current heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne is his nephew, Crown Prince Ferdinand.

In Europe, it was very common for the throne to be passed down to one's nephew. However, Ferdinand, the nephew of the late Emperor Franz Joseph I, was not a very reliable heir to the throne.

Because of Ferdinand's marriage between nobles and commoners, his children would not inherit the Austro-Hungarian throne; instead, the right would pass to the children of Ferdinand's brother.

This also means that the Austro-Hungarian throne will be passed down through two uncle-nephew successions. Neither Ferdinand nor Karl seemed like the kind of monarchs who could make the Austro-Hungarian Empire last.

If Austria-Hungary could end this war during the reign of Franz Joseph I, it would be excellent news for the country.

Thanks to the prestige of the old Emperor Franz Joseph I, even if the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost some territory in the peace negotiations, the stability of the remaining territory could be guaranteed.

However, if Emperor Franz Joseph I were to die in the war and be succeeded by Archduke Ferdinand or Archduke Karl, the stability of the remaining territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be jeopardized.

Even if Carlos were to forcibly retain the Austrian throne, the Austrians would probably be reluctant to have another emperor above them.

This is why Carlo wrote to persuade Franz Joseph I. For the Habsburg family now, the situation truly could not be delayed any longer.

Carlo's letter was delivered very quickly; it took only a few days for it to reach the desk of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary.

In fact, it would have been faster to use a telegram, but Carlo believed that writing a letter would better demonstrate his sincerity and make Emperor Franz Joseph I pay more attention to the current situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In fact, Carlo was overthinking things, because at this time the old emperor was indeed very worried about the situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

As the saying goes, one only knows one's own family. Franz Joseph I was quite clear about the situation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In the early stages of the war, when the Allied powers held a significant advantage, the joy of victory was able to suppress domestic instability.

But once the Allied powers were at a disadvantage in the war, all sorts of monsters and demons jumped out.

The Hungarian government was the most obvious example. Given that the Allied forces were advancing directly across the Hungarian Plain, it would be strange if the Hungarian government remained indifferent.

The Allied offensive not only caused immense damage to Hungary's agricultural production, but also forced large numbers of Hungarians to the battlefield to take up arms and defend their homeland.

Compared to the Hungarian government, which was terrified of the situation at the front, the Austrian government was not so worried. After all, the only force attacking Austria was Italy, and the Italian army was simply unable to break through the Austro-Hungarian army's defenses.

The starkly different attitudes of the Austrian and Hungarian governments toward the war led to numerous conflicts between the two governments.

If the conflict between the Imperial Government and the Kingdom Government is not stopped soon, the Austro-Hungarian Empire may not even need to back down and beg for peace talks. The Kingdom Government of Hungary will take the initiative to negotiate with the Entente Powers, sacrificing the interests of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to save the interests of Hungary.

Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a dual monarchy, Emperor Franz Joseph I could still distinguish between the relative importance of Austria and Hungary.

Austria without Hungary remains a powerful nation, but Hungary without Austria can at best be considered a medium-sized country.

If defeat is truly inevitable, for Franz Joseph I, sacrificing Hungary's interests is always better than sacrificing Austria's.

Even with the loss of Hungary, Franz Joseph I remained Emperor of Austria. Because the Austrians suffered relatively few losses in the war, they naturally wouldn't hold a grudge against the Habsburgs.

Compared to the internal conflicts within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Balkan states launched their attack on the Austro-Hungarian Empire with all their might.

Romania wanted to occupy Transylvania in Hungary, Serbia wanted to avenge the Austro-Hungarian invasion, and Montenegro, though playing a minor role, dared not slack off in such a major battle.

This put immense pressure on the Austro-Hungarian front lines. Although Germany and Britain each supported an army group, both armies had suffered more than half their losses during the prolonged fighting.

Originally, the German army groups operated independently, with the Austro-Hungarian army only needing to provide support. However, after the German army groups suffered heavy casualties, Germany was forced to agree to Austro-Hungarian plans to combine the original German army groups with a portion of the Austro-Hungarian army to form a mixed army group.

Compared to the original army group composed entirely of Germans, the army group composed of a mix of Austro-Hungarian and German troops was significantly less effective in combat.

Although both Austrians and Germans spoke German, the Austro-Hungarian army was incredibly diverse in its ethnic composition. Initially, in the early stages of the war, the armies composed of soldiers from different ethnic groups were independent and not mixed together.

As the war progressed, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was unable to strictly adhere to these regulations and mixed soldiers from various nationalities, which made communication between the Austro-Hungarian armies extremely difficult and further affected their combat effectiveness.

All these problems made Franz Joseph I very worried about the situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After receiving a letter from Carlo, Franz Joseph I read it for a long time and finally decided to compromise under the current circumstances.

Although the Central Powers still had a sliver of hope of victory, Franz Joseph I knew that Austria-Hungary had no chance of winning.

Britain and Germany, with their strong foundations, could afford to stall for another year or two. However, Austria-Hungary's national strength was limited, and continuing to drag things out was not a wise choice for them.

The current Austrian Chancellor is Count Stefan Brian von Radjez. After making his choice, Emperor Franz Joseph I summoned Count Stefan Brian von Radjez and proposed a peace negotiation with the Entente Powers.

Count Stefan Brian von Radjez, then Chancellor of Austria, had anticipated the old emperor's proposal.

The defeated nation must have to pay some price. As the prime minister of Austria, Count Stefan Brian von Radez had long ago proposed to the old emperor Franz Joseph I a plan to abandon Hungary in exchange for peace negotiations.

However, the Allied Powers did not yet have a significant advantage in the war, and abandoning Hungary would certainly cause a huge uproar within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the end, Franz Joseph I rejected Count Stefan Brian von Radez's proposal.

Now that it was Franz Joseph I who took the initiative to propose it, Count Stefan Brian von Radjez naturally had nothing to say and was more than happy to carry out the plan to abandon Hungary.

In any case, Hungary's fate was none of Austria's concern. If Hungary could be sacrificed in exchange for Austria's integrity, it would be a worthwhile deal for Austrian Chancellor Count Stefan Brian von Radjez and Emperor Franz Joseph I.

(End of this chapter)