Spain, Madrid Royal Palace.
"My dear Prime Minister José Canalejas Méndez, does the hateful Pedro III understand what we in Spain mean?"
The depressed Alfonso XIII asked his Prime Minister in a Greek tone.
"Mr. Prime Minister, we can give away the colonies, and we can return Olevensa. We can even buy these territories without paying for the land without giving them any face, but we must not cede the territory in our homeland."
Alfonso XIII can be said to be the most unlucky king of Spain.
Whether in history or now, Alfonso XIII has experienced the most painful period in Spain. Faced with the rapid decline of Spain's national affairs, he was powerless.
Spain has experienced its peak, and its citizens have a strong sense of pride. Faced with the current situation of the country, will they naturally turn their guns on the king, nobles, big businessmen and other powerful people?
It’s not that Spain doesn’t have a republican history. The republican tradition has existed for a long time.
During the period of his grandmother Isabel II, due to the corruption at the top of the country, the Spanish people overthrew her and established a republic. Although this period only lasted for one year, the influence remained.
Afonso XIII was not a coquettish and extravagant king like his grandmother Isabel. He always followed the rules, respected the cabinet, and was self-aware and did not cause trouble.
Alfonso XIII, as the king of Spain, is generally qualified, but this qualification cannot change Spain, nor can it bring him reputation.
The outbreak of the Spanish-American War caused Spain's international status to plummet. The status of a great power that was originally on par with Spain was directly reduced to the status of a marginal general country, on the same level as Northern Europe, and its right to speak was completely lost.
Objectively speaking, the Spanish-American War was a premeditated war between the United States and the United States. Cuba and the Philippines were two colonies that Spain could not give up, so Spain could not avoid this war.
At the end of the 19th century, the armed struggles of the people of Cuba and the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule restrained a large number of Spanish troops. Of course, there was a shadow of the United States in this.
Spain, of course, brutally suppressed its two most valuable colonies, including the American gangsters involved.
Spain's actions played into the hands of the United States. Under the guidance of upper-level public opinion in the United States, the Spanish army brutally suppressed the Cuban rebels and harmed U.S. interests, which aroused the resentment of the American people, and war sentiment gradually took hold.
On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine, a warship sent by the United States to Cuba to protect overseas Chinese, exploded in the port of Havana. The United States used this incident as an excuse to demand punishment for Spain. On April 24, Spain first declared war on the United States in order to save the face of the great powers.
On April 25, the United States declared war on Spain. As a result of the war, Spain requested an armistice and the United States won.
The Spanish-American War enabled the United States to obtain important economic benefits, and also allowed the United States to obtain the island of Cuba and the Philippine Islands as strategic bases for expansion into South America and Asia respectively. However, Spain suffered heavy losses as a result, the prestige of the royal family and the government was ruined, and stability was lost.
The country has been in turmoil for a long time.
This time, Portugal came aggressively and demanded the disputed territories between the two countries. Spain, which could not afford the war, decided to give in.
It’s okay not to be cowardly!
Spain struggled against Portugal.
Although he knew that Britain, Germany and Russia would not reach out, he still asked for help, and was naturally rejected.
The grievances between a second-rate country like Spain and Portugal and what Spain did to Portugal in its heyday are well known to European countries.
Now that the situation is changing, it is normal for Portugal to claim back the lost territory. Even if Portugal's demands are excessive and the demands are expanded, it is reasonable and reasonable.
Who told you to be weak? It is natural to spit out the capital and profits now. Double compensation is naturally to pay for the past.
Spain could no longer afford a war. Facing Portugal, which was now stronger than itself, the Spanish upper class wisely chose to compromise.
Spain's top leaders quickly reached an agreement and set out the bottom line for negotiations.
Of course, Spain will fight hard to preserve its interests and, if possible, Spanish Morocco.
Of course, if Portugal insists on getting everything back, Spain's bottom line must be to keep its homeland intact.
For Spanish high-level officials, the African colonies can be lost, and Olivenza, which does not hold legal rights, can be returned, but Spain must be kept intact.
Spain does not accept the Great Portuguese Doctrine and will not lose any of Galicia, Extremadura, Asturias and León that are related to Portuguese history.
The Great Portuguese Doctrine is now very powerful in the United Portuguese Empire. In the past, Portugal was just talking about it, but now more and more people are beginning to take the Great Portuguese Doctrine seriously. Both the upper and lower levels of the empire have made it a national policy.
Spain, of course, took notice of Portugal's Grand Portugueseism.
Portugal wanted to take back the entire province of Lusitalia and Lustania during the ancient Roman period, and Spain should return Esremadura as part of it, which Portugal wanted to take back.
The Suebi Kingdom of Galicia, as having a cultural lineage with Portugal, is Galicia in Spain, and the Great Portuguese doctrine has its heart in mind.
As for Asturias and León, which have not had a close relationship with Portugal, many big Portuguese activists are also asking them to return to Portugal.
The theory of the Grand Portuguese is that the Kingdom of Asturias during the Reconquest period was founded by Pelayo, the son of the Duke of Galicia, and that the Suebi were also an important pillar at the beginning of the founding of the country. Later, the relationship between the Kingdom of Leon and Portugal continued.
It also has deeper ties than Spain.
Spain is originally from Castile, Portugal is from Galicia, and has a deep relationship with Asturias and Leon, so it is very qualified to inherit them.
The upper echelons of the Royal Government, headed by King Alfonso 13 and Prime Minister José Canalejas Méndez, absolutely cannot recognize the Great Portuguese Doctrine and their territorial claims, and cannot compromise during negotiations.
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This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The place that the Great Portuguese Doctrine wants is equivalent to 3/10 of Spain’s territory. This is simply killing Spain.
“His Majesty, Prime Minister Tony, who negotiated with me, will not give in to the territory claimed by Great Portugal.
He told me that these are de jure lands that Portugal has owned since ancient times and must be taken back by Portugal. He also said that considering that Spain has occupied the area for a long time and has a lot of interests, Portugal is willing to buy it for 200 million pounds."
Prime Minister José Canalejas Mendez told the king dejectedly about Portugal's attitude.
Spain now has four major factions: the Conservative Party, which advocates royalism, the Liberal Party, which recognizes the king under a constitutional monarchy, the Republican Party, which advocates a complete liberal republic, and the National Minority Alliance, which seeks independence.
José Canalejas Méndez is from the Liberal Party, not the Republican Party. He recognizes the constitutional monarchy, so he has a cooperative relationship with the king.
The king of Spain is miserable, and the conservative party is not strong, so Alfonso XIII, knowing full well that the liberal party is not a royalist party, still relies on them.
The Spanish-American War was led by the Liberal Party cabinet. According to historical practice, the Liberal Party, which caused extremely bad effects, should be consigned to the dust of history. However, Alfonso XIII and most of the Conservative Party did not encircle and suppress him.
Because the king and the conservative party know that if the liberals fall, then the Republican Party will dominate the world, and then they will be in danger.
"Mr. Prime Minister, is there really no room for maneuver?"
Prime Minister José Canalejas Méndez said in a sad tone: "No!"
Except for Portugal's separatist forces, the king, the conservative party, the liberal party, and the republican party cannot accept the greater Portuguese territory claimed by Portugal.
Although these three have different opinions, in the final analysis they are all trying to safeguard Spanish interests, Portugal's Grand Portugueseism, which has its roots in Spain.
“Do the great powers now know about Prime Minister José Canalejas Méndez and Portugal’s ambitious Grand Portuguese doctrine? What is their attitude?
Great Portugueseism has seriously shaken the stability of Europe, and these major European countries should not sit idly by and ignore it."
Portugal's territorial claim is generally believed in Europe to ask Spain to hand over Olivença and its colonies. It is not clear that they intend to expand the territory of Portugueseism.
Portugal's appetite is too big, which in the view of Alfonso 13th seriously threatens the situation in Europe. If the content of the negotiations is revealed, it should get intervention from the European powers.
"Your Majesty the King, I will naturally make Portugal's excessive territorial claims known to the public. However, I am not optimistic about the intervention of the great powers that you hope for."
Prime Minister José Canalejas Méndez, as the actual leader of the country, is much more politically acumen than Alfonso XIII. He can clearly and keenly feel the influence of European powers on Portugal and Spain.
different attention attitudes.
This chapter has been completed!