Chapter 1095: Transformation of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Just as Jérôme Bonaparte entered the Bourbon Palace to be welcomed by people from all walks of life in Paris, the Kingdom of Britain, which was only separated from France by the Strait of La Manche, was also preparing for a particularly low-key meeting.
The main figures in this meeting were Victor Umberto, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Sardinia (son of Victor Emmanuel II, the second King of the Kingdom of Italy) and Queen Victoria and his wife.
However, the initiator of this meeting was not Victor Umberto, but Cavour, who was lurking behind Victor Umberto.
After receiving the request from Victor Umberto, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert immediately realized that the foreign policy of the Kingdom of Sardinia might change as a result of this meeting.
Adhering to the political principle of "the palace and the palace are one", Prince Albert immediately informed Palmerston, who was once again the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Britain, and the Foreign Secretary Russell about Victor Umberto's request for a meeting.
As soon as Prime Minister Palmerston received the news, he sought out Foreign Secretary Russell, and the two fully exchanged views on Victor Umberto's sudden visit.
In the end, Palmerston and Russell unanimously identified the sudden meeting as the heir to Sardinia. It was very likely that it was a change in the diplomacy of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and it was also an important piece in their effort to break France's monopoly on maritime power in the Mediterranean.
As we all know, Sardinia has been actively participating in everything related to France as a "filial son" of France since 1848. The purpose is naturally to enable the French Empire to help them defeat the Austrian Empire's hegemony in the Apennine Peninsula, thereby achieving
The Kingdom of Sardinia dominated the northern Italian region.
With the assistance of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the French Empire enjoyed a status that was not a hegemon in the Mediterranean region, but was better than a hegemon.
Although the British fleet deployed in the Mediterranean is slightly larger in tonnage than the French fleet in the Mediterranean (this is the French Mediterranean fleet that Jérôme Bonaparte and Albert actively restricted after discussions, in fact some of the ironclads are not at all
(not taking action), but most of the British Kingdom's Mediterranean fleets are old wooden sailboats, while France's are new ironclad ships.
If the two sides really wanted to fight, the British fleet deployed in the Mediterranean would be no match for France.
In addition, France holds the mining rights to the Suez Canal.
Once the Suez Canal is completed, and the French Empire controls Djibouti and Pirin Island, the connection between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea [1]
Then the interests of the British Kingdom will suffer unprecedented damage.
After all, the French Empire could refuse British ships' request to enter the Suez Canal.
By then, the merchant ships of the British Kingdom will have crossed most of Africa to reach the Cape of Good Hope.
Over time, the costs incurred will rise significantly.
French ships can freely enter the Gulf of Aden through the Suez Canal, and then cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to enter the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
Although British politicians do not think that the French Empire has the courage to do this, any politician with a vision needs to consider the worst case scenario.
If the French Empire really chooses to turn against the British Kingdom, then the British Kingdom seems to have no other way to solve the problem besides war.
However, it is not easy to fight the French Empire in the Mediterranean.
In addition to the fact that the conventional fleet deployed by Britain in the Mediterranean cannot close the gap with the French Empire, another more important point is that the Kingdom of Sardinia is still in the French camp.
As long as the Kingdom of Sardinia is still willing to obey the Kingdom of Britain, the French Empire will always be invincible.
Because Sardinia's strategic location is so important.
The shortest distance from Sardinia to French Algeria is only 70 nautical miles (about 130 kilometers), and the French Empire's fleet is fully capable of guarding this sea area.
As long as the Kingdom of Sardinia is willing to cooperate with the French Empire, the entire Western Mediterranean will be blocked by the French Empire.
The island of Malta in the British Kingdom is like a pastry on a dinner plate, and sooner or later it must enter the mouth of France.
The Kingdom of Britain will never allow such a situation to happen, even if it is just a hypothesis.
However, the Kingdom of Sardinia has been slow to show its intention to abandon the French Empire, which forced the anxious Kingdom of Britain to reach a verbal agreement with the Italian revolutionaries living in London through some "agents".
The Kingdom of Britain gave some financial support to the Italian revolutionaries and made some unrealistic promises.
(For example: If the revolutionaries can establish a government close to Britain in the Apennine Peninsula, then the British Kingdom is willing to recognize their interests and help them resist the challenges of the French Empire.)
These promises are basically impossible for those with a little political vision. However, for those revolutionaries committed to liberating themselves from the oppression of the Austrian Empire, Britain's promises are better than nothing.
What's more, the British Kingdom actually gave them a certain amount of start-up capital.
Nothing is more trustworthy than money.
(Because the "agent" chosen by the British government to interface with the Italian revolutionaries was too direct, intelligence agents sent into the British Kingdom by Jerome Bonaparte discovered that the intelligence agents reported the situation in Britain to France.
Only Jerome Bonaparte would order De Ruys to closely monitor the movements in the Apennine Peninsula.)
Unexpectedly, just when the politicians of the Kingdom of Britain were working so hard to solve the problem of the Mediterranean that they did not hesitate to cooperate with the revolutionaries, the Kingdom of Sardinia actually took the initiative to show goodwill to the Kingdom of Britain.
Perhaps after the incident in 1858, the kings and ministers of the Kingdom of Sardinia seemed to have realized the greed of the French Empire and gave up on the French Empire. Or maybe the Kingdom of Sardinia simply wanted to dominate the Kingdom of Britain.
Take a chance on yourself.
In short, the Kingdom of Britain was quite surprised by the secret visit from the Kingdom of Sardinia.
After the discussion, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary immediately went to Buckingham Palace to propose to Prince Albert that the meeting place with Victor Umberto should be at Windsor Castle.
Albert also recognized the suggestions of Palmerston and others, and at the same time proposed to Palmerston that they could arrive at Windsor Castle at an appropriate time and join the meeting.
Palmerston also deeply agreed with Prince Albert's suggestion.
The two sides made an agreement that as long as the telegram from Windsor Castle reaches Downing Street, it means that Prime Minister Palmerston needs to come forward.
Palmerston must arrive as soon as possible by carriage.
After arranging all the situations, Prince Albert sent his confidant butler John Brown to secretly go to the hotel where Victor Umberto was staying and tell Victor Umberto the news that Queen Victoria had agreed to meet.
After receiving the news from John Brown, Victor Umberto showed a happy expression on his face, and then asked John Brown that he hoped that Cavour, a member of the Kingdom of Sardinia, could accompany him to the meeting.
John Brown did not dare to make the decision alone, and he immediately said that he would inform Prince Albert of Victor Umberto's request.
Victor Umberto once again expressed his gratitude to John Brown and stuffed a red gem into John Brown's kilt.
After receiving the gift, John Brown immediately showed a particularly enthusiastic side. He immediately told Victor Umberto that he would do his best to help Victor Umberto solve the problem.
Victor Umberto once again expressed his sincere gratitude to John Brown for his efforts, and there will definitely be more "thank yous" to John Brown after his work is completed.
After John Brown returned to Buckingham Palace, he immediately handed the red gem into Albert's hands and told Prince Albert the entire process of Victor Umberto's bribery.
After hearing John Brown's description, Prince Albert just smiled slightly. He took a look at the gem and then put the gem back into John Brown's hand.
"Mr. Brown, please make another trip to tell Mr. Victor Umberto that Windsor Castle welcomes all friendly guests!" Albert warned John Brown, "However, given that Mr. Cavour's identity is too sensitive,
, I personally hope that Mr. Cavour can meet under a different name!"
John Brown obeyed Prince Albert's order and secretly went to the hotel where Victor Umberto lived again.
When John Brown knocked on Victor Umberto's door, he found that the person who opened the door was not young Victor Umberto, but a well-built middle-aged man.
This made John Brown think that he knocked on the wrong door. Just when he was about to apologize to the middle-aged man, he discovered that behind the middle-aged man was Victor Umberto.
John Brown once again entered Victor Umberto's room and told Victor Umberto exactly what Prince Albert told him.
After hearing John Brown's response, the well-to-do middle-aged man immediately stated that he would not attend the meeting as the Count of Cavour.
Only then did John Brown realize that the middle-aged man in front of him was the Cavour mentioned by Albert.
After all risks were eliminated, Prince Albert set a time, which happened to be on the same day as Jérôme Bonaparte's welcome ceremony.
[1] Historically, Britain occupied this island in 1857, thereby blocking the Suez Canal. Jérôme Bonaparte, who was familiar with history, occupied this seemingly inconspicuous small island in advance before the Suez Canal was officially invested in construction.
island, and at the same time planning a military operation to occupy the entire territory of Djibouti.
When the Suez Canal was officially invested in construction, the British Kingdom discovered that the island blocking the Suez Canal was in the hands of the French Empire.
