"Mr. Ambassador, did you know? The Ottoman Empire is sick, and now it can no longer support its really huge territory!"
This is a conversation that took place in the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, a suburb of St. Petersburg, in February 1853. The speaker was none other than Tsar Nicholas I of the Russian Empire, and the person listening to him was also the British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Empire.
Lord Seymour.
Since January 15, 1853, when the Russian Emperor formulated a nonsense plan to carve up the Ottoman Empire, Nicholas I personally served as the chief architect of the carving up of the Ottoman Empire, and Lord Seymour naturally became Nicholas I's main
The object of persuasion.
As for the Austrian Empire and the French Empire, Nicholas I did not pay too much attention to it. In his view, the Austrian Empire was the "loyal" younger brother of the Russian Empire. He had mobilized more than 200,000 troops from Transy.
Vanya entered the Austro-Hungarian region and helped the Austrian Empire successfully defeat the Hungarian rebels. During the Austro-Prussian War, the Russian Empire also supported them in their attack on the Kingdom of Prussia. Although the final outcome ended with the mediation of the Russian Empire,
But at least the Russian Empire also made some contributions, and the Austrian Empire should know how to be grateful.
Regarding Franz Joseph's deceptive appearance, Nicholas I subconsciously regarded Franz Joseph as a determined successor of orthodox principles. Regardless of the issue of the union of the Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire,
Every consideration is a favorable choice for the Austrian Empire. Furthermore, the Austrian Empire itself did not suffer any losses in this transaction. The Adriatic Coast and Bosnia and Herzegovina were completely free benefits from the Russian Empire to the Austrian Empire.
The Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire were divided against the Austrian Empire. Nicholas I was completely handed over to Karl Nesserrodie. The opponent Karl Nesserrodie had to face was no one else but the man idle in the Austrian court.
Advisor to Prince Metternich.
Since Felix Schwarzenberg was lying in bed, his condition gradually became more serious, and he even suffered from hemiplegia.
Even so, Felix Schwarzenberg recommended Prince Metternich to serve as an advisor to Franz Joseph when he was able to speak.
After that, Felix Schwarzenberg completely turned into a vegetative state, and Prince Metternich was also not reused after being recommended by Felix Schwarzenberg.
However, conversations with the Russian Empire require experienced diplomats, so Franz Joseph chose Prince Metternich as an advisor to go to France for talks.
Karl Neserrodie and Prince Metternich also did not make any substantial progress during this half-month conversation.
Compared with Felix Schwarzenegger's broad-minded foreign policy, Prince Metternich's diplomacy seems particularly soft, giving people the impression that he has promised something, but has not promised anything.
Feel.
For a time, Karl Neserrode was in a deadlock.
As for the French Empire...the current French Empire is like a small transparent European diplomacy. It has no substantive actions other than chatting on international occasions.
After the appointment of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, the foreign policy of the French Empire became hard on the outside and soft on the inside.
Nicholas I, who believed that the French Empire was losing its threat, placed all his focus on Britain. He believed that as long as the Kingdom of Britain agreed with him, there would be no resistance to the Russian Empire in Europe as a whole.
Even if a certain country (the French Empire) dared to stop him, the final result would be to be completely crushed by the Russian Empire.
Inferiority and arrogance, these two contradictory extremes, have long characterized the Russian Empire, and also shaped the character of Nicholas I.
From January 15th to the beginning of February, in nearly two and a half weeks, Lord Seymour went to the Catherine Palace no less than three times. Each time he visited the Catherine Palace, he would see something different.
feelings.
By the way, after every conversation with the Russian Imperial Palace, Lord Seymour’s wife always leaves some writings and the like in the Catherine Palace. For these seemingly worthless things, as the Crown Prince
Alexander always likes to spend big money on purchases.
Lord Seymour's attitude towards Nicholas I became better and better.
As a qualified diplomat, of course you should take advantage of the situation to benefit yourself. Talleyrand and Metternich have always been the learning goals of all diplomats.
During their tenure, they not only completed their tasks outstandingly, but also accumulated a considerable amount of pension for themselves.
Furthermore, Nicholas I only explained his views on the Ottoman Empire to himself and did not let himself do anything else.
The most that can be done is to ask him to write a report to No. 10 Downing Street, and the content of the report will be as biased as possible towards the Russian Empire.
If Canning is a "hardcore" pro-Austrian (Ottoman Empire) faction, then Seymour is a "hardcore" pro-Russian faction.
Seymour nodded to Nicholas I while listening to Nicholas I's exciting speech.
Judging from Ambassador Seymour's expression and actions, he seemed to agree with Nicholas I's statement.
Faced with Lord Seymour's approval, Nicholas I was obviously even happier. He continued to promote his theory to Lord Seymour: "He (here refers to the Ottoman Empire) is terminally ill. If we let him leave just now,
, especially before the aftermath work has been done, it would be a very unfortunate thing!"
"Your Majesty, you are right!" Lord Seymour echoed Nicholas I and responded: "So shouldn't we let this empire continue to breathe a sigh of relief so that they don't pass away so soon? If he suddenly
If it collapses, it will bring huge trouble to Europe!"
"Mr. Ambassador, I think that instead of letting a terminally ill country continue to take advantage of our kindness to survive! It is better to let them meet death as soon as possible!" Nicholas I obviously disagreed with Lord Seymour, and the old god reminded him:
"What I mean is that when this terminally ill empire is about to fall apart, we must accept the land they left behind due to the collapse of order. Only in this way is our greatest kindness to this empire!"
Before Nicholas I could say three words, he returned to dividing the territory of the Ottoman Empire.
"Your Majesty, what are you going to do?" Seymour looked at the emperor in front of him with interest and asked.
"We must guard against the French army entering the Near East. Once they enter the Near East, the Russian Empire will have to send troops into it in order to maintain the authority of the Orthodox Church!" Nicholas I responded with a righteous expression, expressing his ambitions
Wearing a veneer of religious jihad can alleviate European countries' hostility towards the Russian Empire.
Just like Jerome Bonaparte used the cloak of Catholicism to wrap up his ulterior ambition to split the Apennine Peninsula.
Nicholas I looked at Seymour again and said sincerely: "If the Kingdom of Britain can reach an agreement with the Russian Empire, then it doesn't matter what other countries think!"
Lord Seymour still looked at Nicholas I with a smile and said nothing.
Perhaps in order to let Lord Seymour see his sincerity, Nicholas I also made a "gentleman's agreement". He assured Lord Seymour that the Russian Empire had given up Empress Catherine's territorial ambitions, and he did not
He was unwilling to conquer Constantinople, but wanted it to exist as an international city.
"Your Majesty, if the Ottoman Empire is really facing collapse, how can you ensure that the office of Constantinople will not collapse as well!" Lord Seymour asked a pointed question.
"Once the Ottoman Empire faces collapse, the Russian Empire will be the temporary trustee of Constantinople! When everything settles down, the Russian Empire will evacuate!" Nicholas I said to Nicholas solemnly
La I said.
Lord Seymour simply would not believe Nicholas I's behavior of first taking custody and then evacuating.
History proves that they never spit out what they swallowed.
"I understand! I will report to London exactly what you have said recently! I believe the Prime Minister and others will make the right decision!" Lord Seymour said politely to Nicholas I
.
"That's troublesome!" Nicholas I responded to Lord Seymour, and then added: "I believe the Earl of Aberdeen will be able to make the right judgment!"
"I think so too!" Lord Seymour nodded in response.
Lord Seymour, who left Catherine Palace, took the train (one of the few lines in the Russian Empire, the Tsar's little toy) back to the embassy in St. Petersburg.
In the embassy, Lord Seymour wrote down all the recent remarks of Nicholas I in the letter, and added his own subjective opinions.
In the letter, Lord Seymour welcomed the plan of the Russian Empire. He even wrote: "If Russia and Britain, the two Christian powers that are most concerned about the fate of Turkey, can occupy the areas of Europe that were originally ruled by Nazism,
It would be "a noble victory for the civilized world of the 19th century."
This letter was sent from St. Petersburg on February 6. After three days of "long journey" across the ocean, it finally arrived in Lord Russell's office at noon on February 9.
When Lord Russell received Lord Seymour's letter and opened it, his calm face finally showed a hint of panic.
After reading the letter, Prime Minister Russell immediately went to the Prime Minister's Office at No. 10 Downing Street and handed the letter to the Prime Minister of Aberdeen.