Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 124: Chapter 112: The Wedding

Both Prime Minister Prim and Carlo could understand the intentions of Austria-Hungary and Franz Joseph I.

No matter the considerations, neither would refuse Franz Joseph I’s request.

After all, the larger the scale of the Austro-Hungarian naval and land forces deployed, the more it proves Austria-Hungary’s regard for Princess Sophie of Lorraine.

If Austria-Hungary places such emphasis on Princess Sophie, doesn’t that also mean Austria-Hungary will value Spain as an ally?

Although there is no help on the national interest level, diplomatically it can still play a tiger’s might. Individually, neither Spain nor Austria-Hungary is very powerful, but if the two countries unite, even superpowers like the UK, France, and Germany would have to carefully weigh the pros and cons.

This is why one must be thankful that the relationship between Italy and Spain is very good at this time, and the King of Italy is Carlo’s father, Vittorio Emanuele II.

If another person were King of Italy, it might not be so easy to trust the troops Spain and Austria-Hungary are committing to this matrimonial action.

If it were a more suspicious king, he might not be able to sleep at night. After all, if those troops were to launch a surprise attack, it would be quite a shock for Italy.

Fortunately, at this time Italy is also an ally of Spain, and Austria-Hungary doesn’t have many designs on Italy either. Otherwise, Italy, wedged between the two countries, would become the most pitiable figure after this alliance.

Since more than 5,000 troops were deployed from Austria-Hungary for protection, Spain naturally would not remain unmoved.

Prime Minister Prim made certain adjustments to the marriage process. After the fleet docked at Valencia Port, it would be escorted by an army of over ten thousand to Madrid.

To ensure safety from Valencia to Madrid, Prime Minister Prim specifically approved an operation to sweep the route a month in advance to prevent any possible accidents.

Finally, the time came to February 1872.

Carlo personally led the army through numerous challenges to Austria-Hungary and, under the reluctant gazes of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Sisi, took Princess Sophie away and boarded the fleet heading to Spain.

The journey was very smooth. After arriving at Valencia Port, they took a modified royal train, leisurely traveling from Valencia to Madrid.

Madrid in February had been meticulously decorated by the government, as if preparing for a grand event.

The closer one got to the Madrid Royal Palace, the more one could appreciate the government’s emphasis on this wedding. Not only around the palace, but Spanish flags and vibrant banners could be seen everywhere, even in the streets and alleys of Madrid.

The Spanish press had also been printing news of the friendship between Austria-Hungary and Spain these days, as well as praising Carlo and Princess Sophie as a perfect match.

The Madrid Royal Palace was bustling on the wedding day. Not only were numerous nobles fighting to attend the wedding, but many officials and capitalists were also doing everything they could to secure a seat.

If anyone of insufficient status could not attend the wedding, they would try to send a congratulatory gift to the royal family to express their loyalty to the royal family and Carlo.

By this time, things were very different from when Carlo first came to Spain. Carlo’s position on the throne was solid, and he was no longer the powerless king whom anyone could scorn.

Especially after marrying into the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Family, Carlo’s influence in Spain soared. The Savoy Family had certain influence in Italy, but the Habsburgs, who are part of the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Family, held immense influence all over Europe.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the Habsburg family was the world’s most influential family, surpassing the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the Hohenzollern family.

At the height of the Habsburg family, they once ruled Spain, the Two Sicilies, Hungary, Austria, and vast regions in Germany, and they held the only imperial throne in Europe at the time, that of the Holy Roman Empire.

Of course, the Habsburg family still bears the title of Emperor of Austria-Hungary today, but now it is a collateral branch known as the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

The Habsburg family once ruled Spain as well, starting from the early days of Spain’s founding.

The famous Iberian Wedding marked the formal merger of Castile and Aragon into Spain, which is the origin of Spain’s founding.

The first king of the Spanish Habsburg Dynasty was the offspring of Juana, daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, and Prince Philip of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Spanish throne ended up in the hands of the Bourbon Dynasty as a result of the War of Spanish Succession, which broke out between the Habsburg and Bourbon Dynasties, reaching a mutual agreement in the end.

Although the Bourbon Dynasty obtained the Spanish throne, they returned the Netherlands under Spanish control, the Low Countries, and the Kingdom of Naples, Sardinia, Sicily, and some Italian territories to Austria.

Compared to the Savoy family, whose history is not illustrious, the Habsburg Dynasty is too prominent, and it also holds significant influence for the Spanish people.

After Carlo’s marriage to Princess Sophie of the Habsburg family, their future offspring would possess Habsburg lineage.

The Habsburgs’ rule in Spain lasted nearly 200 years, longer than the Bourbon Dynasty’s rule in Spain.

Compared to the Bourbon family, whose reputation in Spain has soured, the Spanish people are more supportive of the Habsburg family. Spaniards are quite pleased to see the marriage between their king and the Habsburg family.

After all, Spain under Habsburg rule was still a hegemon in Europe, even stronger than France at that time.

At that time, Spain ruled vast regions, including the Two Sicilies and the Netherlands, with army and navy strengths that could be called European hegemonies.

Unfortunately, as other countries were growing stronger, Spain’s decline was also ongoing.

The Sun Never Sets Empire ultimately became history, and Spain weakened further and further, trampled under the heels of emergent France and the United Kingdom.