Empire Rising: Spain

The good times are always fleeting; after staying in Italy for a few days, Carlo ultimately had to leave.

After all, Carlo was already the King of Spain, and the affairs of Spain were most important to him.

This visit to Italy was not only to see his father, Vittorio Emanuele II, but Carlo also intended to sign further cooperation agreements with the Italian Government, which was also why he stayed for several days.

Now that the cooperation agreement between the two governments had been signed, Carlo had no reason to linger in Italy.

When parting with Vittorio Emanuele II, Carlo felt some reluctance. But there was no choice; state affairs take precedence over everything. Carlo had already set aside some tasks to make time for this visit to Italy.

Although the current Spanish Government appeared stable, Carlo did not dare to gamble on that possibility. Only by personally overseeing Spain could he ensure its stability and development.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard, Giotto, also returned from Garibaldi’s residence in Rome, ready to accompany Carlo back to Spain at any time.

In a way, Giotto and Carlo were in the same boat. Vittorio Emanuele II suffered from illness and overwork, while Garibaldi’s main issue was his advanced age.

Although both men knew that the two elder statesmen did not have much time left, unfortunately, Giotto and Carlo did not have much time to spend with them.

Pessimistically speaking, Carlo’s next visit to Italy might be for his father Vittorio Emanuele II’s funeral.

Clearing his mind of complex emotions, Carlo ordered the fleet to move at full speed, striving to return to Spain as quickly as possible.

The period of the Tenth Russian-Turkish War was the best opportunity for Spain’s development, and Carlo did not want to waste a single moment.

Just trading with Russia and the Ottoman Empire could bring Spain a large amount of capital and other resources, let alone that other European Powers’ attention was nearly all on the Balkan Peninsula, reducing resistance for any expansionary moves by Spain.

When leaving Spain, Carlo and his entourage departed from the port of Valencia, but upon returning, they chose to dock at the port of Barcelona.

The reason, of course, was to first inspect Barcelona, the second most populous city in Spain.

Since the construction of the Barcelona Industrial Base, the city’s development has been like riding on a fast train, with significant achievements in industrial economics.

Under the planning of the Spanish Government and Carlo, more than 200,000 Spaniards have continuously migrated to Catalonia, with a substantial portion settling around the Barcelona Industrial Base.

This also led to a rapid population growth in Barcelona in recent years, vaguely showing the potential to overtake Madrid.

Indeed, Barcelona’s geographic location is much better than Madrid’s, and it boasts highly developed maritime transport, making it very possible to surpass Madrid.

For Spain, Barcelona and its Catalonia region are crucial administrative areas and an inseparable part of the country.

Ensuring Catalonia’s stability and resolving the issues of the Catalans have always been matters of concern for the Spanish Government.

This trip to Barcelona is for Carlo to see the current situation in Catalonia and check whether the policies implemented by the government have had the desired effects.

Upon arrival in Barcelona, Carlo’s first destination was the suburban Barcelona Industrial Base.

The Barcelona Industrial Base is a key plan in the Spanish Government’s industrial construction, with the future vision of making Barcelona the industrial heart and largest industrial city of Spain.

While the capital, Madrid, also has industry, some heavily polluting industries will gradually be relocated to other regions or even outside of Spain.

Carlo did not want Madrid to become a smog-laden city like London. Although it is also a symbol of industrial development and civilization, such a symbol is not very healthy for people.

In theory, as the most developed country in terms of industry and economy, the British Empire should not have such a low life expectancy.

However, the presence of the smog in London reduced the average lifespan of its citizens. In this era, there were no measures against smog, nor were there masks with strong protection capabilities.

Londoners inhaled highly concentrated smog daily, and living a long life was indeed a miracle.

Arriving at the Barcelona Industrial Base, Angelo Orkaho, the chief officer of the base, had already been respectfully awaiting with the base’s management staff.

Angelo Orkaho was a talent Carlo had promoted from the nobility. The name of the Orkaho family comes from Orcacho Town in western La Mancha. Angelo’s ancestors were titled Barons of Orkaho, with the fief covering land from Orcacho Town to the west, near the Guadiana River.

After centuries of development, the title of Baron Orkaho still existed, but Angelo’s family had lost most of their lands and were truly in decline.

After coming to Spain, Carlo decided to select a batch of declining nobility for his use from the Spanish aristocracy.

Compared to the powerful and highly influential Dukes and Grand Dukes, these already-declined Earls and Marquises would be more loyal to Carlo.