Empire Rising: Spain

In a situation where both parties were willing, Tesla and the intelligence personnel signed a scholarship agreement.

During the years Tesla studied at Graz University of Technology, Spain would provide sufficient annual scholarships to support Tesla’s studies, including funds for purchasing various materials and conducting small experiments.

In return, after completing his studies, Tesla needed to immediately go to Spain, and upon acquiring Spanish nationality, he could work or further study at the Royal Academy of Sciences and other universities.

If Tesla wished to study at prestigious universities in other European countries, Spain could arrange that too. However, the prerequisite was that Tesla would join Spanish nationality after completing his university education, something the intelligence personnel had explained in advance and Tesla had agreed to.

As time reached 1878, Tesla’s university career was about to end. He studied physics, mathematics, and mechanics at Graz University of Technology, achieving quite excellent results in all.

This fully demonstrated Tesla’s abilities, after all, not everyone can study three majors in four years of university and excel in all.

The physics professor at Graz University of Technology even felt quite regretful, suggesting that if Tesla hadn’t studied three majors simultaneously, he might have completed his university studies earlier and started his postgraduate studies.

In May 1878, under arrangements by intelligence personnel from the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau, Tesla traveled by ship to Spain.

Accompanying Tesla were his family members, who, due to Tesla’s situation, could also acquire qualification for Spanish nationality.

Of course, the intelligence personnel had conducted a preliminary investigation. After confirming that Tesla’s family were ordinary Serbian civilians without any extreme nationalist or pro-democracy ideologies, they extended immigration invitations to them.

Tesla’s parents and several brothers would be assigned suitable positions for work, and Tesla’s younger brother would also study at a Spanish university.

As for Tesla himself, should he wish, he could choose any university in Spain and the Royal Academy of Sciences.

He could choose both, working at the Royal Academy of Sciences while furthering his studies at a Spanish university.

Indeed, by combining theory and practice, Tesla’s studies might even be more effective. After all, this is someone who became a great scientist just by auditing university courses, and now having gone through complete university education, Carlo believed Tesla’s abilities would be even more outstanding, only lacking time and experience.

Tesla’s family was arranged in a villa near the outskirts of Madrid City the day they arrived in Spain.

This property is a standalone villa, perfectly suitable for Tesla’s family. It is relatively close to Spain’s university town, conveniently enabling Tesla to work or conduct research at a university.

Moreover, the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences is also nearby the university town, not too far away.

On the second day of Tesla’s arrival in Spain, Carlo summoned him and invited him to have lunch together.

The name Nikola Tesla is renowned in later generations, with even a well-known car company named after Tesla.

Carlo was eagerly looking forward to meeting Tesla; perhaps Tesla, with Carlo’s and Spain’s support, could achieve even greater scientific contributions than historically, or even realize his wild ideas.

Tesla’s scientific contributions are not limited to alternating current, but also include radio systems, wireless energy transmission, ball lightning, turbines, magnifying transmitters, particle beam weapons, solar engines, X-ray equipment, electric power meters, missile science, remote sensing technology, aircraft, cosmic rays, radar systems, and robotics.

His research in these fields also demonstrates that Tesla was a versatile talent, with unique understandings and ideas about scientific experimentation.

Tesla’s talent and ability in alternating current alone were enough for Carlo to consider him significant. Not to mention his research in radio and wireless energy transmission, which could potentially allow Spain to enjoy the radio era ahead of time.

In the banquet hall of the Royal Palace, Carlo met the famed mad scientist for the first time.

At this time, Nikola Tesla wasn’t as mad as described historically; he seemed more like a cultured, ambitious young man.

He had only a faint touch of mustache on his lips, indicating that Tesla was actually quite young.

This was indeed the case. Born on July 10, 1856, Nikola Tesla was only 22 years old at this time.

years old, the age of university graduates in later generations, and Tesla had already completed his studies in physics, mathematics, and mechanics at Graz University of Technology, showcasing his extraordinary talent.

”Welcome to Spain, Mr. Tesla.” Noticing Nikola Tesla’s somewhat restrained demeanor, Carlo spoke first with a smile.

”Receiving your invitation is my honor, Your Majesty. But I am just an ordinary person who cannot afford to attend university, afraid to betray your trust.” At this moment, Tesla was far from the mad scientist he would become in the future, merely a university graduate almost forced to drop out due to unpaid tuition.