[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rise-of-the-empire-spain":3,"chapter-rise-of-the-empire-spain-rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-105":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rise of the Empire: Spain",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2365033,4632,"Chapter 105: Archduchess Sophie","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-105",105,"\u003Cp>Carlo was in no hurry regarding the matter of finding a queen through marriage, but Victor Emmanuel II, far away in Rome, was already impatient about Carlo’s marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victor Emmanuel II and Archduchess Adelaide had eight children in total, three of whom had already passed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he had finally waited for the remaining children to grow into adulthood, Victor Emmanuel II looked forward immensely to all his children having their own marriages soon, allowing the Savoy bloodline to branch out and flourish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crown Prince Umberto and Duke Amedeo were already married; next, it should be the turn of Carlo, who was about to turn 20.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon learning that Carlo had certain requirements for the choice of queen, Victor Emmanuel II even requested his new wife, Queen Rosa, to personally travel to the three countries of Germany, Austria, and Russia to find a suitable marriage candidate for Carlo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the relationship between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not very pleasant, Victor Emmanuel II still chose to include the Austro-Hungarian Empire as one of the countries to investigate, hoping only to find a queen for Carlo who would both meet political interests and satisfy Carlo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victor Emmanuel II actually hoped more that this suitable candidate would appear in Germany or Russia. But Queen Rosa visited Germany and Russia thoroughly, and there were no marriage candidates of suitable age in either royal family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was one in the Romanov family, but that princess’s appearance was somewhat lacking, and she had a tomboyish personality, which was clearly not the type Carlo liked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now there was no choice left; indeed, only the Austro-Hungarian Empire remained to be actually investigated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the relationship between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not very pleasant, when Queen Rosa arrived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, she was still welcomed by the Habsburg family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Queen Rosa was a queen of morganatic marriage, European royal families had long known that the purpose of Queen Rosa’s trip was not for Italy, but for the King of Spain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of both sentiment and reason, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would not refuse a marriage with Spain. What’s more, Carlo’s mother, Archduchess Adelaide, also came from the Austrian nobility, and Carlo also possessed half-Austrian noble blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the German and Russian royal families, the Austro-Hungarian royal family not only had suitable marriage candidates but two of them, both daughters of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eldest daughter, Archduchess Sophie Friederike Dorothea Maria Josepha, was born on March 5, 1855, and was 16 years old this year, just a good age for marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second daughter, Gisela Louise Marie, was one year younger than her sister Sophie and was also about 15 years old this year; her age was also a very good match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Austro-Hungarian Empire also met Carlo’s requirements; Austria’s industrial strength was still very powerful, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire could help Spain overall, which was also a marriage condition that Carlo had personally proposed to Victor Emmanuel II.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, after going around in circles, the final suitable candidate was still in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victor Emmanuel II was somewhat helpless, but for the sake of his son’s lifelong event, he still had Queen Rosa prepare a few photos of Archduchess Sophie and Archduchess Gisela, which were sent to the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, along with brief identity introductions for the two archduchesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If progress went relatively smoothly, the engagement could basically be completed this year, and the wedding could be held next year or the year after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking that Carlo’s lifelong event could finally be resolved, a faint smile finally appeared on Victor Emmanuel II’s face, which had not seen a smile for several days, and he looked a little more relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was several days later when the letter with the photos arrived at the Royal Palace in Madrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Victor Emmanuel II arranged for dedicated personnel to escort this letter, this era did not have the convenient logistics conditions of later generations, and it took at least several days from Vienna to Madrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Carlo received this letter, he was also a little helpless. He did not expect that even after transmigrating to this world, he could still enjoy the treatment of being urged to marry; who would believe that the dignified King of Spain was actually troubled by the choice of a queen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, speaking of which, this situation was also related to the more stringent European ideology that valued bloodlines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marriages between nobles placed extreme importance on bloodline and social standing; although morganatic marriage was also feasible, it required paying a huge price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Carlo married a girl of lower status, then the offspring born would not possess the right of succession to the Spanish throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This point alone was fatal, directly narrowing the range of candidates for Carlo’s queen to a very small scope, basically only princesses of various European royal families and daughters of some archdukes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carlo also had to consider the marriage candidate’s help to Spain, which made this already small range narrow even further, leaving only a few people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When considering age and whether the personality was suitable, finding a suitable marriage was simply harder than reaching the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although somewhat helpless, Carlo still decided to look at this letter. After all, it was sent in the name of Victor Emmanuel II, and Carlo had long told his father about the conditions for marriage; presumably, Victor Emmanuel II could not have sent the letter lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening this letter, what came into view were a few photos and a piece of white paper with a brief introduction written on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, there was no need for too much introduction, because the members of various royal families were not too big a secret, and relevant information could be obtained with a little investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was important was the photos. There were four photos in total, two for each of the two heroines. In terms of appearance, both princesses were quite beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when seeing their identity introductions, Carlo was a little puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carlo still had an impression of Archduchess Gisela; this princess married Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who was a ruthless character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Leopold received a Grand Iron Cross, and this medal was only issued five times during World War I, namely to German Emperor Wilhelm II, Hindenburg, Ludendorff, Mackensen, and Prince Leopold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These five people were all famous; except for Wilhelm II, the others all had outstanding talents in military command and were also extremely excellent military generals of the German Empire during World War I.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The love story of Franz Joseph and his wife, Empress Sisi, was still very famous in later generations, and Carlo, as a senior enthusiast of foreign history, naturally understood it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This couple only had four children in total; Carlo naturally knew who this so-called Archduchess Sophie was—she was the eldest daughter of Franz Joseph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Carlo’s vague memory faintly remembered that this archduchess seemed to have passed away from typhoid fever at the age of two; how could she be alive and well now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that his arrival had caused the world line to change? Carlo was a bit confused, but thinking that his original body also died young, his fate still had some similarities with this Archduchess Sophie, and he suddenly became a little interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although marrying into the Austro-Hungarian Empire was only Carlo’s backup plan, it seemed that for now, it could only be the only choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This letter also mentioned the current status of the German and Russian royal families; unless choosing collateral branches of the Hohenzollern and Romanov families, there were no suitable princesses for Carlo to marry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After carefully looking at the photos, Carlo had a decision in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the 15-year-old Archduchess Gisela, Carlo was more willing to choose Archduchess Sophie, who was already 16 years old. Besides the age factor, there was another point: Archduchess Sophie’s appearance was higher than Archduchess Gisela’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the status of the two was the same, Carlo was naturally willing to choose the better-looking one; at least it looked more comfortable, didn’t it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, choosing was one thing, but the specific arrangements still had to be completed by Queen Rosa. At least it would require one or two banquets or something to meet and discuss the relevant marriage matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After writing a reply to Victor Emmanuel II, Carlo also began to prepare for a visit to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the marriage was suitable or not still had to be seen in person to be clear, and Carlo would not rashly decide his lifelong event just because he had seen photos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, going to the Austro-Hungarian Empire for a visit also had other purposes, such as seeking loans from Austrian capital and seeking industrial support from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Austrian Empire was defeated in the war with Prussia, the current Austro-Hungarian Empire was still at an upper-middle level among the great powers, much stronger than Italy, which was behind the great powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one had to discuss national strength, the Austro-Hungarian Empire could fully rank fifth in the world after Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, and the gap between it and France, Germany, and Russia was not too large.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, the only one leading the great powers by a wide margin was Britain, and Britain was able to achieve a leading edge in industrial economy by relying on its powerful navy and the support of India.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, such a lead would not last long. With the successive rise of Germany and the United States, the gap between Britain and other great powers would become smaller and smaller, and eventually be smoothed out by one war after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one of the German states, Austria’s industrial level had always been first-class in Europe. Their designs in cannons were not weak, and they also gave birth to many physics and chemistry geniuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing else, with the support of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Carlo had greater confidence to occupy the entire Congo River basin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The biggest competitors here were Britain and France, and the Germans were more like spoilers. Considering the gap between Britain, France, and Spain, the Germans would definitely not support Britain and France, and would more likely support Spain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Germany remained neutral, with the support of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy, Carlo would not have to worry about colonial competition with Britain and France.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s more, the League of the Three Emperors would be established in a few years, and the beginning of the establishment of the League of the Three Emperors was the alliance between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at it this way, through marriage with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Spain could establish relationships with both Germany and Russia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although this relationship was not that solid, the Russians would definitely not support Britain; this point could be fully utilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as some benefits were yielded to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany, these two countries could basically be made to support Spain’s colonial actions in the Congo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the partition of Africa by various countries and the scramble for the Congo River basin would have to wait until several years later, and by then, Spain would have also restored a certain amount of strength through reforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To a certain extent, Carlo was really not afraid of the British threat. As the saying goes, those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes; Spain could afford to lose Cuba and the Philippines, but could the British afford to lose India?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consuming time with Spain had no benefits for the British; who made the British have colonies all over the world, and there were troubles that needed to be solved everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second update, asking for support!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of this chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1973,"2026-06-25T09:27:12.995Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","bc05c813f4494ba09623406d7cfc23f711205ddf77ae375609b8fcf3432d934f","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-106","rise-of-the-empire-spain-chapter-104",493,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frise-of-the-empire-spain-cover.jpg"]