Chapter 115: The Wedding (Bonus Chapter for Request Building)

Prime Minister Primo and Carlo could both understand the thoughts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Franz Joseph I.

Regardless of the considerations, neither of them would refuse the request of Franz Joseph I.

After all, the larger the scale of the land and naval forces dispatched by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the more it could demonstrate the importance the Austro-Hungarian Empire placed on Archduchess Sophie.

Since the Austro-Hungarian Empire valued Archduchess Sophie so much, wouldn't that be equivalent to the Austro-Hungarian Empire also valuing its ally, Spain?

Although it was of little help at the level of national interests, it could still be used to borrow the prestige of a tiger in diplomatic terms. A lone Spain or Austro-Hungarian Empire was not actually that powerful, but if the two countries were united, even super powers like Britain, France, and Germany would have to carefully consider the pros and cons.

This also made one have to be glad that the relationship between Italy and Spain at this time was very good, and the King of Italy was also Carlo's father, Victor Emmanuel II.

If it were someone else serving as the King of Italy, they might not necessarily be able to rest easy regarding the troops that Spain and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were deploying in this wedding procession.

If it were a more suspicious king, they might not be able to sleep for nights on end. After all, if these troops were to focus on a surprise attack, it would be enough to give Italy a hard time.

Fortunately, Italy was considered an ally of Spain at this time, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not have many designs on Italy. Otherwise, Italy, caught between two countries, would have become the most miserable character after this marriage alliance.

Since the Austro-Hungarian side had already dispatched an army of over 5, 00 to accompany and protect them, Spain naturally would not remain indifferent.

Prime Minister Primo made certain modifications to the wedding procession. After the fleet carrying the bride docked at the Port of Valencia, they would be escorted by an army of ten thousand until they reached Madrid.

To ensure the safety of the route from Valencia to Madrid, Prime Minister Primo specifically approved an operation: to conduct a clearing operation along this road one month in advance to prevent any possible accidents.

Finally, the time arrived in February 1872.

Carlo personally led the army through many difficulties to reach the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and amidst the reluctant gazes of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Sisi, he took Archduchess Sophie away and boarded the fleet heading to Spain.

The journey was very smooth. After arriving at the Port of Valencia, they boarded a specially modified royal train and traveled slowly all the way from Valencia to Madrid.

Madrid in February had already been carefully decorated by the government, and at a glance, it looked as if it were preparing for some grand event.

The closer the perspective got to the Royal Palace of Madrid, the more one could appreciate the government's emphasis on this wedding. It was not just around the palace; even in the streets and alleys of the Madrid districts, one could see fluttering colorful flags and exceptionally eye-catching Spanish national flags.

Spanish newspapers were also printing news of the friendship between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Spain over these two days, as well as news praising Carlo and Archduchess Sophie as a perfect match.

The Royal Palace of Madrid was exceptionally lively on the day of the wedding. It was not just a large number of nobles breaking their necks to attend this wedding, but many officials and capitalists were also trying every possible way to secure a seat.

If one truly did not have the status to attend this wedding, they would also try every possible way to send a congratulatory gift to the royal family to express their loyalty to the royal family and Carlo.

At this moment, it was already very different from when Carlo first came to Spain. Carlo's current throne had long been secured, and he was naturally no longer that powerless king whom anyone could look down upon.

Especially after the marriage alliance with the Austro-Hungarian royal family, Carlo's influence in Spain was also infinitely elevated. The House of Savoy only had a certain amount of influence in Italy, but the House of Habsburg, where the Austro-Hungarian royal family resided, possessed immense influence throughout Europe.

It was no exaggeration to say that the House of Habsburg was currently the world's number one family, a world-leading family with more influence than any House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or House of Hohenzollern.

During the heyday of the House of Habsburg, it once ruled Spain, the Two Sicilies, Hungary, Austria, and a large amount of German territory, and held the only imperial title in Europe at the time, that of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Of course, to this day, the House of Habsburg still held the title of Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but the House of Habsburg at this time was only a cadet branch, with the full name being the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

The House of Habsburg had also once ruled Spain, and it had ruled Spain since the very beginning of its birth.

The famous Iberian Wedding marked the formal merger of Castile and Aragon into Spain, which was also the origin of Spain's birth.

And the first generation of kings of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty were the offspring of the two protagonists of the Iberian Wedding, Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon's daughter Joanna, and the Holy Roman Empire's Prince Philip.

And the reason why the Spanish throne fell into the hands of the House of Bourbon was precisely the result of negotiations between the two families after the War of the Spanish Succession broke out between the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon.

Although the House of Bourbon obtained the Spanish throne, it also returned the Netherlands under Spanish control, that is, the Low Countries, as well as the Kingdom of Naples, Sardinia, and Sicily, and a portion of Italian territory to Austria.

Therefore, compared to a royal family like Savoy whose history was not illustrious, a dynastic family like Habsburg had a history that was too illustrious, and it also had a certain amount of influence on the Spanish people.

And after the marriage alliance between Carlo and Archduchess Sophie of the House of Habsburg, this also meant that their future offspring would also possess the bloodline of the House of Habsburg.

Habsburg's rule in Spain lasted for nearly 200 years, a history longer than the House of Bourbon's rule in Spain.

Compared to the House of Bourbon, whose reputation in Spain was already rotten, the Spanish people also supported the House of Habsburg more. The Spanish were also quite willing to see the marriage alliance between the King and the House of Habsburg.

After all, Spain under the rule of the House of Habsburg was still a hegemon in Europe at that time, even more powerful than France.

At that time, Spain also ruled a large area including the Two Sicilies and the Netherlands, and whether it was the strength of the army or the strength of the navy, it could be called the hegemon of Europe.

It was just a pity that while other countries were constantly becoming more powerful, Spain's decline was also constantly ongoing.

The empire on which the sun never sets eventually became history, and Spain became weaker and weaker, trampled under the feet of up-and-comers like France and Britain.

Extra update for the request building, please support! There is another big chapter update today, probably around two o'clock.

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(End of this chapter)