The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 292

Chapter 292: Spain's Bright Future

Carlos IV stared intently at Joseph, his voice trembling with excitement: "Are you saying this casually, or...?"

Joseph replied with a serious expression, "Her Majesty the Queen sent me to Madrid."

Carlos immediately became even more animated, his chest heaving as he vigorously patted Joseph on both shoulders. "France will always be Spain's closest brother!"

Joseph proceeded to outline the bright future of France and Spain joining forces to control the entire Iberian Peninsula. Carlos IV listened intently, his blood boiling, itching to personally lead an army to drive the British out of Gibraltar and then march triumphantly into Lisbon.

Joseph glanced at his expression and said offhandedly, "Once Gibraltar is reclaimed, Ceuta will no longer be of much use to you. Perhaps France could use it as a supply port."

Ceuta, located on the opposite shore of Gibraltar, served as the southern gateway to the Strait. Situated in Morocco, the port had been occupied by Portugal in the fifteenth century. Over a century ago, Spain had seized it from Portugal.

Carlos IV agreed without hesitation: "Of course, that's no problem! Allow me to gift Ceuta to my French brothers on the day I reclaim Gibraltar."

Though Ceuta's position was significant, its location outside mainland Europe made resupplying difficult, limiting its utility for the Spanish navy. However, this posed no issue for France, as North Africa was central to its developmental ambitions, with Morocco destined to fall within its sphere of influence. Essentially, France could resupply Ceuta directly from its homeland.

Helping Spain expel the British and reclaim the northern gateway of the Strait of Gibraltar, while simultaneously acquiring the southern gateway, was an exceptionally advantageous deal for France.

Seeing Carlos IV's eager demeanor, Joseph quickly tempered his enthusiasm with a dose of reality: "Of course, the British currently hold an unshakable dominance at sea, which makes Portugal difficult to conquer.

"We must first concentrate on strengthening our national power, building up financial reserves, and constructing a substantial navy. Only when our combined navies surpass the British can we seize the opportunity to reclaim Gibraltar.
"As for the army, we need not worry. Without interference from the British fleet, the Franco-Spanish coalition could capture Portugal in less than two months."

When Napoleon’s forces merely loomed near Portugal’s borders years ago, the country surrendered almost immediately. However, at that time, the British navy maintained a strong presence, making it difficult to ensure stable rule over Portugal. Napoleon opted to take Portugal's overseas colonies before withdrawing.

Carlos IV nodded silently, his excitement subsiding as he reflected on the reality of Spain's current national strength. Provoking Britain was out of the question for now, and France, only recently emerging from a devastating financial crisis, could spare little to assist Spain.

Thus, focusing on internal development and accumulating a powerful fleet became the undeniable course of action.

Joseph went on to share suggestions for reforms and development. In truth, Carlos III had left Spain with a strong administrative foundation. Competent ministers like Gombos and Count Aranda remained in office, and though Count Florida Blanca was wary of France, he was nonetheless a capable statesman. Even Bernardo Tanucci, Carlos III's former chief minister during his tenure as King of Naples, could be summoned to Spain to assist with governance.

If Spain could align itself closely with France, maintain stability in its colonies, and avoid major upheavals, it could at least retain its position among Europe's great powers. Furthermore, Spain's naval tradition remained respectable—after all, it had once produced the Invincible Armada, and its legacy endured.

In the following days, Joseph and Carlos IV discussed colonial management, control over the nobility, and Franco-Spanish trade cooperation. While it was unclear how much the latter truly absorbed, Joseph spared no effort. The rest would depend on Spain's fortune.

Naturally, this period also included sumptuous Spanish banquets and grand balls each evening.

Three days later, Joseph departed Madrid amidst Carlos IV's reluctant farewells. Heading eastward, he boarded a Spanish navy vessel at Valencia Port. Sailing northward, he disembarked at Toulon and switched to a carriage bound for Austria.

...

Strasbourg

Joseph observed the several carriages of gifts brought by Talleyrand, shaking his head with a wry smile. His mother was indeed a generous soul—she spared no expense in sending lavish gifts to his brother.

"Well, it's her personal funds. Let her spend as she pleases..." he muttered.

Signaling for the foreign minister to board the carriage, Joseph first commended Talleyrand on his successful negotiation with Britain to secure Jeanne's release. He then carefully outlined the diplomatic objectives for their upcoming mission to Vienna.

This would shape France’s policy trajectory for a significant period.

...

Poland

Warsaw

Colonel Paul Jones, the American ambassador to Poland, scrutinized the two individuals before him. Were it not for repeated assurances from French intelligence that these were the people "capable of changing Poland’s fate," he would have found it hard to believe.

The taller man wore a coarse jacket and gray-black trousers, with rough, weathered hands and face resembling a fisherman. The other, a stout man with a bald clerical tonsure, was clad in a shabby gray priest’s robe that suggested he hailed from a remote village church.

Despite their appearances, the two men bowed courteously and greeted Jones in French. Their etiquette and eloquence revealed surprising refinement.

Jones reciprocated their courtesy and, after ensuring no one was watching from the window, retrieved two booklets from his pocket. Handing them over, he urged, "Keep these safe. For confidentiality reasons, no copies were made."

The "fisherman" accepted the booklets with great care. The title of the topmost read, The Glorious Polish Nation. His heart stirred as he glanced at the second: I Speak Russian, But I Am Forever Polish.

Flipping through the pages quickly, his expression grew animated. Looking to Jones, he exclaimed, "Wonderful! This is precisely what we need! Which great thinker authored this?"

Jones shrugged ambiguously. "They say it's a German."

In truth, Joseph had commissioned German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte to write these works three months prior. Though Fichte had limited expertise on Poland, forging a unified national consciousness was primarily a matter of persuasive rhetoric—an area in which he excelled. Generously compensated, Fichte had completed the task with remarkable zeal and efficiency.

"Print these as quickly as possible and distribute them throughout Poland," Jones instructed. "Funding will not be an issue; a sponsor will contact you soon."

Frustrated by the Polish parliament's inefficiency, Joseph had no choice but to deploy the potent tool of national identity.

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