Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 582

Chapter 582: Chapter 155, Near East Treaty
 

The British were not surprised by the turn of events. By the end of 1874, seeing that Austria had no intention of continuing the war, perhaps worried about being left without support, or maybe eager to return home for Christmas, the Tsarist Government decidedly chose to compromise.

On December 18, 1874, Austria, Russia, and the Three Ottoman countries signed the “Near East Treaty” in London.

The contents of the treaty:

1. The Ottoman Empire acknowledged its defeat in the war and took responsibility for it;

2. The return of the Jerusalem Kingdom, transfer of sovereignty over the Arabian Peninsula to Austria as compensation; (Note: excluding the Mesopotamia region, but including the Kuwait Region)

3. Cede the Caucasus region to the Russian Empire, and compensate the Russians with 2 million Rubles for war expenses;

4. Opening the Black Sea Strait as a free strait, at any time, under any circumstances, the three countries shall not blockade the strait;

5. The Austrian Navy shall lift the blockade on the Ottoman Empire’s coast effective immediately;

6. From the date of signing the treaty, both sides shall exchange prisoners within one month and withdraw from each other’s territories within three months;

…

Upon receiving the treaty at Vienna Palace, Franz decisively approved it. The Ottoman Empire was already poor; demanding land was feasible, but seeking war compensations was a waste of time.

The Russians had fought hard for so long and ended up with only 2 million Rubles in compensation. It was a huge sum for an individual, but trivial for a nation.

The most talked-about aspect of this war wasn’t the dazzling debut of the airship troops or the overwhelming might of the Allied Forces, but the astronomical transfer fee for the Arabian Peninsula.

Although the treaty did not stipulate the exact monetary value, Austrian newspapers still reported the proposed 3 billion divine shield compensation.

This headline news was particularly favored by the onlooking masses. From the 3 billion in exorbitant compensation to the sovereignty of the Arabian Peninsula, the gap in value was more than tenfold.

Gossiping about it over tea was one thing, but no sane person would think that the Arabian Peninsula was worth that much, nor did anyone believe that Austria could actually demand such a sum.

A sky-high asking price is a normal tactic in negotiations, and it’s common for the final result to greatly differ from the initial demand.

Franz was relieved that he hadn’t insisted on including the compensation amount in the treaty, or else this topic could have sparked arguments for the next century.

As the victor of the Near East War, Austria’s greatest gain was not territorial expansion or economic benefits, but an enhanced religious influence.

The achievement of recapturing Jerusalem was enough to make Franz’s name known in religious history, and his titles grew longer, such as “Recoverer of the Holy Land,” “Saint,” “Defender of the Christian world,”…

The Vatican was extremely generous this time, doling out honorary titles for free, and not just to the Emperor. The soldiers who participated in the recapture of Jerusalem were not forgotten, and all were collectively awarded the honorary title of “Recoverer of the Holy Land.”

If it were not for considering the reaction of the Vienna Government, The Vatican might have even handed out the title of Holy knight. Pius IX, along with a group of Archbishops, had already personally visited Jerusalem, waiting for Franz to arrive for his coronation, eager for the revival of The Vatican.

These measures were forced upon them, as in recent years, The Vatican had faced severe oppression by the French, with even The Vatican headquarters subject to foreign control.

Forget about special privileges; even the Pope had to comply with French religious management laws. When Napoleon III made an example by imprisoning Cardinals who broke the law, he showed no regard for The Vatican’s dignity.

Now, by establishing dioceses in Jerusalem, they had no other choice. At least Franz offered them more favorable conditions, where they could rule within their own domain.

The Middle East Region is complex, and without someone to take the brunt, it wouldn’t work. With the reopening of the Jerusalem diocese, there would be someone to take the blame in the future.

At Vienna Palace, Prime Minister Felix reported, “In the recent battle for Jerusalem, the main strategy was a siege. There was no major battle within the city, so destruction to buildings was minimal.

The Palace has already started repairs and should be completed within two months at most, not affecting the coronation next April.

However, there has been a rise in religious conflicts lately. Despite having repatriated the Ottomans, some troublemakers remain at large.

The government is planning to implement stringent security measures, enforce identity registration in the area, and strictly investigate those illegally staying and causing destruction.”

“`

…”

Recapturing Jerusalem didn’t mark the end of the matter, for Franz, the King, still had the final step to take. Legally, he wouldn’t be the true and legitimate sovereign of the Jerusalem Kingdom until he was crowned in Jerusalem itself.

Franz asked, “How is the Vatican behaving? Do they have a candidate they’re supporting?”

After thinking for a moment, Prime Minister Felix replied, “They’re acting appropriately, it seems they’ve been scared off by Napoleon III, and are mostly sticking to the parameters we set in advance.

“From the current situation, the performances of the several cardinals are all about the same, it doesn’t matter which one of them gets promoted. What will truly test their capabilities is the restoration work in Jerusalem.”

The restoration work in Jerusalem wasn’t simply about repairing damaged buildings, but also about reconstructing the ancient structures destroyed by the Ottoman Empire.

The Vatican held the greatest authority in this area as they had comprehensive records. Restoring the Holy Land wasn’t the concern of just one nation; Franz wasn’t prepared to take the full brunt of the cost.

The most suitable entity in Europe for this task was the Roman Curia, and thus, the responsibilities for fundraising and urban reconstruction fell upon the Vatican.

After the Holy Land was rebuilt, Jerusalem would also need a significant religious leader to be in charge of the local faith and enlightenment, and incapable hands would not suffice.

Franz nodded, “The reconstruction of Jerusalem will be entirely entrusted to the Vatican. If they do a good job, they can even take over the management work as well.

“We’ll just handle tax collection and public order, Austria doesn’t lack a small city. The government should focus mainly on land fallowing in the Middle East Region; the land is suffering from severe desertification. If we don’t manage it soon, it won’t be long before it completely becomes a desert.

“If the Holy Land turns into a desert in Ottoman hands, it’s one thing, but if it turns into a desert in our hands, then we would be the sinners.

“The government must quickly organize personnel to transform the local farmland into forests and grasslands, and plant wind-breaking and sand-fixing plants on the already desertified land. Funding should primarily come from donations by the faithful or by directly encouraging pilgrims to take part in the work themselves.”

Franz wasn’t particularly interested in Jerusalem. Even if the ancient city was developed, it would be nothing more than a tourist city, but he couldn’t ignore the oil resources of the Middle East Region.

Protecting the Holy Land was just a nominal concern; the real goal was to lay the groundwork for future oil extraction. The natural environment in the Middle East wasn’t as bad as in later times, and a little protection would prevent the peculiar situation where water becomes more expensive than oil.

After all, it wouldn’t cost much. Once the local population was relocated, the land would undergo comprehensive fallowing, mostly solving the desertification problem.

Coupled with calling on pilgrims to take part in planting trees and creating forests, a meaningful activity, it was achievable to expand the oasis by a hundred or so square kilometers every year.

Of course, none of the others knew what Franz was actually contemplating, but that didn’t affect their implementation. With Jerusalem now in Austria’s hands, the Vienna Government couldn’t allow it to turn into a desert just to save face.

Colonial Minister Stephen suggested, “Your Majesty, the Arabian Peninsula also faces severe land desertification, and the Colonial Department recommends relocating the local people and also proceeding with land fallowing there.”

Franz nodded in satisfaction, pleased with the quick learning. Desertification was even more severe on the Arabian Peninsula, and the challenge of managing it was greater. However, that wasn’t the main concern. The real issue was the nomadic tribes on the peninsula, which were difficult to govern.

“Now, Austria’s intention to control the Arabian Peninsula is primarily targeted at its strategic location, rather than plundering wealth from it.”

“The nomadic tribes on the peninsula are so poor that their main economic support is camel breeding. Even if we sent tax officers there, they might not be able to sustain themselves.

“If left unattended, just a little covert support would enable these tribes to threaten Austria’s rule over the area. In this context, relocating the local tribes is undoubtedly the best way to reduce governance costs.”

Franz replied, “The Arabian Peninsula is already overexploited; to protect the natural environment, it indeed requires fallowing for several decades.

“However, the Arabian Peninsula is not small, with several small countries on it, and it’s not easy to achieve this goal. Is the Colonial Department prepared with a plan?”

The Arabian Peninsula was not small, with at least a population of two or three million people. It wasn’t comparable to the Jerusalem area, and relocating the local population was not so simple.

(Note: Excluding the densely populated areas of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; these parts are not included in the treaty.)

Colonial Minister Stephen explained, “Your Majesty, the Arabian Peninsula suffers from drought and lack of water, with the population mostly settled around water sources. All we need to do is control these water sources.

“The Colonial Department plans to send a portion of the young, working-age population to the African Continent for mining and railway construction, and the rest will be sent back to the Ottoman Empire.”

Lack of water was the Arabian Peninsula’s greatest weakness, once water sources were gone, nomadic tribes also wouldn’t be able to roam.

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