Holy Roman Empire

Of course, he can't join if he wants to. How much political voice does a 16-year-old brat have?

Even if Franz is the crown prince, it cannot change the flaws of age.

However, this does not prevent him from doing things. In many cases, it is far better to push behind the scenes than to charge directly in front.

For example, now Franz is going to visit a big man, the legend of Austria——Arch Duke Karl.

As the most legendary general of the Allied forces in the anti-French war, he defeated the French army many times, and was promoted to marshal due to his merits at the age of 25. He was also the only general in the Allied forces that Napoleon feared.

If it weren't for the incompetence of the Vienna government, which ruined a good hand, perhaps the anti-French war would have ended early without waiting for the Russians to save the field, and Austria would not have to lose the Netherlands.

Naturally, such a marshal who conceived of the emperor's incompetence would not have any good results, especially since Archduke Karl was still a member of the royal family.

Fortunately, this is the European continent. Emperor Franz I of Austria is also the grandfather of the protagonist, and he is not a ruthless master. This marshal with great achievements has been able to be active until now.

A military strongman is not equal to a political strongman. After using him to reform the Austrian army, his political opponents played a trick to make him resign and go home.

From then on, Archduke Karl went home and devoted himself to studying military theory, and wrote military books such as "On the Tactics of Generals", "On the Principles of Strategy from the German War Situation in 1796" and "The History of the War between Germany and Switzerland in 1799".

A generation of military strategists has been cultivated in this way. Grand Duke Karl believes that military science consists of two parts: strategy and tactics.

Strategy is the science of the supreme commander, whose task is to draw up war plans and determine military actions.Tactics is the art of commanders at all levels, subordinate to strategy.

Both strategy and tactics are composed of certain rules or principles. The important principle of military science is: to correctly calculate the force and weapons that can be used to achieve the intended purpose, and the force must be suitable for the purpose.

No matter how many troops there are, only when they are used in time at the decisive moment can they have the greatest effect.

Therefore, judging the timing correctly and concentrating troops at the moment when the most effective results can be achieved is the most effective way to win.

Another important point is to form an overwhelming advantage over the enemy at a decisive location.Troop strength not only refers to the number of troops, but also includes military morale, commanding ability and terrain conditions.

At the same time, the type of combat is also divided into offensive and defensive, and it is considered that offensive is more beneficial, pointing out that defensive operations are meaningful only when they are scheduled to be transferred to offensive.

He also clearly put forward the concept of the reserve team, and clearly pointed out that whether it is offense or defense, a reserve team must be kept in case of emergencies on the battlefield.

Grand Duke Karl believed that a commander is of great importance to the fate of a country and the lives of millions of people, but a commander is not born, but is made by knowledge and experience.

A true commander must have a deep understanding of the essence of war, earnestly study the laws of war, and learn and use his own and other people's experience in practice, so that he can use various military principles freely.

If such a talented military strategist is not used, it will be a shame for the reputation of the traversers.

For military reform, it is not only necessary to be correct. The conservative forces in the army are often stronger than ordinary people think. Franz has a deep understanding of this.

Any reform will offend interest groups, and a backlash is inevitable. Franz said that he still cannot handle such a pot.

For example, if Franz proposed the reform of the staff system, it is estimated that everyone would laugh it off, and some people would even point out that the brat was playing.

It would be different if the Grand Duke Karl was replaced. No matter whether everyone agrees or not, we must sit down and think about it.

"His Excellency, wait a moment, the master will come out in a while!"

The butler said politely, with a bit of uneasiness in his tone, Franz is not an ordinary grand duke, is it really good to cool him down like this?

But for Grand Duke Karl, these are just floating clouds. When it comes to seniority in the royal family, he is Franz's grandpa.

Putting these aside, with his influence in the imperial army, Franz had to give him a face, because Franz came to visit today under the pretext of studying military affairs.

"It's okay, I'll just wait here, by the way, make me a pot of tea, I don't want to drink coffee recently!" Franz said with a slight smile

He wasn't angry at all, anyway, the old man was going to receive a lunch box next year, so there was no need to argue with a dead man.

Time flew by, and more than an hour passed in a blink of an eye. Franz was still drinking tea and reading the newspaper, showing no sign of impatience.

"Little Franz, long time no see, you've grown so tall!"

A hearty voice sounded, and Franz knew that the person who came was Archduke Karl, and no one except him dared to talk to him like that.

"Dear Marshal, can you remove the small print when you address me, I am already 16 years old!" Franz said helplessly

"Really? My little Franz has grown up, what can I do for you today?" Grand Duke Karl asked with concern

Franz didn't care about the details of what Archduke Karl said, so the younger Franz should be the younger Franz. Who said that Archduke Karl is Grandpa Franz's brother?

"Your Excellency, Marshal, I have read your military works, and I have a deep understanding, and I came here to ask for advice!"

"Tell me, what do you not understand, do you need me to explain to you?" Archduke Karl said with a big laugh

"It's your concept of commander-in-chief. I found that the imperial army did not do enough in this regard, and did not solve this problem in essence!" Franz said

……

Chapter 4 The famous generals of Austria

Leaving from the residence of Grand Duke Karl, Franz showed a satisfied smile on his face. It was obvious that the two of them had a good conversation just now, and he also became a new student of Grand Duke Karl.

Archduke Karl originally intended to continue to deepen the reform of the Austrian army, but unfortunately he lacked a strong supporter in the central government, and the appearance of Franz just solved this problem.

As the future successor of the empire, Franz recognized his military philosophy, and it was logical to support his reforms.

The current Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I has a mental illness and is unable to handle government affairs at all. As Crown Prince Franz, once he becomes an adult, he can be regent.

This time will not be too long. There are already too many people who are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Meunier, including Grand Duke Karl, who want him to leave.

Franz appeared just right at this time, and there was no better choice than supporting the crown prince's regent. Franz, who had the support of the military, could take power in advance as long as he was not too stupid.

In his conversation, Franz also mixed in some private goods, such as the Prussian staff system, army training in the new era, tactical command, and so on.

Archduke Karl was very interested in many refreshing proposals, and it is still unknown how many of them will be added to his new military philosophy.

In the end Franz still proposed, asking Archduke Karl to formulate a military reform plan for the Austrian army.

Franz would not admit that the military uniform he was wearing gave him points, otherwise this conversation would not have gone so smoothly.

Could it be that Grand Duke Karl was really shocked by his proposal, and then bowed down to his domineering aura, and did his best to support him?

Stop dreaming, it's impossible!

The reason why the two sides have a good talk is mainly because everyone has similar ideas. Franz is still the heir to the empire, and he has always regarded himself as a soldier since he was a child.

Grand Duke Karl deliberately guided his military knowledge, and Franz was also very cooperative, creating an illusion for him that Franz in front of him was one of his admirers.

In order to better implement his ideas, Grand Duke Karl would not mind accepting another future emperor as a student. The two parties are completely aligned in terms of political interests.

Maybe the young Archduke Karl didn't pass the political test, but he is already an old fox at this time, and he has already guessed most of Franz's intentions.

In the view of Grand Duke Karl, Franz is nothing more than for his influence in the army. As a price, Franz must support his military reforms in the future.

Franz's method of bringing private goods inside, in his opinion, is a child trying to attract his attention for the sake of face. It is not known which gunman came up with these military concepts.

Use it if you can, and forget it if you can’t. Anyway, this is a side issue and will not affect the political cooperation between the two.

The European succession law is very complete. It is not a big deal for an heir like Franz to join forces politically with a military strongman like him.

Even the relationship between Franz and the current Prime Minister Metternich is very good, and the two sides are still good teachers and friends in history. Isn't it the same and no one thinks there is a problem?

Franz was originally the second in line heir, but still became the crown prince.That's because the one in front of him was his father, Franz Karl, who also had mental problems. After experiencing the lessons of his uncle Ferdinand I, no one dared to make another mentally retarded emperor come out.

The Austrian Empire also wanted face. His father had stated in public many times that he would renounce the right to inherit the throne. I don't know if it was his original intention, but the words had already been spoken.

Now Franz is forming a faction openly and aboveboard. No, this is just a need for learning. How can he not learn military affairs as the heir of Austria?

In the following days, Franz went to Grand Duke Karl to hang out every now and then, calling it a military study.

Austria in the 19th century was still a world of aristocrats. Here Franz came into contact with many important members of the army, such as Josip Jerachic, Wendisch Gretz, and Radeski.

(Remarks: The three heroes who saved the Austrian Empire, Radeski suppressed the Italian Revolution; Wendisch Gretz suppressed the Prague Uprising; Josip Jelacic suppressed the Hungarian Revolution)

If Franz wants to recruit these people, he still can't do it. At least everyone is familiar with each other, and it may be useful at some point in the future.

All of this is what everyone loves to see, and no one can refuse to become friends with the future emperor.

This is also Franz's established strategy, actively moving closer to the army. Only with the support of the army can he put down the rebellion in the shortest time in future turmoil.

"Frantz, there is a military meeting tomorrow, are you interested in participating?" Albrecht Friedrich Rudolph asked

(Remarks: The eldest son of Grand Duke Karl, the last famous general of the Austrian Empire, once won the title of Field Marshal of Austria, Germany, and Russia)

"Albrecht, forget it, your meeting is too boring, I don't want to hear a bunch of old men gossiping!" Franz said indifferently

At the beginning, he was very interested in participating in such a military meeting, but after going there a few times, he was disappointed.

There are a large group of nobles in the Austrian army. Some of these people are talented, but most of them are just making up for it.

If he dawdles in the army, he can become a general in less than ten years, and he doesn't even need to go to the army to report.

In addition to the gold content of the marshal, the Austrian Empire is already full of generals. There are so many dawdling existences, and the so-called military conference is not so formal.

The real issues would never be brought up for discussion at this kind of meeting. If it weren't for the existence of conventions, such a meeting would never have been held.

"Okay, since you're not interested, I'll go first!" Albrecht said indifferently

Franz smiled slightly. He didn't dare to underestimate Albrecht. Historically, he was the protagonist in the March Revolution and directly abdicated Ferdinand I.

How could there be no insider trading?You must know that as the person directly responsible for the March Revolution, he was exiled from Vienna and returned to the center of power not long after.

Franz doesn't mind continuing this kind of deal, after all, he is the ultimate beneficiary. If his uncle doesn't abdicate early, he doesn't know when he will be able to succeed?

The family background of the Austrian Empire is still very solid, and if there were no problems with the Vienna government, it would not have declined quickly.

At this time, the Austrian Empire was still known as the five major powers in Europe together with Britain, France, Russia, and Spain. The Prussians had not yet exploded and were only quasi-powers.

Chapter 5 Property Autonomy

Going out to socialize is also very expensive. The life of the nobles in Austria is very corrupt, and Franz has not yet achieved freedom of property.

Now, Franz's income is very limited, mainly from the money given by his parents, to be precise, from the pocket money given by his mother.

Because of his father's ignorance, the family's financial power fell into the hands of Mrs. Sophie, and Franz has not yet obtained the property under his name.

Of course, it is easy to get money in his capacity, but Franz cherishes his feathers, and he must not do it by stealing.

The current European environment is not suitable for investment in industry. The February Revolution in France is about to break out in more than a year, and it will quickly spread to the entire European continent. All countries except Russia will be troubled by the revolution.

Historically, Vienna fell into the hands of the rebels. If he was unlucky and the factory was set on fire by the rebels, where would he cry?

There are many profitable businesses, such as arms, drugs, counterfeit banknotes, and lottery tickets. Franz thinks that mining and salvaging treasures from sunken ships are more suitable for him.

After figuring it out, Franz had to give up these tempting money-making schemes. The reason was very simple. He was the heir to the Austrian Empire, not an ordinary capitalist.

Conservatives do not want to see a capitalist emperor, and the Vienna Revolution is about to break out, and Franz cannot do without the support of conservatives.

"Frantz, are you studying again? Young people should be more active, you are too dull, why don't you go hunting with me?"

It was his current father who was speaking—the Archduke Franz Karl, a man with an extremely unstable mental state. His greatest hobby seemed to be hunting, and his second favorite was taking his sons to hunt.

As a member of the Regency Council, Archduke Franz Karl is the least visible member. Because of his birth defect, his intelligence is very low, and it is too embarrassing for him to participate in politics.

If it weren't for his high status, the Austrian Regency Council would not have let him in at all.

"Father, you'd better go by yourself, I have to visit Grand Duke Louis today, I don't have time to go hunting!" Franz quickly refused

This is the sequelae of being too young. Although Franz is very mature, in the eyes of many people, he is still just a child.

When Franz Karl was normal, he was still a good father and cared about him very much, but Franz couldn't stand this kind of concern.

……

"Mother, you know, my expenses are a bit high recently..."

Before Franz finished speaking, Mrs. Sophie said, "So you want to get back the property under your own name, right?"

As a grand duke of Austria, how could he have no property?

Since both his father and uncle were in arrears, as the eldest son of the third generation of the royal family, after confirming that his brain was normal, his grandfather was very happy to canonize him as Grand Duke.

However, the Grand Duke Franz's title is still a bit vain, and the fief seems to be outside the control of Austria, so the income from the fief is not expected.

There are still many such empty titles of the Habsburg family, such as the king of Jerusalem. If Austria can regain Jerusalem one day, then it will be worthy of the name.

Having a good grandfather is different. Although the title is only honorary, as the most beloved grandson, he still inherited a considerable amount of inheritance.

As far as Franz knew, it included five manors, two mines, several small workshops, and tens of thousands of Rhein guilders in cash.

(A rhine shield gold coin weighs 8 grams, and the gold content depends on the integrity of the minter, and there is no uniform standard)

In this era, it is also a huge sum of money, and there is no problem at all to support Franz's personal expenses.

"Yes, mother! You know that I have grown up and can freely dispose of property!" Franz replied bluntly

The cultural traditions in Europe are different from those in the East. Parents' property and children's property are very clearly divided.

In Eastern society, if anyone dares to mention this, he will keep a meal of fried pork with bamboo shoots, but in the West, Franz's request is completely normal.

Parents, as guardians, cannot continue to control their property after their children have reached adulthood, including the benefits and expenses of these manors, and Franz can check the accounts.