Ottoman Invasion of Montenegro (3)

Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austrian Empire

“Your Imperial Majesty, the Ottomans have invaded the Principality!”

The sun has just risen from the east when Minister-President Friedrich von Berthold rushed to the Hofburg Palace and inform Emperor Franz Joseph of the urgent news happening between the Ottomans and the Montenegrins. The servants and maids in the palace are shocked when they witness the Minister-President running on the hall of the Palace towards the Emperor’s quarter, that is just how urgent this news is. The Minister-President is sweating bullets from how fast he pushed himself to reach the Palace from his own home.

He is now waiting outside the Emperor’s quarter and had told the soldiers guarding the room outside, to tell the Emperor that he has some urgent news to report. One of the soldiers then tells the personal maid and guard who is the one allowed to enter the room if there is a need to tell the Emperor, that the Minister-President is here. The maid then knocks and speaks if the Emperor would allow them to enter, then they hear the Emperor’s voice inside that allows them to enter.

The two then silently enter the room and after a while, the maid returns outside and tells the Minister-President that he can enter the room. Minister-President then immediately went inside the room where the Emperor is now waiting in his personal parlor in his room. Emperor Franz Joseph is sipping his morning tea imported from the east, served by his personal maid while the guard is standing behind him silently observing the Minister-President.

“Good day to the sun of the Austrian Empire, Your Imperial Majesty!”

“To what purpose do I owe Minister-President Friedrich a visit in my room.”

“About that Your Imperial Majesty, the Ottomans invaded the Principality yesterday.”

Emperor Franz Joseph’s hand tremble slightly when he heard that the Ottomans had started to invade the Principality. The Principality would be inevitably invaded by the Ottomans if they want a secure flank in their future conflict with Austria.

“Is the information real and reliable?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. The Ottomans invaded the Principality with about 150,000 troops from the north and east direction Your Imperial Majesty. It is estimated that the total size of the invading force would be 400,000 to 420,000 sir.”

The Ottomans have really launched an invasion of the Principality on a larger scale than the previous wars it waged. The Emperor and Austria had already expected it to happen but it is still worryingly alarming that the Ottomans can still wage a full-scale war against another nation even if it suppresses rebellions and prepares for a war against another power.

It seems that the depth and strength of the Ottoman Empire are so strong that it can withstand all the pressure and events happening around it. As an empire built on conquest and might, wars and conquest are the lifelines of the Ottoman Empire. Every Ottoman Sultan and his Grand Vizier always yearn for victory and conquest as a symbol of its greatness and might. The measurement of the greatness and legacy of an Ottoman ruler is through their conquest and victories gained on the battlefield under his rule.

The current Ottoman sultan – Sultan Abdul Mehmed V, is an ambitious and cunning person but he is yet to prove that he is a mighty and great sultan. For years under his rule, the Ottoman Empire was not been able to expand outward as it is plagued by internal rebellions and dissent. And now, the Ottoman Sultan seems to have had enough of it and started its expansion and starting on the Principality.

“How about the Principality? Did they send messengers and requests of assistance to us?”

“There are no requests from the Montenegrins even until now Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Hmmm… it is interesting. Also to the Russian?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness. The Russians also didn’t receive any requests from the Montenegrins. It seems they want to fight this war alone.”

Emperor Franz Joseph taps his finger on the armchair, thinking about what is running inside the minds of the Montenegrins on why they didn’t ask for help from both Austria and Russia who can possibly help them in the region.

“Nevermind… Friedrich, what do you think is happening inside the offices of Willy and Freddy.”

Emperor Franz Joseph is smirking thinking how chaotic and troubling the situation in the German Empire is. As the main ally of the Ottomans, he is sure that the Germans are reeling in anger at what their ally had just done. The invasion would surely cause riots and protests across Europe and Germany would not be excluded from that, and it would be worse as it is a German ally.

“I’m sure it would be chaotic Your Imperial Highness. It might be possible that the relationship between the two would deteriorate rapidly.” Minister-President Friedrich said while smiling. As both of them are head advisors and officials of their monarchs, he sees Chancellor Hart as a rival in the sense that both empires are Germanic ones.

Austrian Empire has also vied for the sole ruler and uniting Germany under its banner but due to the defeat at the Russo-Prussian war of 1832 and the weakening of its influence and power in Central Europe, the empire has prioritized internal affairs rather than pursuing unification and supremacy. But it doesn’t mean that the Austrians have stopped pursuing it, they had just put it on hold until a proper opportunity comes and continues to block its Northern Neighbor from achieving its aim of unifying Germany excluding Austria.

“But it would not to the point that the two would end their alliance.” Emperor Franz Joseph replies. He still sees that the German Empire still needs the alliance with the Ottoman Empire as it is currently lacking powerful allies, especially in the European continent.

The Nordic Union and the Kingdom of Sardinia are only secondary power and can’t really compete with major European powers. Even the Kingdom of Spain is facing a problem in its colony in Cuba, and it is encircled by the rivals of Germany. The Ottoman Empire is a good ally as even if it is plagued with internal strife, its military and regional power in the Balkans is the strongest. It can withstand and wage a fight against the Austrians or the Russians in a war that is both rivals and a threat to the German Empire.

To survive as a world power, it would need powerful and useful allies to help it on the international stage. The German Empire would collapse and fall if it would be isolated and encircled by rivals and nations that are a threat in any way to the empire.

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.” Minister-President Friedrich agrees with the Emperor. He can also see that the Ottoman Empire is a valuable ally to the German Empire even if would cause trouble for them. The value of the Ottoman Empire is more important than the troubles and problems it would bring. The German Empire is willing to take the load as long as it can keep the Ottomans on its side, but it is sure that the relationship between the two would deteriorate. “By the way, Your Imperial Highness, the Spanish and German forces have suffered a lot during a new year’s offensive of the Cuban rebels. There is even one German general caught and some Spanish and Mexican ones.”

“Germany is really screwed this year! Do you agree Friedrich?” Emperor Franz Joseph is enjoying and smiling at what is happening right now to the German Empire and its allies. It seems that this year would be a misfortune and woe to the German Empire.

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”

“Hahaha… I’m sure that the British and French would not keep silent about this. Both nations had interests in the Balkan and the Mediterranean and surely they would prevent the rise of a German Empire’s ally in the Eastern Mediterranean.” Emperor Franz Joseph can still not stop smiling and smirking at what is happening right now. But he suddenly thinks of his grandson who is returning to Berlin for his studies.

“In this sense, it is really amazing how my grandson Justinian has been able to deduce that these events would happen. In the far east, Cuba, and the Ottomans, he was able to predict it with little to no evidence to back him up. It is like he was given a prophecy from God.”

“Thanks to His Imperial Highness, we are not caught unprepared for these events. We are able to remilitarize here while in the east, adding more soldiers stationed in Japanese territory to be sent to Qing Empire. With the His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince at the helm of our future Austria, the empire will be secure and great.”

Minister-President Friedrich added in his mind. “If only the Crown Prince didn’t fall in love with an Easterner he would be the perfect ruler.”

The regret and disappointment towards the Crown Prince are still present in the Minister-President’s mind, who finds the decision of the Crown Prince to choose a foreigner as a spouse a bad choice. There are still a lot of options and time to decide but instead, he declared and decided already.

The Minister-President thinks that a monarch should choose and decide based on the necessity and betterment of the empire and not on personal and emotional ones, and marriage is part of it. A spouse for the future Emperor, should be decided rationally and not emotionally, it just shows that the Crown Prince is still young and immature even if he is a genius and cunning.

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