Chapter 720 - 33: The German Emperor Dies Again, Canal Struggle_2

It is worth noting that Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary and King Umberto I of Italy did not choose to attend the funeral, but instead sent their heirs Crown Prince Rudolf and Prince Vittorio Emanuele respectively.

Franz Joseph I’s only son, Rudolf, has not yet faced any misfortune. According to historical records, Crown Prince Rudolf will commit a lovers’ suicide with his mistress next year.

Currently, in the middle of 1888, this crown prince has not yet reached such an extreme point.

As for the Crown Prince Vittorio Emanuele sent by King Umberto I, he is also well-known in history.

The reason Italy switched sides multiple times during World War I and eventually betrayed the Triple Alliance to join the Allies is largely due to the decision of the then King Vittorio Emanuele III, who is now Prince Vittorio Emanuele.

The Italian Royal Family still held certain powers before Mussolini seized power, and the King of Italy had a certain degree of regency power.

After Vittorio Emanuele II unified Italy, the Italian public was very welcoming towards the Savoy Royal Family.

This also granted his successor, Umberto I, considerable power and even propelled the expansion of Italy’s land and naval forces.

Naturally, the next successor, Vittorio Emanuele III, also gained some power.

However, unlike the steadfast Umberto I who stood with Germany and Austria, Vittorio Emanuele III was rather indecisive.

On one hand, he maintained a Triple Alliance relationship with Germany and Austria-Hungary and frequently communicated with them, establishing one of the major military blocs in Europe, the Allies.

On the other hand, for the sake of his colonies, Vittorio Emanuele III strengthened ties with England, France, and Russia.

Even after the outbreak of World War I, owing to the enticement from Britain and France, he eventually decided to let Italy join the side of England, France, and Russia, resolutely abandoning the alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary.

From the outcome, Vittorio Emanuele III’s choice was correct. He successfully positioned Italy on the winning side, avoiding a tragic fate for the Italian Royal Family similar to that of Germany and Austria-Hungary’s royal families.

On the other hand, it was Italy’s swift betrayal that intensified the war pressure faced by Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Originally, Russia, a strong nation, withdrew from the war shortly after it started. If Italy had continued to side with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the outcome of World War I might not have been so certain.

If choosing the right side during World War I was considered reasonable, then Vittorio Emanuele III’s decisions during World War II were somewhat baffling.

After Mussolini’s fascist forces launched an advance on Rome, Vittorio Emanuele III first supported military action and a state of emergency proposed by the then Italian government against the fascist movement, then refused to sign the martial law order and accepted the proposal from leaders of the Nationalist Party and the right-wing of the Liberal Party to let Mussolini form a cabinet.

The ultimate result of this was Mussolini’s successful military dictatorship, and the Italian Royal Family was completely sidelined, eventually being abolished due to the defeat in World War II.

Although the Italian monarchy perished during his son Umberto II’s time, in fact, the monarchy was already precarious during Vittorio Emanuele III’s reign.

Carlo didn’t have much impression of his nephew.

Before Vittorio Emanuele III was born, Carlo had already arrived in Spain and become the King of Spain.

This led to Carlo and his nephew having only met a few times despite their close kinship, and their actual relationship was quite distant.

As European countries once again sent representatives to attend the funeral of German Emperor Frederick III, the French Government had already begun altering its diplomatic situation.

Currently, France’s diplomatic situation was rather challenging, with no real allies.

Although the domestic situation in Germany was chaotic, Germany still maintained the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Russia in name.

During such major changes in Germany, France was determined to do something to alter its diplomatic plight.

What to do? The French surveyed around and eventually set their sights on the Suez Canal.

The importance of the Suez Canal needs no elaboration; it is a crucial link between Europe and the Indian Ocean, surpassing the significance of the Malacca Strait.

The connection between the United Kingdom and its Indian colony, France and Spain with their Asian colonies, and European countries with the East Coast of Africa all rely on this critical maritime route.

This has made the Suez Canal a constant focus of attention, and Egypt, where the canal is located, has become the focal point of colonial competition among various countries.

The Suez Canal officially opened in 1869, and since then, it had been controlled by Britain and France. At that time, Britain and France were the two most powerful countries in the world, and with their joint control of the Suez Canal, other countries had nothing to say.

But soon, the situation changed.

With France’s failure in the competition over Egypt, Britain succeeded in gaining a say in Egypt. The ultimate result was Britain purchasing a large number of canal shares from Egypt, achieving control over the Suez Canal.

This immediately shifted the canal’s situation from joint British-French control to British dominance, holding most of the say in the canal’s operations and management.

For France and most European countries, this was unacceptable.

With one country dominating the canal, Britain could arbitrarily close or open the canal. If Britain blocked the canal, preventing other countries from navigating, wouldn’t it mean cutting off other countries’ crucial maritime routes?

Since Britain took control of the Suez Canal, ensuring fair navigation rights for all countries became a hot topic in Europe.

To change its diplomatic situation, France was also determined to take a bold step. They planned to unite multiple European countries to jointly discuss canal management rights and negotiate a fair solution acceptable to all countries.

If France could indeed allow all countries to enjoy fair navigation rights through the canal, it would have an extremely favorable impact on France’s diplomatic situation.

By then, Germany’s attempts to isolate France through diplomatic blockades would be practically impossible, as every country would want to maintain a good relationship with France for the sake of navigation rights through the Suez Canal.

However, to ensure navigation rights, France would need to confront the British directly.

To avoid being outdone by the British in the competition, France quickly engaged with several countries, including their old rival Germany.

Why was France willing to engage with Germany?

The reason was simple. Firstly, Germany also had colonies on the East Coast of Africa and required passage through the Suez Canal.

Secondly, Germany’s navy was not strong, so even if they had passage rights, it wouldn’t pose a threat to the French Navy.

Moreover, involving Germany could boost France’s influence, forcing Britain to relinquish or transfer most of the canal’s control, which is why the French ultimately involved Germany.

Besides France and Germany, the French Government also reached out to Austria-Hungary, Russia, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the Ottoman Empire. If these countries could unite, even Britain would have no choice but to concede under their collective pressure.