Chapter 856: Iberian-Apennine Summit IV
The Spanish Chief Minister signaled frantically to his Crown Prince. The latter, having done extensive preparation before arriving, caught the message immediately. He stood and declared in a clear voice:
"Under the authority granted to me by His Majesty the King of Spain, I formally request to join the Iberian-Apennine Security and Defense Organization. May we bring eternal peace and prosperity to the shores of the Mediterranean."
Spain was already an ally of France; seeing the number of nations in their military alliance grow was a welcome development.
The second to respond was Crown Prince Emanuele of Sardinia.
The Sardinian army was currently assisting Napoleon in the siege of the Mantua Fortress, effectively tying the kingdom to the French war machine. It was better to show enthusiasm now and earn France's favor rather than hesitate.
The rulers of Parma, Lucca, Modena, and other states followed suit, requesting entry into the security organization one after another.
However, the Speaker of Milan and the Governor of Genoa appeared quite awkward, as if they were hesitating to speak.
While Milan had been liberated from Austrian rule, it had not yet been formally established as a nation, meaning it lacked the legal status to join such an organization. Genoa, on the other hand, was a neutral state by law—a status Governor Biazzo did not have the authority to change.
Joseph turned to Giuseppina, the Speaker of Milan, with a smile. "The Duchy of Milan has a long history as the ruler of the Lombardy region, interrupted only by decades of shameless Austrian aggression.
Giuseppina’s eyes lit up instantly. The Austrian army was still in Mantua—barely sixty miles from Milan—and could return at any moment. Furthermore, Milan was currently under French military control, and the French government had been vague about its future direction.
Because of this, the Milanese council members had not dared to raise the subject of statehood.
With the French Crown Prince's blessing, the birth of a new state would now follow as naturally as water forming a channel.
Moreover, it would be a republic. This meant the existing political structure would not undergo any drastic changes.
As the interim speaker, Giuseppina stood a very high chance of becoming Milan's first president!
He bowed deeply to Joseph, his voice trembling with reverence. "Bless you, Your Royal Highness! Bless France! With a single word, you have brought freedom and hope to Milan. Every citizen shall forever remember your great deeds..."
Joseph cut through the flattery. "You may use the Chappe signal towers to relay this decision back to Milan.
"Ah, perhaps you aren't familiar with this invention yet. It can transmit a message to Genoa in just forty minutes. By this time tomorrow, the Milanese council can begin drafting the articles of statehood."
The Chappe signal towers were massive structures built on open high ground, visible from miles away.
During the war, information regarding the Chappe telegraph had been strictly classified. However, as the fighting drew to a close and trade increased, the existence of the towers would inevitably become common knowledge among other nations.
Therefore, Joseph decided to make the technology public.
He even planned to open the towers to the postal service for civilian correspondence.
The Chappe towers were essentially the telegraphs of this era. By opening them to commercial use, the initial investment would be recovered in no time.
Giuseppina hesitated. He desperately wanted to return and personally oversee Milan's founding, as such a historic event would grant him immense political capital.
Joseph, sensing his thoughts, added:
"Given your outstanding contributions to Milan’s independence, I am certain your people will regard you as the Father of the Nation."
Giuseppina was overjoyed. With the endorsement of the French Crown Prince, his status was practically set in stone.
Should any Milanese politician object, they would have to take it up with the French garrison.
A thought struck him, and he bowed again. "Your Highness, my efforts are insignificant. You are the true 'Father of Milan'! It was your hand that forged this nation!"
Joseph did not dwell on the compliment, simply instructing: "Please urge the Milanese council to begin the process of statehood immediately."
He was quite satisfied with Giuseppina.
When Napoleon had first marched into Milan, Giuseppina—then the Vice Speaker—had stepped forward to stabilize the populace and manage the French troops, preventing any major unrest. He was a capable Francophile, perfect for the role of Milan's first president.
"As you wish, Your Royal Highness." Giuseppina bowed once more in excitement before returning to his seat.
Joseph then turned calmly to the Governor of Genoa.
He barely realized that, with just a few words spoken from hundreds of miles away, he had effectively created a new nation on the Italian peninsula.
"Governor, you may also use the Chappe towers to have the Parliament of Genoa vote on joining the defense organization."
"Yes, Your Highness. I shall call for a special session of parliament immediately after this meeting."
The Chappe towers had reached a point less than twenty miles west of Genoa just the previous week. It was indeed possible to transmit his orders within the hour.
Having settled the creation of the Iberian-Apennine Security and Defense Organization, Joseph handed the proceedings over to Archbishop Brienne.
The latter half of the summit was primarily dedicated to discussing the organization's charter.
In truth, the terms had been drafted by Joseph long ago. The delegates merely gave their symbolic approval. The articles were remarkably reasonable and fair to all member states; even the most seasoned politicians of the era would have struggled to find fault with them.
However, looking beneath the surface of equality, the organization was firmly under French control.
First, the organization's headquarters were located in France. Aside from the national representatives, the staff responsible for daily operations was almost entirely French. This meant that even after a general policy was decided, France possessed numerous ways to influence its execution.
Second, France held the highest military and political status within the organization. Any military decision lacking French support was essentially dead on arrival.
While every member state technically held an equal vote, the French vote carried overwhelming weight.
Finally, given France's immense influence over the other members, the representatives chosen for the organization would almost certainly be Francophiles. Unless a matter concerned their nation's very survival, the other delegates were likely to follow France's lead.
Once the organization was fully established, it would essentially function as a "United Army" under French command.
While the combat effectiveness of the other member nations’ armies might be lacking, they could provide significant support in terms of military funding, transit rights, logistics, and intelligence sharing.
Furthermore, long-term military cooperation would align their interests with France's and create a strategic dependency.
France’s "backyard" would become more stable than ever.
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