African Entrepreneurship Records 2

Chapter 1121 Constantine's Death
The Austro-Hungarian Empire regarded the Balkan Peninsula as its sphere of influence, but the countries on the Balkan Peninsula were mainly Slavic, which allowed Russia to take the initiative on the Balkan Peninsula.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was not a colonial power to begin with. Losing the important Balkan market was almost a death sentence for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Once the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, Russia, which was also a Slavic country, obviously would not sit idly by.

The Balkan Peninsula is almost the only direction in which the Austro-Hungarian Empire can expand, and it is also the only hope for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to further increase its national strength. The Yugoslav state that Serbia wants to establish originally overlaps with the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and may also divide the Slavs within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Therefore, the contradiction between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia is almost irreconcilable unless Serbia gives up its ambitions on the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

However, after this Balkan War, Serbia's nationalist ideas will further expand, and Ernst can already foresee the tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia after the war.

The war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia would most likely trigger a chain reaction throughout Europe, leading to the outbreak of a full-scale war in Europe. Therefore, the key to the outbreak of World War I lay in the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

Although he was full of sympathy for the future Austro-Hungarian Empire, it was impossible for Ernst to go against the interests of East African countries and get involved in the quagmire of a full-scale war in Europe. This was also an important reason why Ernst had to plan for Bosnia in advance. If the situation developed in the worst direction, East Africa had to try its best to ensure its voice in the local area after the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. There was no more effective way than to support a pro-East African regime.

……

With the outbreak of the Balkan War, time quickly came to 1913, just over a year away from the outbreak of World War I in the previous life. Just as Ernst was actively preparing for World War I, the bad news came.

Emperor Constantine of the Rhine Empire passed away quietly on February 1913, 2, and the whole of East Africa fell into grief.

As the emperor of the empire, although Constantine rarely interfered in state affairs, he had long become a symbol of the empire. From the East African Kingdom to the Rhine Empire, Constantine, as the nominal supreme leader of the country, was closely related to the history of the establishment of a powerful East African country.

As a powerful empire formed from colonies, East Africa dealt a devastating blow to the local indigenous people, but it also gave new hope to the Eurasian residents of the country. If East Africa had not existed, their fate would have been completely different.

Either be a second-class citizen in the United States and endure the contempt of American society, or die in the chaotic situation of the Far Eastern Empire, or serve as a gray beast under the brutal rule of Tsarist Russia.

East Africa as a whole is a paradise for most of its citizens. Over the past fifty years, East Africa's economy has developed rapidly, the quality of life of its citizens has continued to improve, and its overall national strength has increased, allowing East African citizens to enjoy the respect they deserve around the world.

As the supreme leader of the empire, Constantine was naturally loved by most of the people, but the East African emperor could not escape the shackles of life and bid farewell to the empire whose growth he had witnessed.

Constantine's death was a great blow to Ernst. Ernst had been dependent on Constantine since childhood and their relationship was extremely deep.

Of course, Constantine's fate in this life also changed greatly because of Ernst. In this life, he not only became the emperor of a powerful empire in the world, but also lived to the age of 113. Compared with his lonely death in his previous life, it can be said that his life was quite perfect and he enjoyed the happiness of family.

The death of Constantine also marked the end of an era. East Africa mourned for seven days and held a grand national funeral. From Gezira in the north to Bloemfontein in the south, from Orientale (a city on Pemba Island) in the east to Luanda in the west, the whole of East Africa was in grief.

Constantine's death also affected changes in the world situation. Most countries in the world sent important personnel to attend Constantine's funeral.

As the emperor of an important empire, Constantine has a relatively large influence in the world. Apart from his identity as the emperor of the Rhine Empire, Constantine's own experience is enough to cause some waves.

Because Constantine was one of the important elders in Europe who had experienced the Napoleonic era, he was one of the living fossils of modern European history, and also one of the European monarchs. Although the Principality of Hechingen was only an insignificant small German country, it was indeed a height that many European nobles could never reach in their lifetime, not to mention that Constantine later became the supreme ruler of a powerful empire on the African continent.

The royal families or nobles of major countries such as Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Britain, France, or leaders of other governments of other countries basically sent people to see off this old man who is also highly respected in Europe.

The Rhine Palace and other places across the country lowered their flags to half-mast to express condolences. In the capital Rhine, the farewell procession exceeded 200,000 people. All production activities in the city of Rhine stopped on that day and most citizens participated in the mourning activities.

Constantine's body was buried in the Rhine Cathedral based on his Catholic identity. The impact of Constantine's death even exceeded that of the Balkan War, and attracted worldwide attention.

After all, after Constantine's death, Ernst will handle state affairs as the emperor of the empire for the first time. In today's world situation that is so tense, any political changes in East Africa, a world power, may trigger changes in the world situation.

Although Ernst has always been the de facto top leader in East Africa, this does not mean that Constantine has little influence. Some of Constantine's ideas can directly affect Ernst, thus guiding the transformation of national politics.

Therefore, after Constantine's death, Ernst's governing policies would obviously be affected to a certain extent.

This is extremely important for European countries. East Africa's international status requires European countries to win over East Africa to prevent East Africa from standing on the side of their respective enemies, with France being the most nervous.

In order to defeat Germany, France can be said to have united all the forces that could be united, and even reconciled with its two enemies, Britain and Russia, which was almost unimaginable before.

There is no need to say much about Britain being France's century-old enemy, and Russia's title as Europe's gendarme was also obtained by stepping on the French crown, and the two countries once fought a fierce battle in Crimea.

Therefore, it is quite rare for France to let go of its historical grudges with Britain and Russia. France has had only one goal from the beginning to the end, which is to defeat Germany, France's biggest enemy today. Germany is the country that poses the greatest threat to France in recent years, even more than Britain and Russia. Britain is across the English Channel and does not pose a fatal threat to France, while Russia is very far away from France. Only between Germany and France there are irreconcilable contradictions, and it can even be said that the relationship is one of either you die or I die.

(End of this chapter)