Rebirth of the Spanish Empire.

Chapter 34 The Crisis of the Ottoman Empire
  At this time, railway construction in the Kingdom of Spain is in full swing, and it is estimated that it will be completed in two or three years.

The workers from the Kingdom of Morocco in North Africa have gradually turned from full of hope to zombies.

Children of appropriate age also entered the school one after another and began their learning career.

Nowadays, the number of child laborers in factories in the Kingdom of Spain is rapidly disappearing, and in order to make up for the loss of cheap labor, the big capitalists of the Kingdom of Spain have begun to recruit women from towns and villages.

This caused a large number of women in society to enter the factory, which also benefited from Isabella's publicity plan.

Generally speaking, the entire Kingdom of Spain has now quickly recovered from the trauma caused by years of war, and has even begun to become stronger.

"Your Majesty, here comes Palacides, the finance minister."

Howard pushed the door open slightly and reported to Alfonso.

Now Palacides is a rare visitor to Alfonso, because Palacides has not been to the Royal Palace of Madrid for a long time.

"Howard, let him in."

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"Your Majesty, according to the news from our country's intelligence personnel, various countries in Europe have now begun research on smokeless gunpowder.

And because we have sold smokeless gunpowder on a large scale before, and other countries in Europe do not lack the raw materials for its ingredients.

So it may not be long before the technology of smokeless gunpowder will be spread among European countries. "

Paracides reported to Alfonso that although smokeless gunpowder is more difficult than black powder technology, it is much more difficult.

However, since the major powers in Europe have complete chemical industry systems, it is almost only a matter of time before the secret of smokeless gunpowder is cracked.

"Paracides, I believe that within the next two years, European countries will successively develop smokeless gunpowder and supporting weapons and equipment.

So you don't have to worry about that, what you really need to focus on is what's going on in the Near East during this time.

Nowadays, the Balkan Peninsula is full of gunpowder, and the tension between Tsarist Russia and the Ottoman Empire is already at war.

What you have to do now is to speed up and obtain large arms orders. During the two years when we have monopolized huge arms profits, we must drain their pockets dry and use them to support domestic economic development. Do you understand? "

Alfonso said solemnly to Paracides.

Because the replacement of old and new weapons and equipment is inevitable, there is nothing to worry about.

And Alfonso, who comes from the 21st century, has a lot in mind for all kinds of powerful weapon designs.

Alfonso only needs to make relevant requests to the scientific researchers below, and someone will naturally make these weapons and place them in front of Alfonso.

"Your Majesty, I understand."

Paracides said to Alfonso solemnly.

It seems that the pace of contact with the Ottoman Empire and Tsarist Russia will be accelerated.

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In the Near East, the reason why Tsarist Russia has been able to endure until now and not attack the Ottoman Empire is inseparable from the European troublemaker-the British Empire's support for the Ottoman Empire.

Article 8 of the previous "Paris Peace Treaty" clearly stipulated to ensure the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire.

But this did not prevent Tsarist Russia from supporting their younger brother in launching an attack on the Ottoman Empire.

After all, who wouldn’t take advantage of loopholes?

The "Paris Peace Agreement" did not say that support for the rebels within the Ultraman Empire was not allowed!
  The various ethnic groups in the Balkan Peninsula are still at war with the Ottoman Empire. These ethnic groups later established three countries in the Balkan Peninsula: the Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, and the Kingdom of Romania.

As a result, the Ottoman Empire's territory in the Balkans was completely divided, leaving only the Istanbul region of the Ottoman Empire in Europe.

…………

Now the new sultan of the Ottoman Empire is a psychopath. There is also a large-scale famine in the Anatolia Peninsula, the base camp of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, rebellions are happening one after another in the Balkans.

This is a godsend opportunity for the current Tsarist Russia, so the current Tsar Alexander II will not easily give up this opportunity for revenge.

The Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire have had a long-standing feud, but we still have to start with the title of the Tsar of the Russian Empire:
  Grand Duke Ivan III of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the predecessor of the Russian Empire, married Sofia Paleorog.

Sofia Palaeologus was the biological daughter of the last Byzantine emperor. As the only daughter of Constantine XI, she was the most legitimate heir to the Eastern Roman Empire.

The son Vasily III and grandson Ivan IV born to Princess Sofia also ascended the throne one after another.

Ivan IV even claimed to be a descendant of the royal family of the Eastern Roman Empire and called himself Tsar.

Since then, the "double-headed eagle" pattern of the Byzantine Empire's national emblem has also been inherited by the Russian Empire. Since then, the successive tsars of the Russian Empire have called themselves the "Third Rome".

The current Russian royal family considers themselves to be descendants of the Roman emperors, and beginning with Vladimir in Kievan Rus, the entire Russian Empire began to embrace Orthodox Christianity.

Therefore, whether it was the restoration of Constantinople, the old capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, or the expansion of the influence of Tsarist Russia in the hearts of Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe, the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, and the occupation of Constantinople, all became the "obvious achievements" of all the Tsars of the Russian Empire. Destiny".

In terms of economy, capturing Constantinople (Istanbul) means that the Russian Empire will break the Black Sea cage and expand its influence in the Mediterranean.

And about the most recent Crimean War between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It can be said to be the largest war that has occurred in Europe since Napoleon.

In this war, the Russian Empire almost lost its influence in the Near East, which led to the death of Alexander II's father, the previous Tsar Nicholas I, from a stroke.

After all, the Russian Empire would not tolerate a failed tsar, once the tsar's foreign war failed. Then the Tsar's loyal Guards will launch a coup and support the new Tsar to come to power.

As the saying goes: The Russian Czar was prone to stroke, and the Ming Emperor was prone to dissolve in water! So from this aspect, the rulers of the two countries are really similar.

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Now, due to the uprisings in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria on the Balkan Peninsula, Alexander II is sharpening his sword to wash away his father's shame.

Under such internal and external troubles, Midhat Pasha, the prime minister who participated in deposing the Ottoman Sultan, was also worried.

Because of the great national uprising in the Balkans, the prime minister of the new Ottoman Empire, who was committed to reform, was mentally and physically exhausted.

At this time, the Ottoman Empire no longer had the support it had during the Crimean War.

Because the French government had already broken the shackles of the Holy Alliance led by Tsarist Russia in the Crimean War, and the British Empire's power on land was obviously not enough to support the fight against the Russian Empire.

(In the Crimean War, although France suffered heavy casualties, it successfully dismantled the Holy Alliance and invalidated the "Four-Power Treaty", thus breaking the Holy Alliance's restrictions on France.)
  In this crisis in the Near East, the Ottoman Empire obviously did not put forward conditions that would impress the French government.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, which also had huge interests in the Balkans, had already made its attitude clear at this time. After all, the Ottoman Empire had already become life-and-death enemies with the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 16th century. From the standpoint of the Kingdom of Spain, this war in the Near East has nothing to do with it.

However, when the Near East War broke out, the weapons and ammunition needed by the two countries were huge. So this is a great time to promote the Kingdom of Spain’s arms.

The Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Spain, Palacides, also officially set foot on this chaotic land. The rebel army, the Austrian army, and the Russian army will all be distinguished guests of the Kingdom of Spain.

"Dear Prime Minister Midhat Pasha, I think you don't need to think about it. The Kingdom of Spain has the best artillery, machine guns, and rifles in the world.

If all your country's army is equipped with these weapons, then the gray cattle from Russia are unlikely to pose any threat to you. "

Palacides did not have a great impression of the Ottoman Turks, because the Kingdom of Spain is one of the top Catholic countries in Europe, and the Spanish's attitude towards pagans is quite bad.

Moreover, at this time, the Holy Land of Jerusalem, which was of great significance to the West, was still under the control of the Ottoman Empire.

"Prime Minister, I believe your country has also learned that there are currently more than 3000 artillery pieces in the Russian army.

The number of Russian troops is about twice that of your army, but the weapons and equipment of our Kingdom of Spain can perfectly make up for this huge gap. "

The Ottoman Empire's army numbered about 400,000 people, and the number of Russian troops who later participated in the attack on the Ottoman Empire was already twice the total number of Austrian troops, reaching an astonishing 800,000 people.

(Although most of the Russian army only has quantity and no quality, and there are very few real elite troops. But judging from the military data, it is still quite scary.)
  "Your Excellency Palacides, as we all know, our country's fiscal revenue is now in jeopardy, and we have no extra money to purchase weapons and equipment from your country."

Midhat Pasha's words revealed helplessness.

In the previous twenty years, the Ottoman Empire had signed sixteen foreign loans totaling nearly £200 million.

But in fact, after deducting various service fees, only 100 million pounds actually went to the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

(Today, loan sharking is not as bad as the European powers.)
  Of the 100 million pounds, more than 60 million pounds were used to pay interest to the European powers. More than 200 million pounds were borrowed, but only more than 40 million pounds were actually obtained.

If you add in the corrupt bureaucracy of the Ottoman Empire, then there will only be more than 30 million pounds left in the hands of the central government.

The Japanese only spent four million pounds to purchase the equipment and ammunition of a Spanish army division, and it was still more than half the market price.

It can be said that the money stolen from the Ottoman Empire by the European powers can enable the entire Russian Army to be equipped with weapons from the Kingdom of Spain, and there is no need to worry about ammunition consumption.

(Note: It is all the current epidemic armies of the Russian Empire, including the armies that did not participate in the Near East War. The total number of Russian armies can reach a staggering one million.)
  The outbreak of the Tenth Russo-Turkish War became the last straw that broke the camel's back. Because after the war, Ottoman Turkey was completely penetrated and controlled by European powers in all aspects of society, and thus completely declined.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, we do not require cash payment. His Majesty Alfonso allows us to accept payment in kind and other methods."

Palacides did not refute this.

He still understands the internal situation of Ottoman Türkiye.

The modernization reforms of Ottoman Turkey have not yet been completed, and they are still being forced by European powers to collect debts. As a result, although the Ottoman Empire has been controlled by European powers, it is used to repay debts.

"As far as I know, the French government will basically no longer provide military support to your country.

The British Royal Navy obviously cannot help your country fight the Russian army on land, and even Austria-Hungary is ready to support the Russian Empire.

Therefore, I think your country may have to face the Russian Army's attack on land alone. "

"But our country's army, after military reform, is not as large in number as the Russians, but we are equipped with weapons from Britain, France and Germany. We have an advantage in weapons and equipment."

Midhat Pasha retorted to this.

Although economically, the European powers still tightly controlled the Ottoman Empire, but regarding the matter of blocking the Russian Empire in the Black Sea.

The European powers are still very concerned about this. Let’s not talk about the quality of the soldiers of the two countries. In terms of weapons and equipment, the Ottoman Empire’s army is indeed better than the Russian Empire’s gray animals.

"But the difference in the number of troops between the two countries is already obvious, isn't it?

At this time, the ambitions of the Russian Empire have become clear. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire now clearly expresses its support for launching an attack on your country.

I think these barbaric Slavs will launch an attack on your country without hesitation. "

To which Palacides replied.

Germany and France are located in the center and west of Europe and cannot play much role in dealing with the crisis in the Near East.

As a European power bordering the Balkan Peninsula, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has a stronger say in the Balkan Peninsula than Germany and France.

"Your Majesty the Prime Minister, regarding the rebellion of the Slavs in the Balkans, I think it is difficult to maintain the army that has allowed your country to fight the rebellion in the Balkans.

These rebellious Slavs will definitely choose to support the Russians in this matter.

If the gray cattle of the Russian Empire really come to the border, I think it will definitely pose a great threat to your country. "

Paracides helped Midhat Pasha analyze the current situation in the Near East.

Although the Ottoman Turks have no money, as the father of the Ottoman Empire, the British do!
  If Midhat Pasha could convince the British to pay the money, then this huge order would not be a problem at all.

Even if Midhat Pasha had not persuaded the British to pay the money, raw materials could still be shipped from within the Ottoman Empire to pay for it.

And even within the next few years, the Kingdom of Spain could join other European powers in controlling the Ottoman Empire's tax revenue.

"Your Excellency Paracides, please allow us to think about it again. After all, our country's current financial situation no longer allows such a huge arms deal."

To this Midhat Pasha replied.

After all, the Ottoman Empire really has no money now, and now he still hopes that Britain and France can lend a helping hand in this matter.

"That is natural, but I would like to remind the Prime Minister again that the machine guns, rifles and artillery of our Kingdom of Spain will make the numerical advantage of the Russian army become insignificant in front of you."

This was Praxides' final pitch to Midhat Pasha.

Although the Ottoman Empire is in misery now, after all, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. When facing such a huge threat, there is no guarantee that they will not spend any money.

The Russians, like the Ottoman Turks, are internationally renowned as poor people.

Although the market of the Russian Empire is larger, it is impossible for the Spanish Kingdom, which can only wear the same pants as the British Empire, to actively look for Russians to sell arms.

After all, if the British knew about it, the Kingdom of Spain would definitely suffer from it. So Alfonso will not touch the British bottom line.

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(End of this chapter)