Germanic Empire: Please call me Wilhelm III

As soon as the funeral of Archduke Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, ended, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria gathered the top officials of the empire to discuss the choice of the crown prince. He also knew that the issue could not be dragged on any longer. Otherwise, it would seriously affect the stability of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. For the upcoming war, the large-scale military action taken will also be very unfavorable.

Franz Joseph I was also very humiliated, and he never expected to be like this. The death of Archduke Ferdinand would be an extremely heavy blow to him and the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In his old age, he has no energy and no time to cultivate an heir.

“Gentlemen, the Crown Prince was despicably assassinated by the Selvians, and we will definitely repay this vendetta. Our army has already begun to mobilize. We will soon launch an attack on the Kingdom of Selvia and strive to defeat them, destroy them, annex them, and make the empire the hegemon of the Balkans! Franz Joseph I said.

“Avenge His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and annex the Kingdom of Selvia!” The ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire chanted one after another, as if arousing their hatred of the enemy.

“Until then, though, the empire cannot be without an heir. I’m already very old, and I don’t know when God will call me. Therefore, we are going to make an heir to the empire. In this way, after I go to see God, the empire can become even stronger and more brilliant under the leadership of a new heir! Franz Joseph I said.

The ministers of Austria-Hungary nodded one after another, and they naturally hoped that Austria-Hungary would become stronger.

“So, do you have the right people?” Franz Joseph I asked.

“Your Majesty, Empress Elizabeth Mary, is the daughter of Crown Prince Rudolf and the granddaughter of Her Majesty. Looking at all the royals, there is no better candidate than Queen Elizabeth Mary. Count Albert was the first to speak.

The Albert family is a very famous nobleman on the Audili Kingdom in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with a long tradition and great influence.

Because this time the heir to the empire was to be chosen, the great nobles of the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire also had a say.

“That’s right, Queen Mary Elizabeth is the most suitable candidate!” The head of the nobility of the Hungarian kingdom, Count Damen, also expressed his position.

The Damen family also had great influence among the nobles of the Hungarian kingdom.

When Franz Joseph I saw this situation, his face suddenly became very ugly.

He is not a fool, and naturally knows that this is the German Empire at work. Otherwise, the nobles of the Kingdom of Audili and the Kingdom of Hungary would not all support Queen Elizabeth Mary.

The Kingdom of Audili and the Kingdom of Hungary were the most central states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Combined, the population of the two kingdoms amounted to seventy percent of the entire empire. In terms of military strength, it accounts for more than 80 percent.

But Franz Joseph I apparently did not want Empress Elisabeth Marie to become the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Not even if Queen Elizabeth Mary was his own granddaughter. He needed to think in the interests of Austria-Hungary as a whole. He hoped that the future Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Germanic Empire would be allies, not vassals, and even less willing that Austria-Hungary would be annexed by the Germanic Empire.

“Any other comments?” Franz Joseph I asked.

“Your Majesty, Your Excellency, Queen Mary Elizabeth is indeed a very suitable heir. However, we need to take this fully into account. Empress Elizabeth Mary was already empress of the Germanic Empire. If she were to inherit the future Austro-Hungarian Empire. So, how will the relationship between Austria-Hungary and the Germanic Empire be handled in the future? Even if we are allies with the Germanic Empire. But our two countries also have different interests. So, what do we do once such a situation arises?

Do you want to see Austria-Hungary oppressed by the Germanic Empire in the future, and even become a vassal of the Germanic Empire? ”

Austro-Hungarian Prime Minister Mario Weber asked.

“yes! His Majesty William III, Emperor of the Germanic Empire, although young, was a very ambitious man. If it was true that his empress succeeded to the throne of the empire. I’m afraid the entire empire will be swallowed up by the Germanic Empire! Austro-Hungarian Finance Minister Duke Andras said.

“If there really is a day, it is not necessarily a bad thing!” Prime Minister Stefan of the Kingdom of Audili muttered.

After hearing this, the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I’s face became even more as if it could drip water.

He naturally knew that many of the nobles of Audili wanted the Germanic Empire to annex Austria-Hungary. After all, the Germanic Empire was a country of Germanic peoples. And the Kingdom of Audili was also made up of Germanic people.

With Austria-Hungary facing many problems, especially the old age of Emperor Franz Joseph I, the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire was likely to collapse.

If the Germanic Empire annexed Austria-Hungary, perhaps Austria-Hungary would still be able to take on new life. The interests of their Germanic nobility were also guaranteed.

Even in the future, the Germanic Empire will become even more powerful.

However, Franz Joseph I would never allow such a situation to happen, and he could never tolerate the end of Habsburg rule in this way.

“Empress Elizabeth Mary, since she has married into the Germanic Empire, has become the Empress of the Germanic Empire. She would then no longer be able to become the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The throne of Austria-Hungary belonged to the royal family of the Habsburgs. In the future, the rule of the Habsburgs will continue! “Franz Joseph I hit the nail on the head.

Although Franz Joseph I seemed to go against the opinion of the overwhelming majority, with his position and influence, no one in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire could oppose him.

“I have decided that Grand Duke Karl will become the new Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary. Although Archduke Karl is young, he is very intelligent and capable. I firmly believe that he will be able to become a qualified crown prince and a qualified emperor. In the future, under his leadership, the Austro-Hungarian Empire will definitely become even stronger! “Franz Joseph I directly announced the new crown prince.