After Napoleon III annexed the Kingdom of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II fled to London and, with British support, established a Sardinian government-in-exile. Later, when the French annexed the remaining territories of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II became the reluctant leader of the Italian anti-French resistance. The reason was simple: those with nothing to lose fear nothing. With his homeland gone and no ties to protect, Victor Emmanuel II had the courage to fight France to the bitter end. In contrast, the royal families of the other Italian states were in a very different position. Though their countries had been taken by France, they still held nominal titles and received annual stipends. In such circumstances, even though they were unhappy, they lacked the resolve to confront France head-on. They resorted only to covert acts of resistance. Initially, the Sardinian independence movement had only British support and remained relatively stable in structure. But when it expanded into the broader Italian independence movement, the situation grew more complicated. Austria also became a patron of the movement. With another financial backer involved, everything became more complicated. In 1878, after the death of Victor Emmanuel II, his nine-year-old son inherited the title. Naturally, a child had no ability to resolve internal divisions. The Italian independence organization, in name only by that point, gradually split into four factions, each representing one of the old states: Sardinia, the Papal States, Naples, and Tuscany. As a result, the Italian independence movement fell into a slump. Even when they rose up during the Paris Revolution, the effect was fleeting. When lions and elephants fight even the smallest prey, they do so with full force. With the outbreak of a European war looming, Franz naturally sought to rally every force he could. Though weak in military strength, the Italian independence movement still held powerful influence among the Italian population. Imagine this: at a critical moment during the Franco-Austrian war, the Italian soldiers in the French army suddenly refuse to fight. Just picture that scene. It would be both dramatic and humiliating. Without question, the strongest and most influential of the independence factions was the Sardinian group loyal to Victor Emmanuel III. Though Sardinia had long since been annexed by France, and the French Emperor now wore yet another crown, Victor Emmanuel III was still widely recognized across Europe as the legitimate King of Sardinia. No matter how powerful France was, a crown seized unlawfully would never be recognized by Europe's aristocratic circles. In this regard, Franz had done a great deal. The Habsburgs had led the way in denying the House of Bonaparte’s legitimacy over the Sardinian throne. At a manor on the outskirts of London, two men, one old and one young, were fishing. It was clear that both were distracted. The floats bobbed constantly on the water, tugged by unseen fish, but neither man paid them any attention. Jonas, the Austrian ambassador to Britain, said, “Your Majesty, with war on the continent imminent, your chance to restore your kingdom has arrived.” The young Victor Emmanuel III gave a faint smile and replied, “That is only a chance. The French are still very powerful. For Italy to free itself from France’s control will be extremely difficult. Unless your country deals a heavy blow to the French on the battlefield, the independence movement alone would be marching to its death.” This was the crux of the problem and the source of disagreement. Jonas wanted the Italian independence movement to launch an uprising early, to shake French morale and improve Austria’s chances in the war. Victor Emmanuel III, on the other hand, hoped Austria would first defeat France on the battlefield before the independence movement acted. Jonas shook his head. He understood Victor Emmanuel III’s caution. The Sardinian kings had never had good relations with Austria. If they drove out the French only to welcome the Austrians, it would be like driving away a tiger only to let in a wolf. “Your Majesty, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. To achieve national independence without paying a price is impossible. I understand what you are worried about, and I don’t blame you. But you must also know that Austria has never mistreated its allies. If we’ve promised to support your country’s independence, we will honor that commitment. However, Austria believes in equal exchange. The cost paid must match the gains received. If you wait until the outcome of the war is already decided before taking part, we will no longer be able to guarantee the territorial integrity of your kingdom.” This was a naked “threat.” Clearly, Jonas had concluded that Victor Emmanuel III could not possibly collaborate with the French. If he wanted to restore his kingdom, he had no choice but to rely on Austrian support. Victor Emmanuel III’s expression changed dramatically. He was still too young and could not yet conceal his emotions. “Your Excellency, guaranteeing the territorial integrity of the Italian region is our bottom line. If that cannot be done, then there is nothing to discuss.” Ambassador Jonas reminded him, “Your Majesty, you are only the King of Sardinia. You do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the other three states. In fact, we have already reached an agreement with the representatives of the other three. What we are discussing now is only with the King of Sardinia.” These days, “Italy” was merely a geographical term. On the international stage, only the four states were recognized. The Italian Independence Organization was a makeshift group with no legal status whatsoever. Hearing this, Victor Emmanuel III’s expression grew even darker. As the leader of the Italian Independence Organization, he had originally assumed that once the French were driven out, he would naturally become King of Italy. Yet reality delivered a harsh blow. Jonas had made it clear that such an outcome was impossible. The Italian Independence Organization held no real weight. What Austria recognized were Sardinia, the Papal States, Naples, and Tuscany. Without Austria’s recognition, there could be no talk of a King of Italy. Victor Emmanuel III was deeply unwilling to accept this, but unfortunately, he lacked the power to defy it. Even if he refused to cooperate with Austria, there were plenty of others willing to do so. It was a mistake to think that members of the independence movement were all so noble and unyielding. People had to eat, after all. As a king, even in exile, he could still enjoy a life of luxury and indulgence. But his followers were not so fortunate. Even those who had once been well-off had seen their fortunes dwindle after years of turmoil. The poorer ones had already taken jobs in London. Relying on the meager subsidies from the independence organization, they would have long starved if not for outside help. After so many years, those once fiery youths had been worn down by life. Restoring the kingdom was now their only path to rising again. Whether it was the King of Italy or King of Sardinia, as long as one had the ability to establish a regime, they could transform themselves into a lofty ruler. No one would let go of this final lifeline. Whoever stood in the way of others would become the enemy of all, and even Victor Emmanuel III, the nominal leader, was no exception. After a brief pause and collecting his thoughts, Victor Emmanuel III slowly said, “Your Excellency, we can find ways to tie down the French, but with our strength, we do not have the capability to confront the French army directly.” Seeing that his objective had been achieved, Jonas smiled and replied, “Rest assured, Your Majesty, Austria does not betray its friends. Once the war breaks out, all you need to do is conduct sabotage behind enemy lines and disrupt the French army’s logistics. You do not need to take to the battlefield. For example: spread rumors to weaken French morale; call on Italians to stop serving the French; destroy roads and bridges; organize worker strikes... To minimize losses, you can even promote nonviolent noncooperation among the people. All of this counts as a contribution.” Hearing Jonas’s explanation, Victor Emmanuel III breathed a sigh of relief. Sloganeering was their strong suit. The independence movement’s weakness lay in military power. As long as they were not fighting the French head-on and were only causing disruption behind the lines, they could manage that. After a short pause, Jonas added, “The contribution you make to this war will determine the rewards you receive after it ends. If your contribution is great enough, you will receive territory and war reparations. Even the originally disputed lands between the King of Sardinia and the French might fall into your hands.” This was not an empty promise. As long as they won the war, regardless of their actual performance, the disputed lands would be awarded to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Austria had no appetite to annex France. After the war, hatred between France and Austria would undoubtedly deepen, perhaps even lasting for decades. To ensure stability on the western front, the Austrian government needed to weaken France. Aside from allowing the Italian regions to become independent, the rest of France was relatively stable and could not realistically be divided. Even if forcibly partitioned, France would likely reunify within a few years. Franz would not waste effort on futile endeavors. Against this backdrop, the Austrian government had no better solution than to draw in neighboring countries to share in the spoils. Moreover, what was being divided was not just land, but also the enmity that came with it. Once you took French territory, you were bound to become France’s enemy. Clinging to Austria would be the only viable path forward. Without hesitation, Victor Emmanuel III replied decisively, “Your Excellency, rest assured. We will do everything we can to cause trouble for the French!” The terms were already quite generous, far better than what Victor Emmanuel III had expected. It was clear that Austria had no designs on Sardinian territory. The only regret was Austria’s opposition to him unifying the Italian regions, but for Victor Emmanuel III, that was not a major issue. Born into exile, Victor Emmanuel III had already experienced much hardship. Though young, he was not naive.
*** https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH) Support the translation at https://ko-fi.com/dragonlegion
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