Chapter 260: Contrary Conjectures

While the Italian government was heatedly discussing how to complete the great cause of unification, Pope Pius IX in Rome was not happy at all.

Although Austria-Hungary promised to protect the Papal States and provide defense, the question is where are your Austrian soldiers? You can't just talk nonsense to Italy across the Adriatic Sea!

Although the Adriatic Sea is not wide and the Austro-Hungarian Navy is strong, it is impossible for the Austro-Hungarian Navy to go ashore and fight with the Italian Army.

Since the Battle of Lissa, the Italian Navy has become a laughing stock and its budget has been drastically cut. Historically, it was not until 1877 that the Italian Navy resumed its investment in the development of its navy, so this period can be regarded as one of the weakest periods for the Italian Navy.

The Papal States happened to be surrounded by the territory of the Kingdom of Italy. In theory, the Papal States could attack eastward with its only troops. As long as it took back the original eastern coastal areas of the Papal States and provided a landing site for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it could welcome the "royal army".

However, when he thought about the strength of the Papal Army, Pope Pius IX thought this was a fantastic plan.

After the last war, the eastern part of the Papal States was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy, which accounted for two-thirds of the area of ​​the Papal States.

Not to mention confronting the entire Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Italy could defeat the Papal States by simply integrating the power of the Papal States annexed from the east.

The main force of the Papal Army, also known as the Zuaf Corps, was basically composed of young unmarried Catholics and commanded by a Swiss colonel in French. In 1868, the Zuaf Corps consisted of 4,592 people, of which more than 1,900 were Dutch, more than 1,300 were French, and the rest were from neighboring countries (including Austrians) and even Catholics from South and North America. What's even more bizarre is that at one point a Qing Chinese also joined.

The internal situation of such an army is even more complicated than that of the Austro-Hungarian Army. You can imagine what will happen when commanding it.

In addition, there is a Palatine Guard formed by Pope Pius IX to patrol the city of Rome. They are volunteers and have no salary. They can only receive allowances for the maintenance of military uniforms and ceremonial equipment, and their number is extremely limited.

Before this, there were French troops cooperating in the defense of the Papal States. France deployed about 4,000 troops in the Papal States. These 4,000 troops were the main military force to maintain the existence of the Papal States.

After the French withdrawal, a chain reaction was triggered. Some of the Papal States' own soldiers also resigned. After the French left, they couldn't just face the Italian army alone! After all, their origins were mixed, and they also had a motherland. There was no need for them to be buried with the Papal States. It was fine for them to follow the French army and help out.

The more he thought about it, the more panicked Pius IX became, so he hurriedly asked someone to invite Freud, the special envoy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

…

Soon, Freud, who was at the embassy, ​​was invited by a bishop to appear before Pope Pius IX.

"Mr. Floyd! After yesterday's statement, I always felt something was wrong and felt very uneasy. Your country said verbally that it would guarantee the independence of the Papal States, but you are not just giving me verbal support! You must know that the Kingdom of Italy is sharpening its sword, and the military strength of the Papal States cannot resist the Kingdom of Italy alone."

Freud smiled knowingly. He had been waiting for Pope Pius IX to ask this question. Yesterday, he met Pope Pius IX, and it was like grabbing a life-saving straw for the already despairing Pope.

As soon as he made some requests, Pius IX agreed to them. But now Pius IX came to his senses and realized that without an army, what could Austria use to support the Papal States?

"Your Holiness, you don't have to worry about this." Floyd said slowly.

"I... I'm not too worried, but Rome is a holy place for all believers, and your people are also God's people. The ambitions of the Kingdom of Italy are known to the world. I am worried about all the people who are devoted to God."

As the Pope, although the Papal States have declined now, he is still theoretically the most honorable person in Europe (it would be better if the Russian Patriarch did not exist). Naturally, he cannot be humble to other countries. In other words, the Pope's request for Austria-Hungary to intervene is not a request, but the obligation of the Catholic country of Austria-Hungary. He should just stand and ask for food.

"Your Holiness, you actually want to talk about the military, right? In this regard, I can only say that the conspiracy of the Kingdom of Italy will not succeed. Our Austro-Hungarian Empire has already made a contingency plan. Next, you just need to act according to the arrangements of our Austro-Hungarian Empire." Freud said.

"Contingency plan..." Pope Pius IX grasped the key words, but this contingency plan only said that the conspiracy of the Kingdom of Italy would not be allowed to succeed. The conspiracy of the Kingdom of Italy refers to the annexation of the Papal States, but it is hard to say how to implement it.

"Mr. Freud, how does the Austro-Hungarian Empire intend to crack down on the Italian Kingdom's conspiracy? It won't work if you just threaten Italy in Venice and Lombardy. Even if you have some success there, the Papal States may no longer exist."

Pope Pius IX immediately thought of Venice and Lombardy, because the Austro-Hungarian Empire could only think of ways to interfere in Italy from the east. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire won, perhaps Italy could give up the Papal States and achieve the goal of preventing Italy from annexing the Papal States.

But in the meantime, the Papal States was equivalent to being destroyed, and its own safety was no longer guaranteed. As for its identity, influence in Italy, and appeal in Europe, the Kingdom of Italy had two ways to deal with it. One was imprisonment, which was a better outcome, and the other was to cut the roots. After all, countries now did not have much fear of religion, and anything could happen during a war. Afterwards, the Kingdom of Italy could find a scapegoat to calm public opinion in various countries. Anyway, the dead cannot speak, and the dead here refers to himself. Pope Pius IX did not want to gamble on what choice the Kingdom of Italy would make.

"How could that be! Your Majesty, the reason why our Austro-Hungarian Empire approached you immediately after the French army retreated to discuss the security of the Papal States is that you should have thought that our Austro-Hungarian Empire had long predicted the trend of the Franco-Prussian War. Since we contacted you at the first opportunity, we naturally have our own way to maintain the existence of the Papal States. I assure you that the Kingdom of Italy cannot invade Rome, not even once."

After hearing what Freud said, Pius IX thought it was true. How did the Austro-Hungarian Empire get the news that the French would withdraw? Doesn't this mean that any movement in Rome is always under the surveillance of the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

Moreover, Freud must have had a reason for saying this. What could it be? Pius IX began to think.

Suddenly, Pope Pius IX realized that since the Austro-Hungarian Empire paid so much attention to the Papal States and stationed spies here, there must be spies from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Kingdom of Italy.

Italy has only been unified for a few years. Before that, there were a number of countries such as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Kingdom of Naples. Will the Austro-Hungarian Empire be preparing to instigate opponents of these states annexed by the Kingdom of Italy to rise up and restore their country after the Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on Italy, and dismember the Kingdom of Italy?

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed to Pius IX. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had been working in Italy for many years and had many allies. Although the Kingdom of Sardinia had withdrawn these Austro-Hungarian allies from the surface, the energy they had accumulated over the years should not be underestimated.

After thinking he had figured out Austro-Hungarian Empire's plan, Pope Pius IX finally felt relieved. This move was too cruel, and the Kingdom of Italy had no good way to deal with it unless it used military suppression. However, Italy had to defeat the Austro-Hungarian army first, otherwise where would it find so many troops to deal with those forces that opposed Italian unification? The Papal Army could also deal with the Kingdom of Italy, which was short of troops, so there was naturally no need to worry for the time being.

In fact, Pius IX was just thinking too much. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire had the ability to instigate those people in Italy, Italy would never have been unified. The so-called Austro-Hungarian spy imagined by Pius IX was actually Ernst, the troublemaker.

This time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire's interference in the Kingdom of Italy did not involve any advanced means at all, it was resolved through pure violence.

(End of this chapter)