14. End of the Second Hundred Years War 3
Then why did you co to see after the arrest warrant had already been approved by the Paris High Court? Were you going to mock while watching fall?
Carnot replied to Talleyrands questions, while still keeping an expressionless face.
Illyrias governor and forr police minister, Joseph Fouch[1], has disappeared. He must have escaped because he was afraid of the parliant and the tribunals judgent of his sins. You have had a secret relationship with him for a long ti and have conducted various acts against France along with him, including agitation and leaking of secrets.
Therefore, I am proposing the following: as a reference, please reveal Fouchs misdeeds and wrongdoings, and provide information on his current activities if possible. The price for the information will be included in the subsequent trial and will be taken into consideration to determine the level of your punishnt.
In short, it ant selling Fouch to receive better treatnt. Talleyrand, who were listening quietly, burst into laughter and the atmosphere beca colder.
In the past, Fouch and I were not on good terms, we used to growl at each other every ti we t at the Palace of Versailles. I still dont like him much now. But I dont want to bla others when Im struggling.
He could see what Carnot was thinking when he suggested this. It did not matter if he was making things up, so he spewed bad things about Fouch and drew a line.
The main target of the Paris High Courts choice was not him, but Fouch. But Talleyrand kept his mouth shut.
Are you really going to feel better living the rest of your life as a traitor in disgrace? Do you want to tarnish your past, when you sincerely devoted yourself to France and made achievents?
But Talleyrand remained still, without a smile. It ant that he had made up his mind. Seeing that, Carnot clicked his tongue inwardly.
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord, who was now a traitor, had been a prominent figure during the French Revolution and the early days of the Empire.
His great contributions were to manage to attract the United States and Denmark into the war against Britain, and the departure of Prussia and Spain from the anti-French alliance.
It was Talleyrand who swayed the salons with his skillful speaking skills, preaching the political legitimacy of the Coup dEtat du 18 brumaire. He was a great man of this era, in another sense than Napoleon.
Take him away.
Guards hiding behind pillars and behind the doors appeared with a rope. Talleyrand gave his hands without saying anything as if he knew that it would happen. It was the mont the giant fell.
===
Napoleon Bonaparte, who had successfully completed the Battle of Badajoz and was standing next to the fortress, was now feeling a sense of deja vu.
The mories of the past, where he faced the sa scene, were revolving in his mind like a panorama.
It was February 2nd, 1805. The day when a nation, which has never declared a complete defeat since the Hundred Years War, knelt down in front of the Palace of Versailles and prayed.
In the world where Napoleon ca from, France was able to overco all the challenges induced by the other powers of the European continent and finally hold the supremacy of the world. Even Britain, which resisted until the end, eventually succumbed to Frances all-out pressure and offensive.
This was also the first historical mont since the Roman Empires conquest of Britain, when Britain declared total surrender.
Of course, unlike in the other world, where they lay flat and begged for rcy, the situation in the United Kingdom was not so bleak here.
Greetings to Your Majesty the Emperor of the French Empire. I am Viscount Charlton, Husley Collins. I must first declare to Your Majesty that I am the head of this peace mission and have been entrusted with full authority to negotiate.
Nice to et you. So, what position do you hold in the current British Cabinet?
Im ashad, but I am serving as the Vice Foreign Minister. I am well aware that it is customary for the ambassador of the Kingdom based in France to take on this responsibility. However, due to the unfavorable circumstances, I will replace him with official docunts bearing the royal seal and official records of the Cabinet.
The secretaries were asked to review the confirmation procedures and official docunts. anwhile, Napoleon looked at the marshals of the Empire waiting behind him.
They were struggling to prevent the corners of their mouths from going up, as if they were holding back their desire for joy.
Its not surprising. Its the first ti that Britain has been sick like it is now.
The safety of Britains mainland from foreign invasions had been guaranteed thanks to its geographical characteristics of an island country, being one foot away from the continent.
Spain, France, Denmark-Norway, the Netherlands, and many other countries that competed against Britain failed to attack its mainland beyond the sea, and so could not win with certainty.
As long as their terrifying navy, which was fearso even if the British tried to land, was still lurking in the Strait of Dover, Britain was able to fool the continental countries by projecting its power at the desired ti and place based on its mainland that was completely free from the fire of war.
It was precisely because of this geographical advantage that the British were able to play diplomatic gas by switching alliances here and there under the pretext of protecting Europes balance and order.
From the British point of view, it ant leading a foreign policy pursuing extre efficiency and practicality for their own interests, but for the countries affected, it was only a perfidious move.
It was particularly the case for France, which had been frustrated by Britains obstruction and maneuvering whenever it tried to expand even a little in Europe.
But Britain was now kneeling and begging for peace. How happy could the French be? They could watch with their own eyes the humiliating appearance of the British declaring defeat.
Im Georges Tulisson, and Im in charge of negotiating for the Empires side. Lets talk in good faith for the national interest and honor of both countries.
At a glance, the faces of the British diplomats were dark and the faces of the French diplomats were very bright. It was clear who had the upper hand and who was uneasy.
And Napoleon, who led the whole ga, was watching from a distance from the negotiating table with his arms crossed.
Rumors circulated that the British diplomats were having cold sweat as they were told that the French would run out and call for the war to resu if they did not like the content of the negotiations.
===
The British peace delegation ca to Napoleons Corps, which had occupied the city of Badajoz and was besieging the fortress.
The armistice agreent, which they brought disguised as a letter, was showing the true face of Britain, which French soldiers had been waiting to see.
Shock derived from Londons financial markets engulfed their economy, which resulted in the British governnt losing patience with the war. As a result, Britain was forced to make many concessions when negotiating with France.
1. The United Kingdom will break out of the Iberian Peninsula war imdiately upon signing the agreent and will not directly or indirectly support Spain and Portugal. Expedients such as hiring rcenaries and dispatching officers are also prohibited.
2. The United Kingdom will return to France the occupied Cape Colony (previously the Dutch Cape Colony in Southern Africa), the Caribbean islands including Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.
3. The United Kingdom will pay France for the restoration of 17 French ports, including Toulon, which was damaged during the coastal blockade. The Spanish ports occupied by France are excluded.
3. The United Kingdom will compensate for a total of 122 French, Danish and Spanish cargo ships seized during the trade blockade and the goods, resources and war supplies in them. In the case of damaged or decayed shipnts, they will be replaced with gold or francs of the sa value.
4. The trade blockade against the United Kingdom will be lifted. However, the United Kingdom will conduct tariff adjustnt agreents with major European countries under the observation of French officials.
5. The United Kingdom cannot engage in any ard activities or sanctions against French ships that export weapons, gunpowder and other war supplies to the United States. The French ships will also be treated as exceptions to the British navigation ordinances.
In addition, the island of Malta, which had been occupied by the French and then by the British, would be returned to its original owner, the Order of Knights of the Hospital.[2] There were also petty agreents such as exchanging prisoners and paying ransom, to maintain their dignity.
Although it was an agreent that the British had to accept as they faced the difficulty of carrying out the war, it was not an unconditional surrender imposed by France.
In other words, the situation was different from that of the Russian expedition, so there were so concessions to make for both countries. This was one of the main issues.
The United Kingdom must participate in the eting of the agreent that you will conclude with Spain and Portugal. Thus, we will set up a table in the form of a trilateral eting and the kingdom will be in charge of coordinating between all the countries so that there will be no room for further conflict or dispute. I would also like to receive a definite answer here that this treaty can be implented only if you agree with this point.
Now that youve signed an armistice with the Empire, youre an external country that has been ruled out of the Peninsular War. I understand that this would be possible under the international diplomatic convention that allows an external country to observe and arbitrate, if the country has no interests in either side. But I dont think that Britain can play this role, as it was still in a fierce battle against the Empire a few days ago.
The Kingdom is in favor of the armistice because it does not want to completely break the balance of the European continent.
If you make concessions on this issue, the kingdom is willing to negotiate in favor of your country in other areas. I hope that you will rember that the ambition of King Louis XIV[3], the Sun King, sparked the Spanish Succession War, which was a misfortune for all of Europe.
Without Britain, Spain and Portugal would not be able to maintain their front lines, as they would not be able to carry out the war, and the Iberian Peninsula would be in the hands of France.
The British were now saying that they did not want to see this, no matter the cost.
It seed that these sneaky islanders were hiding this as they accepted all of the above proposals in a gentle manner. French diplomats showed signs of displeasure, but Napoleon was a little different.
Its like you dont want to cry but you slap in the face.
Britain seed to be afraid of the rise of the French Empire that could engulf the entire Iberian Peninsula, but Napoleon had no intention of doing so.
Spain had a history of standing up as a nationwide enemy and resisting to death to fight the French invasion.
They had already completed resistance nationalism and there was no room for France to intervene.
Even if France were to annex the Spanish territories, it would take astronomical administrative power, finance, and ti to fully integrate them into French society and to appease the Spanish people. How much blood would be shed in the process Its a terrible thing to imagine.
France and Spain were so different in culture, ethnicity, system, language and history, that Napoleon had no confidence in assimilating them.
Contrary to the galomaniac of this world, the current Napoleon did not want the annexation of Spain.
However, I will definitely get what I can.
Internally, he had already set plans and goals for France to get the most out of it.
Now, all he had to do was taking a stance that said I can endure more and reap the profits. It was ti to end this tedious war that had been going on for nearly five years.
TL notes
[1] Joseph Fouch
[2] Knights Hospitaller
[3] Louis XIV
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