Chapter 738: Saving a Weak Ally
Madrid, the capital of Spain.
The welcoming ceremony for Joseph was held with the highest honors.
From the northern outskirts of Madrid all the way to the royal palace, the Royal Guard lined the streets in full formation. Behind them, throngs of Spanish citizens gathered, eager to catch a glimpse of the French Crown Prince. The entire city buzzed with excitement, as if celebrating a grand festival.
In front of the palace square, the thunderous roar of cannons mixed with orchestral music, creating an atmosphere of pure grandeur. As Joseph stepped down from his carriage, he saw King Charles IV approaching with a broad, enthusiastic smile.
Joseph straightened his attire and placed a hand on his chest in a formal greeting—but the Spanish King ignored protocol entirely and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Ah, dear Joseph! I never expected you to visit me at a time like this!"
Charles IV dragged Joseph toward the royal palace, barely letting go of his arm:
"A banquet has been prepared! We have your favorite—baked seafood. After the feast, there will be an opera performance by the Royal Theater Troupe—the latest production, widely praised by all!"
"And tomorrow, we shall go hunting! Do you know? This season, the wild boars and lynxes are as fat as walking barrels of wine!"
Joseph chuckled and responded warmly, though deep down, he felt a tinge of sympathy.
"It must have been exhausting for this socially anxious king to arrange so many social events just to entertain me."
Once the feast ended, and the royal party made their way toward the theater, Joseph finally steered the conversation toward serious matters.
"Your Majesty, perhaps you have already heard—Britain has gathered a band of rogues and issued threats against France."
Charles IV's face grew tense.
"Yes, all of Europe is talking about it." He glanced at Joseph, his voice filled with concern. "War may not be far away."
Joseph nodded.
"This is precisely why our two nations must stand together in unwavering unity."
Before Charles IV could respond, Count Floridablanca, Spain's former First Secretary of State and current royal advisor, stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Honorable Crown Prince, while it is true that Spain and France have signed a secret treaty, my recollection is that the agreement is only triggered in the event of an attack on Gibraltar or Portugal."
Joseph was not surprised by Floridablanca's attitude.
After all, the elder statesman had always advocated for maintaining distance from France.
Joseph smiled, but his words were sharp and direct.
"You are absolutely correct, Count Floridablanca.
"However, tell me—does Spain, on its own, have the military strength to defeat Britain or Portugal?"
The count hesitated, before gritting his teeth and shaking his head.
"That... would be difficult."
Spain's power had declined so severely that it was now on par with Portugal. Forget about conquering Gibraltar or unifying the Iberian Peninsula—even holding onto its colonies was becoming a struggle.
Joseph's smile faded, and he spoke sternly:
"For Spain, this is the only chance to challenge Britain and Portugal.
"And the only way to seize this opportunity is to stand shoulder to shoulder with France—to crush them together!"
As Charles IV nodded repeatedly, Floridablanca clenched his fists.
"Your Highness, involving Spain in this war would place an enormous strain on our resources..."
Joseph raised a hand, cutting him off.
"You must understand—Spain's future does not lie in the Americas.
"The sheer distance makes it impossible to govern effectively, and soon, the cost of suppressing revolts will outweigh the taxes those colonies generate."
He glanced at Charles IV, before raising his voice:
"We are living in the age of industrialization. Any nation that wishes to be great must develop strong commerce and industry.
"Yet Spain is covered in mountains and hills, making industrial development costly and inefficient. It simply cannot compete with other European powers.
"The Iberian Peninsula has only one major flatland capable of sustaining large-scale industrialization—Portugal."
Joseph had studied history well.
Spain had failed to unite with Portugal, and as its colonies gradually declared independence throughout the 19th century, Spain rapidly faded into a second-rate European power.
"The only realistic industrial model for Spain is to integrate Portugal's flatlands with Spain's population and resources.
"Factories would be built in the west, producing goods to be sold throughout Iberia and exported to the Americas.
"If Spain does nothing now, its national strength will continue to decline—until it is too late!"
Floridablanca opened his mouth, seemingly ready to argue.
But before he could, Prime Minister Count Aranda interjected firmly:
"Your Highness, you are absolutely correct. However... even with our combined forces, can we truly challenge Britain's navy? They also have the Dutch fleet on their side."
Joseph smirked.
"I understand your concerns.
"But what if I told you that France has developed a fleet of warships capable of reaching 12 knots in speed—twice as fast as traditional ships?"
He paused deliberately, letting the words sink in.
"And I don't mean in the Atlantic—I mean in the windless Mediterranean."
The entire entourage halted, their eyes widening in shock.
Interior Minister Campos stammered:
"Y-Your Highness, are you referring to some kind of new oared warship?"
Joseph shook his head.
"No. I am referring to 21-gun steam-powered frigates. They can sustain 12 knots for three to four days."
Campos gulped audibly.
"Y-You're serious?"
"Very serious. The French Mediterranean Fleet will arrive in Valencia within days—you can see for yourself."
Aranda frowned.
"How many of these warships does France currently have?"
"Twenty-one. And Brest Shipyard produces two new ones every month."
The Spanish ministers were stunned.
And then, Joseph delivered the final blow:
"Oh, and by the end of this month, we will be launching a 32-gun steam-powered fifth-rate ship. It will maintain the same 12-knot speed."
Campos and Aranda bombarded Joseph with questions about the ships' firepower, combat effectiveness, and strategic advantages.
Joseph patiently answered them all.
Suddenly, Charles IV interrupted the discussion.
"Count Aranda, begin drafting the Franco-Spanish Alliance Treaty immediately."
The Spanish king had barely listened to Joseph's talk about industrial strategy.
But the concept of steam-powered warships had completely captivated him.
In his heart, he now firmly believed—
"Any nation that can build such marvels of engineering cannot possibly lose."
The Next Day
Joseph accompanied Charles IV to the royal hunting grounds, where they saw wild boars so fat their bellies dragged across the ground.
But Joseph barely paid attention—his mind was focused on how to make Spain more useful.
Yes, Spain was a weak ally.
But even a weak ally had its uses.
The Spanish economy was a mess. The treasury ran a deficit, despite Spain extracting mountains of silver from the Americas—a testament to the nation's deep-rooted corruption and inefficiency.
And despite past reforms, the Church still held immense power, strangling Spain's progress.
If not for its inherited navy, Spain would already be a second-rate power.
But now, with France's support, it could become something far greater.
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