Chapter 193: Husband and Wife Conversation
May 29, 1869.
East Africa, Dar es Salaam Port.
"Attention! All personnel, form up!"
It was a rare sight for the Dar es Salaam garrison to gather in formation on the docks—something almost never seen in Dar es Salaam.
Inside a small brewery:
"Müller, what are they doing out there? A full military presence on the docks is hardly common. Usually, only a few soldiers come by to maintain order," Schultze asked.
"I'm not entirely sure. My guess is that some big shot is arriving in East Africa, so they're here for a welcome," Müller replied.
"It must be those four large ships out at sea. I noticed something odd—no immigrants disembarked today. I specifically checked the flags on the ships to confirm they belong to our East Africa, not just some passing vessels," Schultze said.
"Right, I had the same thought. The pier has been partially cordoned off and separated from those four ships, clearly indicating something or someone important is on board. Plus, I saw numerous city government officials arriving, all dressed in suits. With such a big reception, it's obviously to greet someone," Müller explained.
Occasionally, certain vital pieces of equipment and facilities were offloaded in East Africa, but that never involved clearing such a large area of the pier. Although there might be military personnel to provide an escort, it usually amounted to no more than twenty people.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop…" The orderly sound of hooves echoed.
A luxurious carriage rolled along the stone-paved road in front of the brewery, drawing attention from nearby residents and interrupting Müller and Schultze's conversation.
It wasn't that the wooden wheels on stone made excessive noise, but rather that the owner of this carriage was someone of great significance in Dar es Salaam—well-known throughout the area. In East Africa, the only carriage accompanied by a dedicated guard detail belonged to none other than the in-laws of Ernst, namely Maximilian I and his wife.
Originally, Maximilian I had planned to travel all around East Africa. But ever since Empress Carlota arrived, his plans were indefinitely postponed, leaving them both in Dar es Salaam.
Earlier this year, Maximilian I—urged by Empress Carlota—returned to Austria to visit his mother and daughter. However, after staying in Vienna for a time, Maximilian I felt ill at ease. Some people, while speaking with him, revealed a hint of curiosity in their eyes. Especially when facing Franz, Maximilian I felt even more uncomfortable. Franz made no cruel remarks but merely said, upon seeing him, "From now on, don't bother with those unrealistic ideas." Meant as kindly advice, it nonetheless dealt a crushing blow to Maximilian I's self-esteem.
Thus, feeling disgraced, Maximilian I again headed for East Africa under the guise of "recuperation." Empress Mother Sophie, aware of his awkwardness, consented to his request. Maximilian I had considered bringing his daughter along but decided, in view of East Africa's poor educational conditions, that it was better for her to remain with her grandmother.
Of course, "recuperation" was just an excuse. Under current conditions, East Africa could hardly compare with Austria, and tourism there wasn't really feasible. Poor transportation meant traveling around East Africa would be a miserable ordeal. The coastal region was tolerable—Dar es Salaam, for instance, was an important commercial hub that collected news from both inland and overseas. After government improvements, living conditions had also greatly improved. That was the chief reason Maximilian I continued living there.
Additionally, as a port city, Dar es Salaam kindled memories of his time in Trieste, where he served as the Austro-Hungarian Empire's naval commander, and later as governor of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. During those years, Maximilian I was at his peak, displaying considerable talent. Under his sweeping reforms, the Austrian navy grew rapidly. Admiral Tegetthoff, who later made a formidable name for himself at the Battle of Lissa, rose to prominence under Maximilian I's leadership.
Politically, he achieved results in governing the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, easing tensions between the Italians and Austria. However, his liberal policies displeased Franz, who felt he was excessively lenient with the local Italians. Shortly thereafter, Maximilian I was removed from his post as governor, although he retained his position as naval commander.
After the Mexican affair, Maximilian I admitted he wasn't suited to politics, though he believed his performance in Lombardy–Venetia was actually commendable.
"My dear, what do you suppose Prince Constantin is thinking, deciding to come here to East Africa at his age? Can he really withstand all that time at sea?" Empress Carlota asked.
"It's perfectly understandable. East Africa is now the Heixingen royal family's most important territory. Their homeland is just a tiny principality that's been wholly integrated into Prussia, so the Heixingen family has lost its means of advancing further in Europe. Strictly speaking, they might have enough resources and opportunity to maneuver for a European throne—though the possibilities are slim. Even if they seized some chance, it would require time. After all, the Hohenzollerns getting the Romanian throne was a once-in-a-century stroke of luck.
"Meanwhile, jockeying for a throne in Europe demands extensive connections, and most of the Heixingen family's ties among European nobility revolve around Prince Constantin alone. But as you noted, Prince Constantin is already sixty-nine years old—age is not on his side—while Ernst was born quite late, practically a generation apart. He'll need more than a few years to fully inherit Constantin's political legacy.
"Furthermore, Ernst has consistently shown more enthusiasm for business than for European affairs. A Prussian nobleman of his standing would typically be carving out a record in the army. We both know that in Prussia, the fastest route to advancement is within the military. Ernst's peers likely remain in uniform, enduring hardship, while he's free as a bird. Were he not so highly born, he probably wouldn't even get a foot in the door. Frankly, you and I are better off than he is in Europe's aristocratic circles.
"So if they want quick results, the Heixingen royal family has only colonial expansion left, and from the looks of it, it might actually work. That's something I admire about that boy, Ernst—he sure found a good direction. East Africa's difficulty is negligible compared to Europe's, and it has enormous potential. How did I not notice earlier what a gem East Africa is? It's far better than that damned Mexico!
"In Mexico, I had to tiptoe around all sides and watch both France and the United States. In the end, I alienated everyone, while Ernst merely had to suppress and attack the natives here in East Africa to grab a massive territory. Moreover, East Africa has such favorable conditions that no major power had set sights on it, letting Ernst swoop in. That son-in-law of ours does show a bit of my own determination," Maximilian I said with a hint of bitterness, recalling his time governing Mexico. He couldn't help but envy Ernst's foresight and luck, then returned to feeling content. The stronger East Africa grew, the better, since Ernst was already engaged to Karina.
Hence, East Africa would count as part of their extended family someday. Maximilian I had only one daughter—Karina—so Ernst's descendants would still carry Habsburg blood. He couldn't help but admire his mother's vision; indeed, this marriage had proven a wise bet. Others might look down on Africa, but after so long in East Africa, Maximilian I had come to appreciate its potential all the more. The more he saw, the more he believed it was the foundation of a future kingly dominance.
Yet he couldn't help wondering: How could such a fine land produce no civilization to speak of among the natives? Could it truly be racial deficiency? If you said Africa's diseases were frightening, well, the natives themselves hardly seemed affected. After all, American plantations chose African slaves precisely because of their resilience. If you said it was too isolated, East Africa wasn't that remote—Dar es Salaam was a natural window for external exchange. Yet along the coast, there was only a moderately developed Zanzibar Sultanate, and even that was established by Arabs from the Middle East.
If you claimed the Africans lacked intelligence, they hardly seemed that way. Those chieftains and slave traders were shrewd at negotiations. Meanwhile, in the Americas—which lay farther from Eurasia—Indians had used stone tools to create civilizations far more splendid than what Africans with iron-age technology ever achieved.
It all seemed incomprehensible. What exactly did African natives lack? Summaries pointing to geography, climate, disease, war… ended up like a catch-all that could lump in any factor. But now there was real proof in front of his eyes: the successes of the East African colony showed that the region's location was quite favorable. Ernst had used East Africa's geography to transport immigrants from both Europe and the Far East. Regarding adaptation to local climates, the Europeans and Far Easterners certainly had no advantage over the natives. There were even Slavs from Tsarist Russia's frigid zones living here now. Diseases and warfare—East African immigrants were far less resistant to African diseases than the indigenous population, and the colony was basically a warmonger, having destroyed multiple polities while continually fighting small-scale conflicts…
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