A Meeting In Vienna
‘Meine Herren,’ interrupted Metternich suddenly, as the Archduke continued to stare down Leopold darkly, ‘this manner of debate will not achieve the aim for which I called this meeting. That aim, namely, is to discuss the present state which our empire of Austria finds herself in. We as Germans comprise not even the largest portion of our own population and the subject peoples hardly consider us benign fathers, the malcontent of the peasants and indeed the Ausländer population grows ever stronger, and we have a gibbering moron placed on the throne!’
‘Only because you put him there, Herr Metternich.’ Interjected the still fuming Archduke Karl. ‘Only because you told us to support him to the throne and you maintain him there.’
‘In a choice between a cracked wheel and nothing at all for my cart, I choose the wheel, Herr Erzherzog.’ Retorted the Chancellor. ‘If I might continue? The Kaiser, whilst I did indeed bring him to the throne on the death of His Majesty Kaiser Karl, is a hindrance, but is the only possible monarch for the moment, and I put it to you that you either accept this or join the anarchists in the street! Now, consider, if you will, this.’ Metternich took a document from a tray that a servant was holding, and unfolding it in front of the watching guests. It was a map of the Kaiser’s empire, and Metternich nodded to Leopold. ‘If you will demonstrate what you were describing to me previously, Herr von Jagow?’
Leopold took the pencils that the Chancellor offered, and proceeded with his diagram.
‘As I said before, our map of the world should be that of the Balkans. For herein lies both our glory and our ruin, if we either succeed or fail. There is room,’ he added quickly spotting the impending interjection from the Archduke, ‘for other regions to come onto our map, naturlich, but one eye should always remain here.’ Now Leopold proceeded to take each pencil in turn- black, green and red, and annotate the sketch before them.
‘You will notice, meine Herren,’ said Metternich, ‘that my young secretary has coded sections of the map you see before you. Please elaborate, Leopold.’
‘I was about to do that, you pompous fool!’ thought Leopold suddenly, but caught himself and replied. ‘As you can see, there are lines of green and lines of red. The green of the map represents a friendly border, the red a hostile- potentially dangerous- frontier. Black is the colour of the boots of the Kaiserliche Heer, and so shall they tread. With,’ he added hastily again, ‘Your approval, Erzherzog Karl.’ The old Archduke gave an indistinct snort, as though to say ‘I should think so too, upstart youth!’
‘But this is an outrageous map!’ Exclaimed a grey-haired, nervous man- Prinz Eugen von Redenburg- the Imperial Lord Chamberlain. ‘You, young man, put our entire southern and eastern frontiers within the camp of our enemies!’ He paused, as if expecting Leopold to correct his error. The pause hung in the air.
‘Indeed.’ Said Leopold shortly, trying to fill the silence.
‘Well! A fine thing indeed!’ spluttered the wrinkled old man. ‘History tells us, as does prudence, to choose Russian or Mussulman and assist them. This is how the game has always been played and should be! If we make enemies of both it will all come to grief! You should learn this before you proceed, young man.’
‘I disagree, Herr von Redenburg. Just because something has been the case in the past does not make it an eternal precedent for the future. The new Balkan conflict is primarily thought to be between the Czar and the Sultan- thus we must make ourselves a part of it, or we will be pushed aside. In allying ourselves to, or even assisting, one of the two we class ourselves as a second level player on the board, and Austria must never be that!’
‘Quite so, I agree!’ exclaimed Metternich, ‘I’m sure you gentlemen agree that our patriotism can’t allow ourselves to be marginalized by Turks and Tartars?’ Of course, no-one would volunteer themselves for this.
‘Yes… well… this is all very well, but are you suggesting that we attack the principalities of Cracow and Montenegro. It is here on your map, I can only assume…’
‘Yes indeed, I believe we must.’ Answered Leopold.
‘A pointless exercise!’ boomed Erzherzog Karl, ‘So this is why you wanted my Italians, eh boy? To trample the defenceless on our doorstep!’
‘Ach, don’t be a fool, Karl!’ retorted Metternich. ‘I put those ‘defenceless’ states there myself, twenty years ago in this very city! We all knew very well that the idea of Cracow as a free Polish city would not last- I’m surprised our good friend Nicholas in Petersburg hasn’t closed it down yet, and it has always been a matter of time until the Turks came back for the Montenegrins, I don’t see why we shouldn’t get there first! Besides, if we don’t use your precious ‘Italians’ to ‘trample’ Cracow and Montenegro, you’d only use them to trample Lombardy yourself! Please, Leopold, continue.’
‘Taking Cracow,’ Leopold said, ‘would give us a large city in that region, a proper capital and focal point for our Polish provinces, and a base that we might fortify to withstand the Russians should they come through Galicia. Montenegro allows a foothold into the heart of the Balkans and a similar stronghold- which we lack in the region. From here, we are well positioned to strike through to the heart of the Balkans and ultimately towards Constantinople itself. From Montenegro, we are as close to the Sublime Porte as the Russians at Ismail, and closer to Sofia, Sarajevo and Thessalonica. The significance of this in any Balkan conflict can surely not escape any of you gentlemen?’ There was a silence following these words. The Archduke, however, was still unsatisfied.
‘But you have put the Italians among our foes as well- look here where this red line covers the borders with the Papal State and the Piedmontese. You are giving the Kaiser too many enemies, and besides many of these think of themselves as friends of Austria!’
‘And so they are, and so they shall remain.’ Replied Leopold. But the French are no friends to us, and where will they come but through the lands of their Sardinian friends should they wish to attack us? I have no wish to make any enemies in Italy, but the line of hostility shows where a threat to our security might come from.’
‘Precisely,’ agreed Metternich, ‘who can say what might be brewing in such melting pot as the peninsula? Those who craved an Italian state at the Congress have not disappeared since 1815, and there will always be some fool raving about ‘New Rome’ and the like. In a place such as Italy we must anticipate possibilities- there is no surety there as we have in Germany to the north.’
‘But what is this here?’ asked another man, who had not yet spoken, indicating an unmarked section of the border.
‘Ach, well…’ replied Leopold smiling, ‘what would you have made of the Swiss?’ A ripple of laughter passed around the table, even Karl allowed himself a loud bark of appreciation.
‘Very well then.’ He added. ‘But I dislike being ordered what to do with my own men- remember it is I who defeated Bonaparte at Aspern, and I who brought us to the final victory.’
‘No-one doubts your valour, or your wisdom, Karl. That would be a foolish and perilous act.’ Replied Metternich, in full diplomatic fashion. It seemed to please the red-faced old man, and he gave another indiscriminate exclamation, this time indicating satisfaction.
‘Well,’ continued the Chancellor, ‘if we have dealt with that, let us move on to the next item on our agenda. About this business in the Netherlands…’ The January snow fell unabated outside, decorating the winding streets, as the leaders of Austria mapped out their empire’s future.
And I believe them. You do me great honor!
