Chapter 1134: Chapter 143: Constantine Passes Away
Austria-Hungary considered the Balkan Peninsula as its sphere of influence, but the countries on the Balkan Peninsula were predominantly Slavic, giving Russia the upper hand there.
Since Austria-Hungary was never a colonial power, losing the Balkans as a crucial market almost pushed Austria-Hungary to the brink of destruction. If Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia, as a fellow Slavic nation, obviously could not stand idly by.
The Balkan Peninsula was nearly the only direction in which Austria-Hungary could expand and the only hope for Austria-Hungary to further increase its national power. Meanwhile, the Yugoslav nation that Serbia wanted to establish overlapped with Austria-Hungary’s territory and could potentially split the Slavs within Austria-Hungary’s borders. Thus, the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was nearly irreconcilable, unless Serbia abandoned its territorial ambitions in Austria-Hungary.
However, after this Balkan War, the nationalist movements in Serbia would further swell, and Ernst could already foresee the tense relations between Austria-Hungary and Serbia after the war ended.
The war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was very likely to trigger a chain reaction across Europe, eventually leading to a full-scale European war. Therefore, the key to the outbreak of World War I lay in the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.
Although Ernst felt deep sympathy for Austria-Hungary in the future, he could not compromise the interests of East African countries by getting involved in the quagmire of a full European war. This was also why Ernst planned ahead in Bosnia, as if the situation developed to the worst-case scenario, East Africa had to ensure its influence in the region in the aftermath of Austria-Hungary’s disintegration, and there was no more effective method than supporting a pro-East Africa regime.
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As the Balkan War broke out, time swiftly moved to 1913, just over a year before the outbreak of World War I in Ernst’s previous life. Just as Ernst was preparing for the war, bad news arrived.
On February 3, 1913, Emperor Constantine of the Rhein Empire silently passed away, plunging the entire nation of East Africa into mourning.
As the Emperor, Constantine rarely interfered in state affairs, but he had long become a symbol of the Empire. From the Kingdom of East Africa to the Rhein Empire, Constantine served as the nominal supreme leader of the state, closely linked to the powerful history of East African countries.
East Africa, as a powerful empire that had risen from its colonial beginnings, caused devastating impact on the local indigenous people, but it also offered new hope to the Eurasian inhabitants of the country. Without East Africa’s presence, their fates would have taken a completely different path.
Some might have ended up as second-class citizens enduring discrimination in the United States, or perished amidst the chaos of the Far East Empire, or perhaps become expendable labor under the harsh rule of Tsarist Russia.
For most of its citizens, East Africa as a whole was seen as a royal paradise where, over the past fifty years, the economy had developed rapidly, the quality of life continuously improved, and overall national power soared, allowing East African citizens to enjoy deserved respect worldwide.
As the highest leader of the Empire, Constantine naturally received the adoration of a majority of the citizens. However, even as the Emperor of East Africa, he could not escape the shackles of life, and he parted with the Empire he witnessed growing with his own eyes.
Constantine’s death was a significant blow to Ernst, as he had been with Constantine since childhood, sharing a deep bond.
Of course, Constantine’s destiny in this life greatly changed due to Ernst, as he not only became the Emperor of a powerful empire in the world but also lived to be one hundred thirteen years old, a stark contrast to his lonely death in his previous life, which could be considered a fulfilling life filled with familial love.
Constantine’s death also signified the end of an era, prompting nationwide mourning in East Africa with a grand state funeral lasting seven days.
From Jezira in the north to Bloemfontein in the south, from Eastern City (a city on Bemba Island) in the east to Luanda in the west, the entire nation of East Africa was engulfed in sorrow.
Constantine’s death also affected global affairs, as most countries worldwide sent important representatives to attend Constantine’s funeral.
As the emperor of a significant empire, Constantine held considerable influence on the world stage. Aside from his status as Emperor of the Rhein Empire, Constantine’s own experience was enough to make a ripple.
As one of the important elders of Europe during the Napoleonic era, Constantine was a living relic of modern European history. As a European monarch, despite the Hexionggen Principality being a minuscule German state, it achieved heights that many European nobles could never reach in a lifetime. Moreover, Constantine later became the supreme ruler of a powerful empire on the African continent.
Royal families or nobility from major countries like Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France, or government leaders from other nations, sent representatives to bid farewell to this revered elder in Europe.
The Rhine Palace and various nationwide locations lowered flags to half-mast in mourning. In the capital, Rhein City, the funeral procession exceeded over twenty thousand people; on that day, production activities in Rhein City came to a complete halt, with most citizens participating in the mourning activities.
According to his Catholic faith, Constantine’s body was interred in the Rhine Cathedral, and his passing sparked more global attention than the Balkan War.
After all, with Constantine’s death, Ernst would, for the first time, handle state affairs as Emperor of the Empire. In today’s tense global climate, any political changes in East Africa, a world power, could potentially influence global events.
Although Ernst has always been the de facto leader in East Africa, this does not diminish Constantine’s influence. Some of Constantine’s ideas could directly impact Ernst, guiding shifts in the nation’s politics.
Hence, after Constantine’s death, Ernst’s governing policies would undoubtedly undergo some degree of influence.
This was of immense importance to European countries, as East Africa’s international status compelled European nations to win over East Africa and prevent it from siding with their respective adversaries, with France being particularly anxious.
To defeat Germany, France was uniting all available forces, even reconciling with two adversaries, the United Kingdom and Russia, something unimaginable in the past.
The United Kingdom, as France’s century-old nemesis, needs no further elaboration. Russia gained its title of Europe’s gendarme at the expense of France’s crown, and the two countries once clashed violently in Crimea.
Therefore, it was a rare occurrence for France to put aside historical grievances with the United Kingdom and Russia, and France’s sole purpose was to defeat its greatest enemy at that time, Germany. Germany posed the largest threat to France in recent years, even more so than the UK and Russia. The UK posed no lethal threat to France across the English Channel, and Russia, being far from France, was not a pressing concern. However, the irreconcilable conflict between Germany and France meant a relationship status that leaves no room for both to coexist.
