Why do I say that? Because Morini’s son was pro-German and had joined the German Army during his studies in Germany, only to die unfortunately in a battle against the British Military.
For Morini, who only had this one son, it was a severe blow, and it was certain that there would be no easing of relations with the British in the short term.
Of course, since the decision was made to support Manuel’s return to the throne, it was clear that Arthur would have to take control of a part of Portugal’s interests in exchange.
Arthur certainly wouldn’t help Manuel and Portugal for no reason; appropriate interest exchanges were the driving force behind such a decision.
To be honest, aside from its status as one of the European Monarchies, the only thing that could attract Arthur to Portugal were its colonies in Africa.
This country, which had once been a superpower with a territory of over ten million square kilometers, had only a few small colonies left at this time.
Aside from the taboo of Asia, which could not be touched, Portugal’s colonies were generally concentrated in Africa, with the biggest two being what would later become Angola and Mozambique.
The size of these two colonies may seem large, but the fact that their populations in later generations barely exceeded 30 million is proof enough of their wealth.
As is widely known, besides the reserves of mineral resources, the main reliance for the revival of a colony is the population of the colony itself.
After all, if the population is small, the value that can be exploited is also minimal, which inevitably means the income from the colony is not sufficient to cover its expenses.
This is actually a major reason why Portugal was still able to maintain these two colonies.
Arthur wasn’t interested in these two large colonies. If memory serves me right, the population of these two colonies was only around five or six million when they gained independence over thirty years later.
Arthur was not clear on the exact population at the moment, but these colonies were as useless as chicken ribs to Australasia, and there was absolutely no need for annexation.
What Arthur was really interested in were the numerous islands of Portugal.
From Portugal to Africa, the Madeira Islands, Azores Islands, Cape Verde, São Tomé, and Príncipe; these were the islands that Arthur was more interested in.
These islands are all located on the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and if missiles were deployed there, they would have a major impact on Western Europe and Africa.
With further enhancement of missile technology, Australasia’s influence over Europe would also increasingly rise.
More importantly, these islands would only need to establish naval bases and missile bases, not requiring much development to firmly hold them in one’s grasp.
After all, the population on the islands is originally not large. Including the stationed troops and the permanent population on the bases, it would account for the majority of the islands’ permanent population.
Of course, it’s quite difficult to get these islands from Portugal at the moment. Even if Arthur expressed his desire, Manuel II was only willing to lease São Tomé and Príncipe to Australasia for twenty years.
Where is this region located? If Africa is likened to the number "7", then São Tomé and Príncipe are at the bend of the seven, an archipelago more than 200 kilometers away from the African continent.
Apart from its geographical location, this archipelago has no significant advantages.
Even almost a hundred years later, in later generations, São Tomé and Príncipe would still be a poor country, barely exceeding an area of 1000 square kilometers and a population just over 170,000.
Even compared with other African countries, the Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe remains one of the least developed.
Arthur was not very satisfied with just leasing the territory. After all, a lease for only 20 years could not change people’s memories.
But on second thought, World War II was certain to erupt within 20 years, and the global situation was destined to undergo some major changes.
As long as Australasia makes major developments on this island, it can surely ensure that after 20 years, most of the population on the archipelago will be Australasians.
By that time, the ownership of the archipelago would no longer be something Portugal could decide.
Relying on the missile technology of the time, as long as missiles were deployed on São Tomé and Príncipe, much of Africa would be within Australasia’s striking range.
Of course, Air Force and Naval Bases could be established here to further advance Australasia’s global naval base strategy.
Though the geographical advantage here is ultimately not as good as other islands, it’s still better than nothing, and Arthur agreed to Manuel’s proposal.
Arthur’s demands were far more than just this little archipelago.
There were many other benefits that Portugal could offer, but Arthur needed to wait for a more appropriate time.
Although he had decided to help Manuel II restore his throne, Arthur did not intend to do it solely with his own power.
As the currently most powerful family, it would be a disgrace not to make good use of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Family, which would tarnish his own Gotha Family member’s name.
Moreover, Arthur’s prestige and reputation within the Gotha Family were very high. Under such circumstances, mobilizing the entire Gotha Family to help would increase the success rate even further.
So, what could be used to persuade other royal households and members of the Gotha Family to join the effort?
The best way was Arthur’s firm stance on protecting the throne in various countries.
As everybody knows, the thrones of countries were not that stable. In the face of the current world situation, support from other royal families and the same dynasty was very important to keep one’s throne secure.
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It seemed like Royal Families of other countries had also made some effort, but didn’t this also equate to Arthur’s support for their restoration should their thrones ever be at risk?
This method of adding an extra layer of security to their thrones was a viable option for other country’s Royal Families as well.
What’s more, the target of this operation was just a small Portugal, not a huge superpower like the United States.
Not to say, even without British support, Arthur could still facilitate the restoration of Manuel’s throne by calling upon other Royal Households of the Gotha Family.
One must not underestimate the influence of a Powerful Nation over ordinary countries, especially when many European Nations follow suit.
As for whether Portugal would defy Arthur’s will, that depended on how stable Antonio’s rule over Portugal was.
The boiling public discontent in Portugal showed that perhaps Antonio’s dictatorial rule was not so popular with the people.
Apart from Antonio’s loyal Military, not many approved of his rule; in fact, it was an extreme minority.
As facts proved, under the coordination of a strong family, multiple countries could easily have a significant impact on a small country.
On July 27, 1929, the Portuguese government held a very special and secretive meeting.
There were many participants at the meeting, including diplomats from Australasia, and representatives from Britain, Belgium, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Duchy, Bulgaria, and others, along with several Officers from the Portuguese government and the Portuguese Democratic Party.
These Officers were dissatisfied with Antonio’s rule but were compelled to submit to his dictatorial governance.
Leveraging Australasia’s intelligence system, Arthur quickly located them and promised them high-ranking Positions in the new government.
Such promises naturally made them quickly agree to support Manuel’s restoration. After all, to them, their official Positions were of utmost importance.
It didn’t matter who the ruler was, because they were only concerned with their own interests.
Another major collaboration partner chosen by Arthur was the rather popular Portuguese Democratic Party.
It was a situation with no alternative. As the British could not play the lead role, Arthur had to consider the Domestic opinion of Portugal.
If Manuel were to continue as a dictatorial ruler, the Portuguese would definitely be dissatisfied, as it would be tantamount to another Antonio, a dictator, with even more legitimacy.