Chapter 1072 Turning a Blind Eye
The uninvited guests who spoke were the representatives of the Frankfurt National Assembly, including Speaker Edward Simsson and Deputy Speaker Gabriel Riesser.
And it was obvious that they were not the only ones shouting slogans, the Greater Germans had infiltrated everywhere.
The unification of Germany was an irresistible attraction for any German nationalist, and for most monarchs, but not Franz.
To be honest, he really didn't expect that the guys in the National Assembly would dare to mess up his coronation. It seemed that it was time to deal with them.
Franz stood up and looked down at the people under the throne, but this gave these people an illusion.
"Long live the Greater German Empire!"
"Long live!"
The loud slogans rang again, and even some members of small states and small families followed suit. Although Franz had been refusing, he did not make a clear statement at this time, so some people had other thoughts.
For some small states that don't have a strong desire for power, there is no harm in unifying Germany with Austria. Instead, they no longer have to worry about being annexed by other countries and the country going bankrupt.
If they act more actively, they may even get the credit of supporting the emperor. After the unification, Franz will definitely balance the forces of all parties, and then these weak supporters will have a chance.
Speaker Edward Simson naturally would not miss this opportunity to strike while the iron is hot, and said quickly.
"Your Majesty, please accept the constitution! For true freedom, democracy and equality! You, the benevolent one, must have foreseen that only a constitutional monarchy can make the country strong and prosperous, and your rule can be long-lasting and stable! Just like Britain."
"No, your Majesty the Emperor. What is Britain? His Majesty the great Tsar hopes that you can inherit the mantle of the Western Roman Empire, that is your real mission!
For this reason, our country will fully support you to clear the obstacles, and at the same time, we also hope that you can help us revive the Eastern Roman Empire."
The words of Russian Ambassador Andrei Uvarov were like a bolt from the blue, which directly struck Edward Simson speechless. The latter also realized that it was indeed inappropriate to compare with a defeated enemy force.
Franz just smiled at the diligent persuasion of the two groups of people. They just wanted to use the emotions of the crowd on this special occasion to force Franz to agree.
But they underestimated the influence of the previous wars. At this time, the reputation of the Austrian Empire and Franz had reached its peak.
So when Franz stood on the steps with a serious face, everyone in the palace was not stupid and immediately chose to shut up. Edward Simson and Andrei Uvarov were also invited back to their original positions by the royal guards.
The atmosphere became quiet in an instant, and there was even some solemnity. After all, the crime of disrupting the coronation ceremony of His Majesty the Emperor was not small.
But punishing Edward Simson was equivalent to rejecting the olive branch thrown by the National Assembly.
Although the previous war against France was led by the Austrian Empire, the reputation of the Frankfurt National Assembly and the power of German nationalists were also at their peak, otherwise they would not even have the opportunity to speak.
Including the Archbishop of Cologne (who actually controlled the Rhine region of Prussia), many powerful people were considered nationalists.
If Franz rejected this proposal, it was hard to guarantee that these people would not take the opportunity to make a fuss, and even grant the crown to other countries, thereby repeating the Erfurt Union incident.
It was not a wise move to deal with the Tsar's envoy, especially when facing Nicholas I, a Tsar who was good at face.
Of course, if Franz really accepts one of the proposals, it will be more explosive news, which is enough to wash away the rationality of some people.
"Thank you all for your presence, thank you for the loyal people of the empire. The Austrian Empire will continue to shoulder the mission given to us by God, as well as the peace in Europe.
I hope you can work with me to build a better future.
May God bless us, no disaster, no war, no pain, and no unemployment."
Franz chose to ignore it directly, and deliberately paused when mentioning the unemployment issue. The unemployment of a large number of people is an important reason for the rapid development of this storm.
The unemployment rate of the urban population in various states is generally above 20%, and the total unemployment rate of the population is mostly close to 10%.
A large number of homeless people and beggars, as well as refugees fleeing famine, can be seen everywhere in the city. They are the real main force of the revolution.
The unemployment rate in the German region is much lower than that in Britain, France and other countries, and higher than that in Russia, but the government's power is too weak and scattered, which is more likely to cause chaos and storms.
This is also an important reason why quite a number of people support unification. They all see what they think is a bright future.
Franz did not respond directly to the Frankfurt National Assembly and the Russians, but no one really dared to force Franz to make a decision, after all, this is Vienna.
The nobles of the Austrian Empire obviously recognized the name of the Western Roman Empire more, after all, the nationality of the German Empire was too strong.
Of course, this recognition was also based on the lesser of two evils, otherwise they would still be willing to be a non-unified free man.
The Western Roman Empire also has another advantage, which is that it can strengthen the alliance with Russia. After the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire, both the Ottoman Empire and Russia claimed to be the successors of the Roman Empire.
At this time, the Russians deliberately called themselves the successors of the Eastern Roman Empire and called the Austrian Empire the successor of the Western Roman Empire in order to win over Austria to fight against the Ottomans.
The Russians were too big and too brutal, so they were always regarded as a major threat from the East. Many people were willing to see an alliance with Russia to eliminate this source of fear.
The dignitaries were not worried that they would not have a place after the establishment of the German Empire. They were just afraid that the division of the country would affect their lives.
The Western Roman Empire had no such worries at all. Anyway, the territory of the Austrian Empire and the Western Roman Empire had a high degree of overlap.
However, German nationalists did not agree with this. After all, the territory of the Western Roman Empire did not include most of Germany at this time, not to mention that the demise of the Western Roman Empire was inseparable from the southward migration of the Germanic barbarians.
If there must be a Roman Empire, then the Holy Roman Empire is the best choice in their minds.
In fact, no one is opposed to reversing. Now it is just a question of where to reverse.
However, Franz did not want to deal with such matters in this occasion. After a round of indirection, the grand celebration after the ceremony began.
In the royal banquet hall, all kinds of delicacies were placed on the table, and professional dancers, musicians, and actors were ready.
The banquet, singing and dancing all revealed the unique elegance and luxury of Vienna. Many music masters took the stage, and Johann Strauss Sr. brought his famous "Radetzky March".
This time, the king of waltz did not have to accept people's praise and praise after his death. Historically, Johann Strauss Sr. died of scarlet fever on September 25, 1849.
But Johann Strauss Jr. was not so lucky. His "Freedom March", "Student March", "Barricade Song", and "Hungarian Revolution March" were later renamed "Revolution March" Revolution-Marsch, Opus No. 54, which brought him countless troubles.
Fortunately, the Austrian Empire was relatively tolerant of talents in art, literature, and science and technology, but the names of those songs had to be changed, such as "March of the Gendarmerie", "March of Learning", and "Song of Loyalty".