Chapter 68 Marriage

"You don't have to worry about this. There will always be a place where they are needed in the next industrialization process of Greece."

"Also, mediocre teachers cannot educate excellent students. Therefore, you also need to invite well-known European scholars and scientists with profound attainments in various fields to come to the University of Athens to give lectures. Of course, it is best to hire them as professors of Greek universities."

Constantine told the two about his plan for the University of Athens.

In fact, it is not easy to invite outstanding scholars to give lectures in Greece.

Real outstanding talents may not look down on Greece, and those who are interested in Greece may not be looked down upon by the University of Athens.

"Of course, this is a long-term thing. Take these two things as the long-term goals of the foundation. In your future work, persevere and work hard. This is not something that can be achieved in a short time," Constantine said to the two.

From Constantine's words, the two could also feel the duke's determination to develop Greek cultural education.

They felt both excited and under great pressure.

"In short, I hope you two will work together to improve the cultural literacy of the entire Greek nation."

After that, he handed the check for 50,000 pounds to Colladis.

This means that the royal family has not received a penny from its investment in Congo this year.

When Ikios saw how generous Constantine was, another question came to his mind.

"Your Highness, what should we do with those Greek Muslim children? Do they also enjoy the benefits of compulsory education?"

Religious issues have always been a sensitive issue in Greece.

During the hundreds of years of rule of the Ottoman Empire, thousands of Greeks converted to Islam.

They either evaded the high head tax or lived in comfort. In short, they either voluntarily or were forced to do so. No one can give an accurate number of Greek-born Turks living in Ottoman Turkey.

When the Ottoman Empire rose in western Anatolia, the Eastern Roman Empire was already on the decline. It was a declining empire with political corruption, military turmoil, and land annexation. In the eyes of the poor, taxes were high.

After the Fourth Crusade (Latins dismembered the Eastern Roman Empire), the restored Eastern Roman Empire had already weakened.

So at the end of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Greeks (Romans) probably welcomed the rule of the Ottoman Turks more.

Because they found that even if they had to pay a head tax under the Sultan (MSL did not need to pay), it was easier to endure the shame of pagan rule than under the rule of Basilius.

Although the Ottoman Turks considered themselves to be descendants of the Turks, the Turks living in the eastern part of the Ottoman core territory in Anatolia were probably much closer to the Greeks than the Turks in terms of blood.

However, a difference in religious beliefs directly determined that Greece, after independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1823, glared at their "brothers".

The MSL in Greece had an awkward status, although they also spoke Greek and lived in Greece for generations.

After the founding of Greece, there was a debate on how to establish a new national identity, that is, who is Greek and who is not Greek. In the end, religious belief was used as the criterion for distinguishing Greeks.

Therefore, when Koledis asked how to treat the MSL children in the country, even Constantine felt embarrassed.

In terms of blood, they are also Greeks, but in terms of faith, they are Turks.

"Treat them as Greek children for the time being," Constantine replied.

The two who accepted the task hurriedly left the meeting room.

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The next day, Constantine, George I and Queen Olga sailed to Germany together.

It was time for Constantine, who was already 19 years old, to get married.

The family came to the Sans Souci Palace in Prussia to visit the German Hohenzollern royal family.

The elders of the two families greeted each other.

Constantine was received by his future brother-in-law, Crown Prince William.

"William, long time no see," Constantine said after walking up and hugging.

The two came to a secluded place in the garden. After the servants served tea, only the two were left.

"Constantine, you may not know that I don't approve of Sophie's marriage with you," William said sullenly.

"Because of Germany's interests in Ottoman Turkey?" Constantine naturally understood what William meant.

Since the Franco-Prussian War, the unified German Empire has developed rapidly in industry and commerce.

This has led to Germany's urgent need for colonies.

Germany urgently needs to find sources of industrial raw materials and commodity markets.

However, the fertile land in the world has long been controlled by the countries that have colonized first, and the countries have divided it up.

The declining Turkey naturally came into Germany's eyes.

At this time, the Ottoman Turkey, Britain, France and Russia continued to gain benefits from Turkey.

Russia was through war, and the continuous Russo-Turkish war was the direct cause of the decline of Ottoman Turkey.

Through long-term operations, coercion, or inducement, Britain and France signed a large number of unequal treaties with Ottoman Turkey, such as consular jurisdiction and merchants having privileges.

Ottoman Türkiye increasingly looked like a colony of both countries.

This situation also forced Turkey to urgently look for new European powers to help it counter the increasingly aggressive penetration of Britain, France and Russia.

For example, the Anatolian Railway of the Ottoman Empire was contracted by a German company.

The Ottoman Sultan's army was being reorganized under the training of the German officer corps.

Turkey's commodity market and rich mineral resources made German capitalists very excited.

Compared with Britain and France, which had already occupied a large amount of Ottoman territory (France occupied Tunisia and Britain occupied Egypt), the newly rising Germany was much more friendly.

The two countries naturally got closer and closer.

Such a choice was in line with Germany's national interests.

However, the marriage of Constantine and Sophie was an obstacle to the friendly relations between Germany and the Ottoman Empire.

Because the contradictions between Greece and Turkey were irreconcilable.

The territorial disputes between the two countries were fierce.

It can be imagined that when the two countries fought in the future, Germany would be caught in the middle and it would be difficult to be a human being. One side was its own in-laws, and the other side was its interests. It must be a dilemma.

That's why William said this.

"Come on, William, Turkey's interests are delicious, and you are not polite about Congo's interests either," Constantine retorted.

Since the completion of the railway from Matadi to Kinshasa, German goods have poured into Congo.

Although Germany also gained a large number of colonies at the last Berlin Conference, Germany's colonies were all sparsely populated and of little value.

Therefore, Congo, a place that adheres to the open door policy and has a relatively dense population, naturally attracted a large number of German businessmen.