Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Reform Through Stealth

Translator: 549690339

Croatia

After Kossuth issued the Declaration of Independence of Hungary, many Croatian nobles hesitated over the issue of joining the Hungarian Republic or staying within the Austrian Empire.

However, reality soon forced them to make a decision, as the Hungarian provisional government excluded Croatians from the scope of power, sparking discontent among the local nobility.

In the Croatian region, the vast majority of the land was controlled by the great Hungarian nobility, who looked down upon the Croatian “country bumpkins.” Local middle and minor nobility were cut off from the Hungarian nobility.

This provided the Vienna Government with an opportunity, and Franz took the initiative to show goodwill to the local middle and minor nobility, promising them a share in the future Austrian government.

Specifically, this meant the establishment of an Austrian National Union to act on behalf of the parliament, in which 2 to 5 seats would be allocated to Croatian representatives.

The specific number would depend on their performance; in any case, this transitional institution before national integration would be one of the supreme authorities of the Austrian Empire for the time being.

To gain political speaking rights, participation was essential. Theoretically, one representative seat was allocated per percentage point of the total population.

Croatians accounted for less than three percent of the total population of Austria; if they could secure 5 representative seats, their political influence would greatly increase.

After courting the upper echelons of Croatian society, Franz did not abandon his efforts to woo the lower classes—those who were truly to stake their lives for him were the common people of the lower strata of society.

Following Hungary’s independence, the Vienna Government authorized Governor J6zsef Jellacic to confiscate the land of Hungarian nobility and emancipate the serfs.

Supporters of the Vienna Government quickly gained the upper hand. By May, Governor J6zsef Jellacic already had eighty thousand Croatian military volunteers at his disposal.

On May 1, Franz issued a land grant decree for military service; since the general populace had helped the government suppress the rebellion, they could acquire land, and loyal soldiers were naturally no exception.

The Vienna Government had ample confiscated lands at its disposal, and there were vast lands within the Kingdom of Hungary waiting to be seized, as well as many lands within the Austrian Empire still available for development.

Allocating a portion of these lands to the soldiers was not a big issue.

Of course, to prevent the consolidation of landholdings, there were restrictions on this land grant decree, with a maximum of fifty hectares per recipient.

For the average person, fifty hectares was already a substantial number. Especially for serfs who had just gained their freedom and lacked land, it was enough to make them pledge their lives to the Emperor.

After the land grant decree for military service was issued, enlistment surged; to the vast majority of people, the cost of redeeming land was too high, and it was more accessible to take a chance on the battlefield.

As day just began to break, the Mörck recruitment point had already gathered many people.

“Madic, you’re signing up too?”

“Yes, Gregory. After giving it some thought, I’ve decided that a man should take to the battlefield!” Madic replied earnestly.

“But Madic, didn’t you say last time that you wanted to become a great blacksmith?” Gregory asked curiously.

The breeze of the Industrial Revolution had not yet reached Croatia, and common farming tools were still forged by hand—a blacksmith was a job with a decent income for the average person.

“No, I’ve changed my mind now. I can always become a blacksmith at any time, but now I want to go to war. I want to become a great knight!” Madic answered with conviction.

No one does not want to become Nobility, and a Knight is the lowest rank among them; for ordinary people, this step is the highest pursuit in life.

Before the great revolution of 1848, the entire European world had a system where the son of a noble was a noble, the son of a merchant was a merchant, the son of a doctor was a doctor, and the son of a serf remained a serf.

In an ancient realm like Austria, there were already many nobles, who occupied the upper echelons of society, leaving no further channels for the lower classes.

To many ambitious people, the Hungarian rebellion was perceived as an opportunity, a chance to cross class restrictions.

Like most young people, Madic also had ambitions. He was not content to be a blacksmith for his entire life, just like his father. Previously, there had been no opportunity; he had no choice but to face reality.

The influx of troops in Croatia was merely a minor episode, the troops there merely local forces, not part of the Austrian military establishment.

In other words, these troops did not need funding from the Central Government. Their primary job was not to fight, but to manage logistics and transportation.

Governor J6zsef Jellacic apparently had not made this clear or perhaps had deliberately failed to explain, having so much land in the hands of the Central Government was not conducive to the development of a bourgeois economy.

To cultivate a domestic market, naturally, the majority needed to have money in their hands, and land was their main source of income.

Austria had not conducted a thorough land revolution, and the nobles still held large tracts of land. As a result, Franz could not possibly distribute the land for free.

Under such circumstances, the only option was to distribute the land to those loyal to the Emperor. The criteria for judgment were quite simple: those willing to fight for the Emperor were naturally loyal subjects.

As long as they went through the battlefield, even if they had no achievements, they would have shown effort, and in due time, the Emperor’s generous favor would allow them to obtain the land they had paid to redeem as a direct reward.

The specific criteria were still being established, but those who received land would soon be able to escape their indigent status. With money in hand, they would naturally spend, and with consumption came a market.

After market prosperity rebounded, it would certainly lead to a boost in industry. With the growth of industry, the government could gain more tax revenue, and the costs invested initially would slowly be recouped. This was a virtuous economic cycle.

The war to suppress the rebellion had now become Franz’s tool for reforming Austrian society. With the war serving as a cover, without anyone noticing, the societal system of Austria was being reshaped.

Croatia was just a microcosm of the societal changes in Austria; in regions like Slovenia, Transylvania, and Bohemia, the same scene was unfolding.

It could be said that as soon as the Hungarian rebellion burst forth, the worst losses were suffered by the Hungarian Nobility. Franz sold them out without a second thought.

An innocent person is not guilty, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty.

Regardless of whether they participated in the rebellion, possessing vast tracts of land was their original sin. The most critical issue was their vacillation between Vienna and the Hungarian Republic, holding out for the highest price.

Greed led people into the abyss. They sought greater benefits, and now Franz simply played dirty by first redistributing their land.

Even if it was later proven that they had no connection with the rebellion, they could not retrieve their land. At most, the government would compensate them with a sum for the redemption of the lands..

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