Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

Emperor Wilhelm I of the German Empire, Prime Minister Bismarck, Crown Prince Friedrich, Chief of General Staff Moltke, Minister of Military Affairs von Rowan, Crown Prince Wilhelm Wilhelm, and the rest are the princes of various principalities who joined the German Empire.

Bismarck continued ruthlessly: "The Netherlands had a population of only 5 million in 1860. After that, they tried their best to pull back the overseas Dutch people. The population reached 11 million 10 years later in 1870, and there were another 2 million white people from other European countries.

Nine years later, the white population of the Netherlands has soared to 24 million, of which 15.5 million are Dutch and the remaining 8.5 million are immigrants from Europe and the United States. This is all thanks to everyone sitting here."

"Since 1860, when there were records of migration to the Netherlands, 123,000 people moved to the Netherlands from the Principality of Saxony-Weimar, 39,700 people from the Principality of Eisenach, 15,800 people from the Principality of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and 15,800 people from the Principality of Mecklenburg-Strelli. There are 9,000 people in the Duchy of Saxony, 12,000 people in the Duchy of Oldenburg, 8,790 people in the Duchy of Brynschweig, and 23,100 people in the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen;

The Principality of Saxe-Aldertenberg has 13,050 people, the Principality of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has 21,110 people, the Principality of Anhalt has 19,140 people, the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt has 11,021 people, and the Principality of Schwarzburg-Sander The Principality of Hausen has 15,231 people, the Principality of Waldeck has 21,005 people, the Principality of Reuss-Greitz has 42,350 people, the Principality of Reuss-Schlez-Gerra has 66,050 people, the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe has 27,900 people, and the Principality of Lippe has 27,900 people. 16,901 people, 14,500 people in the Principality of Bremen, 26,800 people in the Principality of Hamburg, and 32,600 people in the Principality of Hesse.”

As Bismarck takes the name of a country every year, that number is like a hard slap, hitting every grand duke in the face.

Bismarck looked at everyone's faces displeased and said: "In less than 20 years, the population of other principalities has migrated to the Netherlands, exceeding 559,048 people. Including the Principality of Baden and the Principality of Württemberg. of 805,730 people and 1,364,778 people.

This accounts for 20% of the 8.5 million people who are not of Dutch origin. I think William IV is definitely very grateful to everyone here for their contribution to the construction of the Kingdom of the Netherlands."

1,364,778 people!

This data made the princes of the major principalities lower their noble heads.

Many people even had trembling hands or feet.

It’s not that this data is huge and shocking, but that this data represents the meaning behind it.

King Karl I and King Friedrich I looked at each other, both showing fear.

Even Grand Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who had always dared to challenge the ruling power of William I or Bismarck, changed his expression at this moment.

Ernst August Carl Johann Leopold Alexander Edward, if you know this European surname, you will definitely know that this is an extremely precious person.

Ernst II was born on June 21, 1818. He was the eldest son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and his first wife, Princess Louise. His younger brother is the husband of Queen Victoria of the British Empire. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were the daughters of their brothers' aunt, their biological cousins.

In 1830, a revolution broke out in the Principality of Belgium in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Britain and France fought. Initially, the Belgians tried to join the French Empire. However, the European powers were worried that France would be weakened after signing the Congress of Vienna in 1815. France became strong again and supported the Netherlands.

In the end, Britain pretended to be neutral and stood up to propose a compromise plan, allowing Belgium to become an independent country, and elected the former British Crown Prince Consort (the then first heir to the British throne, Princess Charlotte), Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Enns King Leopold's younger brother, Prince Leopold (Queen Victoria's uncle), became the King of Belgium. Then on October 4, with the Dutch government's opposition to British support, the Belgian Parliament forcibly passed a motion to accept the proposal. Prince Leopold On July 21, he was officially sworn in as King Leopold I of Belgium.

Therefore, Leopold I of the Kingdom of Belgium, who died in 1867, was their uncle, and the current King Leopold II of Belgium was his cousin.

On January 1, 1836, Prince Ferdinando, nephew of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, married Queen Maria II of Portugal and gave birth to their eldest son the following year, the former King of Portugal, Pegasus. Dro V, so this prince Ferdinand was also called Fernando II

Since then, Portugal has begun the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, which has been ruled by five generations of monarchs in Portugal until it was replaced by the First Portuguese Republic in 1910.

Ernst II had no children, so her younger brother, Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, became the heir to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which may have led to an alliance between Britain and the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, although Albert Prince Albert passed away in 1861, but now Ernst II has publicly stated that he will choose one of his brother Prince Albert's children left in the British royal family to inherit the principality.

Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, has been ruled out, so Prince Albert's second son, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, has been designated as the best candidate to succeed Ernst II.

Looking at the personal connections in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, it is no wonder that Ernst II dared to confront William I and Bismarck from time to time.

But as Bismarck revealed the data one by one this time, Ernst II, who had been extremely tough in the past, actually had fear in his eyes, yes, fear, so he fell silent.

No one knows why Ernst II behaved like this.

Ernst II's silence made both Friedrich I of the Principality of Baden and Karl I of the Principality of Württemberg know that Bismarck's slap in the face could not be resisted this time and would only be in vain.

Bismarck naturally saw all the expressions and movements of these people.

Looking at the equally low-key Ernst II, he couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

The data he just announced for each country is accurate to single digits, which already shows that the Kingdom of Prussia's internal intelligence in each country has reached the extreme.

This shows that the intelligence in their hands has reached extremely terrifying levels in various countries.

Just now he deliberately asked Friedrich I. The answer that the latter did not know, and his clear to single-digit comparison, already showed that the intelligence of the principalities was incomparable to the intelligence capabilities in the hands of William I and Bismarck. Compare.

This is just intelligence. What if it is to assassinate a certain Grand Duke? The ability to protect and assassinate is not commensurate. Needless to say what the result will be.

This was the result Bismarck wanted.

If you are given a stick, you will naturally need to give a sweet date.

Acting also requires one to be a good person and another to be a bad person.

William I knew it was time for him to appear

William I said gently: "Everyone, although the Prime Minister's words are unpleasant, they are reasonable. Although the Netherlands has a good relationship with us now, it is under the condition that we are of use to them. The 1.36 million and nearly 5,000 immigrants just now, It may not look like much, but it is a windfall for the Netherlands. The talents we worked so hard to cultivate ended up going to others, and they were just like picking them up for free.

In the past, we didn't know. But in the future, we need to strengthen our precautions. Weakening us and strengthening the Netherlands is not a good thing."

Ernst II asked: "Do you want to inform Austria-Hungary?"

"I will." William I looked at Ernst II and said with a smile: "Please inform Queen Victoria later. I think Britain will be very happy."

Ernst II knew there was some mockery in it, but he didn't care and nodded in agreement.