Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

On the other side, Oscar II was smiling all the way, led by the Dutch royal waiter, and after entering the lounge where he and Sofia were staying, his face was no longer a smile, but serious.

Sofia asked: "That Alexandra asked me questions everywhere and seemed to be trying to trick me, but it was not simple at all."

Oscar II said coldly: "Alexandra is the eldest daughter of Christian IX. I think Prince Edward, the British Crown Prince, pursued her for a long time, but in the end she turned out to be William IV. I have to say, this woman is a A good wife”

Seeing the dissatisfied look in his wife Sophia's eyes.

Oscar II exclaimed: "Alexandra began to serve as the director general of the International Women's League organization founded in the Netherlands in 1866. She has been managing it for so many years. In the eyes of international women, her popularity is It is very powerful. It is said that the British Princess Alice participated in it with the support of Queen Victoria. You must know that Britain was still the most powerful and domineering country at the time, but in the end it still did not shake Alexandra's status.

It is said that William IV founded the International Labor Union and is currently transitioning to her. Hum, William IV has a big plan, and the plan is rattling."

Seeing that Queen Sofia didn't understand her expression, he felt helpless, but then he let her disappear and explained: "As the Queen of the Netherlands, Alexandra's image has always been very popular, but now After serving as the director-general of the International Women's League in 1866, she became one of the most popular women in the world, yes, not one of them, because she had a more flattering image than powerful queens such as Queen Victoria and Isabella II. People like and respect you.

Upholding justice for international women, demanding family status and power, and eliminating international inequality in the status of men and women, etc., are not only enthusiastically supported by women around the world, but also respected by men.

Now William IV is borrowing this effect to give the International Labor Union organization to the other party. Obviously, he will continue to add the light of an angel to her, and continue to shape the image of the Dutch royal family in the eyes of the world. Facing Alexandra, who has successfully created a god , whoever underestimates her shows disrespect for his opponent and contempt for himself. "

Although Sofia was annoyed that her husband was dissatisfied with other people's wives' appreciation, she had to say that Oscar II just mentioned that Alexandra agreed with the international appeal for women's rights.

She clearly feels that women are beginning to wake up all over the world, especially in places like Sweden. In Sweden, women no longer seem to be completely appendages of men, but supporters of their careers.

Just like her now, Oscar II didn't talk to him that much in the past. Hasn't that changed now?

Sofia said casually: "Alexandra asked me just now that the economies of Sweden and the German Empire seem to have become much closer recently. Will the capital of the German Empire one day replace the Netherlands' position there? I answered with a smile. It’s impossible”

Suddenly, she saw the originally smiling face of her husband Oscar II, showing surprise and then unnaturalness.

"What else did she ask?" Oscar II asked nervously: "Did she do it on purpose or something else?"

Sophia thought for a while and said: "It seems to be a random question, the others are all small things in life."

Others are trivial matters, but you asked Sophia this question?

Oscar II was a little panicked.

So the next day, when he faced William IV again, he no longer had the previous indifference in his heart.

Instead, he felt uncomfortable everywhere.

Fortunately, William IV seemed to be very friendly to him in the next week and didn't notice anything.

On April 3, 1881, King William IV of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and King Oscar II of the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway completed the signing of the latest update of the covenant between the two countries in Melbourne. The treaty totaled six articles.

Its main content is: "In response to the territorial expansion of the neighboring countries of the Netherlands and Sweden, both parties recognize the interests of their respective countries' territorial integrity. If both parties suffer interest losses on other country issues, or the other party's territory is invaded by other countries or due to internal turmoil, When losses occur, either party may take necessary measures.

If one of the contracting states is at war with another country, the other party shall strictly maintain neutrality; if one of the Allied Powers is at war with two or more other countries, it shall provide military assistance and consult with the Allied Powers when making peace; both parties shall also Protect the other party’s illegal interests in other third countries.

Updates on the alliance between Sweden and the Netherlands were quickly published in Dutch and Swedish newspapers, and the alliance between the two countries became a hot topic in preparation for the funeral of Alexander II in St. Petersburg.

But this is not just a highlight, other countries have also taken "responsive" measures to this.

In particular, the alliance between the two eastern and western countries, Britain and Japan, makes the situation even more bizarre.

British Prime Minister Gladstone met with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu in London. The two parties quickly completed the signing of the covenant after the renewal of the covenant between Sweden and the Netherlands.

The alliance between the two parties was also made public and published in British and Japanese newspapers. After reading the Anglo-Japanese alliance, the world was stunned.

Because this covenant is so impactful.

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance stipulated that Britain and Japan formed a mutual assistance alliance to safeguard the interests of the Qing Dynasty and the Korean Peninsula, and repeatedly opposed the expansion of the Tsarist Russian Empire in the Far East.

The most suspicious thing is that the main content of the "Anglo-Japanese Alliance" signed on April 5, 1881 was to regulate the expansion of the Russian Empire in the Far East, and both sides recognized the independence of the Qing Dynasty and Goryeo. Afterwards, everyone saw that this covenant actually copied the terms of the covenant between the Netherlands and Sweden.

It's just that both sides have more specific locations to protect Britain's illegal interests in Qing Dynasty, Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

And even better and more importantly, Britain actually recognized Japan's right to protect Japan in Goryeo and stipulated that Britain could consider providing military assistance when attacked by any third country.

It can be said that the terms of the covenant signed by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance will definitely have a major impact, especially the measures to prevent the Tsarist Russian Empire mentioned in it, which made St. Petersburg, who was already angry with Britain, even more dissatisfied.

The actions of the Anglo-Japanese alliance were explicitly directed at the Tsarist Empire. Secretly, everyone knew that this was actually a huge blockade against the powerful Netherlands in the Far Southeast. Britain's intention to take the initiative and contain the Netherlands became even more obvious.

Surprisingly, unlike the previous three musketeers in Japanese politics, Prime Minister Saigo Takamori, Foreign Minister Tadashi Michichi, and Parliament Speaker Kido Takayoshi, who eased relations with the Netherlands before their deaths in the past year or two, Prime Minister Okuma- Shigenobu and Foreign Minister Hirobumi were so bold to form an alliance with Britain. Is Japan really not afraid of the Dutch counterattack?