SGB Chapter 343

## Chapter 343: Iberian Affairs Are Always So Messy

The temporary meeting room of the Golden Lion Inn was filled with a mix of unexpected guests and Arthur’s usual companions, all seated around a round table.

Napier, a decorated Royal Navy admiral, couldn’t help but size up Louis and Dumas, who were seated beside Arthur.

“Mr. Hastings,” he began, “are these two associates of yours reliable? Before we delve into any specifics, I’d like to be certain that they aren’t French spies sent to infiltrate our ranks.”

Arthur, taking a sip of his tea, replied calmly, “General Napier, you needn’t worry about that. Neither of them are French spies, as the rotund gentleman beside me holds a genuine French nationality. He’s known for openly gathering intelligence, no need for undercover work. Incidentally, he’s also a French artilleryman.”

Dumas, visibly pleased, nodded in agreement. “Indeed, I’ve received rigorous training in artillery.”

Napier, finding this humorous, chuckled. “You’re quite a witty young man. But if this gentleman is a French artilleryman, what about the skinny police officer beside you?”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “You mean Louis? He’s even worse. This fellow is royal blood. If my memory serves me right, he’s second in line to the current Bonaparte family’s succession.”

Louis, taking off his hat, politely bowed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Napier.”

Napier, taken aback by this spectacle, couldn’t resist making a joke. “Is this for real? Mr. Hastings, did you two rehearse this scene beforehand? Your lines are so perfectly aligned, it’s no wonder those incarcerated at Scotland Yard are easily fooled by you.”

Arthur, not bothering to further explain, simply shrugged. The accompanying Foreign Office secretary, however, felt compelled to clarify the situation for Napier.

“General,” the secretary said, “Mr. Hastings is speaking the truth.”

“The truth?”

Napier, stunned for a moment, blinked at Arthur. “Young man, are you serious? Treason is a crime that requires a public trial in the House of Lords.”

Arthur, with a playful tone, replied, “If being friendly with the French constitutes treason, then perhaps you should be concerned about the Duke of Wellington. He’s maintained a decade-long friendship with the French Ambassador, Talleyrand.”

Napier burst out laughing. “Have the House of Lords try the Duke of Wellington? You’re a funny one, kid. When Wellington was younger, before all the honors, he wouldn’t even flinch when facing a court-martial. If the House of Lords dared to arrest him for trial, I reckon the Duke would grab his eight marshal’s batons and give the Speaker of the House a good thrashing.”

Arthur, upon hearing this, simply coughed lightly. “General Napier, while I have no intention of criticizing, it’s generally considered bad manners to mock a teacher in front of his students.”

Napier, realizing that the Speaker of the House was Lord Brougham, the Lord Chancellor, quickly backpedaled.

“Just a joke, don’t take it personally. I’ve finally been reinstated by the Admiralty, I can’t risk it all over a joke… You know, with the Royal Navy, cracking jokes on board is normal.”

Arthur smiled. “Like you said, the Royal Navy. I understand. Back when I was on the Beagle, chasing pirates, they showed me.”

Dumas, upon hearing this, furrowed his brow, recalling some unpleasant experiences.

Napier, scrutinizing the two Frenchmen, suddenly asked the Foreign Office secretary, “Are these two really okay to be here?”

The secretary, smiling, responded, “Whether these two gentlemen are problematic or not depends on who’s in power in France. Given the current situation, their safety might be higher than many Britons, even higher than the average Foreign Office official.”

Unintentional words, but with profound implications.

Dumas and Louis, initially distracted, immediately sensed a whiff of imminent revolutionary victory upon hearing this.

Dumas inquired, “Have you finally grown weary of the rule of that usurper, Louis-Philippe, across the Channel?”

Louis, unable to contain his excitement, his voice trembling, added, “I knew Talleyrand wouldn’t be up to no good in London. He must have gotten a hefty reward for betraying the July Monarchy this time, right?”

Napier, dumbfounded by the two Frenchmen’s reactions, finally realized the situation.

“Oh… So one’s a French political prisoner, and the other is constantly dreaming of restoring Napoleon’s glory in Paris!”

Arthur, taking a sip of his tea, said nonchalantly, “General Napier, how can you blurt out the truth like that? If someday the French government issues a statement condemning Scotland Yard for becoming a haven for Parisian dissidents, you’ll be held half responsible.”

Napier, unable to contain his amusement, slapped his thigh and laughed. “Only half responsible, kid? You’re more righteous than the Admiralty, willing to shoulder the other half.”

“No, General Napier, you’ve misunderstood,” Arthur said, adding some milk to his tea. “The other half of the responsibility falls on Rowan, the Chief Commissioner. He’s the head of Scotland Yard.”

“Oh, my…”

Napier, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but look at Arthur with newfound respect. “Kid, remember what I say. Just based on that last statement, you could easily become the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Admiralty if you ever worked there.”

“Who knows what the future holds?” Arthur shrugged. “Maybe the Under-Secretary of the Admiralty is currently adrift on some sea near South America.”

Dumas chimed in, “If you measure the Under-Secretary of the Admiralty by that standard, then Mr. Carter definitely qualifies. After all, English-speaking monkeys who can swim are rare these days.”

Arthur glanced at Dumas. “True, on this little island, French-speaking monkeys have all been hanged on the beach as spies.”

Dumas jumped, “You have a great memory, Arthur. You still remember that case file?”

Arthur simply shook his head. “I can’t help it. Most of the things I encounter involving France are bizarre and uncanny, leaving a deep impression that I can’t shake.”

Napier, not understanding their conversation, steered the topic back to the matter at hand.

“Since everyone here seems alright, I’ll just state the Foreign Office’s order directly. I need a merchant ship to Portugal, the sooner the better.”

“You need a ship too?”

Arthur rubbed his forehead, finding the situation absurd. “It seems London’s port quarantine policy is being enforced rather forcefully. To be honest, you’re not the first one who came to Liverpool looking for a ticket from me. The US Embassy doesn’t have enough clout to secure a ship to America from London, but how dare the Port Management Company defy even the Foreign Office’s order? Is it really that hard to arrange a ship for you to depart from London?”

The Foreign Office secretary waved his hand. “Mr. Hastings, don’t misunderstand. The Foreign Office certainly has the capability to arrange ships departing from London. However, the current situation is rather special. The Foreign Office doesn’t want General Napier’s trip to Portugal to be known to too many people. Moreover, for the sake of secrecy, the Admiralty hasn’t officially reinstated Mr. Napier’s active service status. They’ve only temporarily returned his uniform and epaulettes to him.”

“This…”

Arthur, initially assuming Napier was dispatched to command the anti-smuggling fleet in Liverpool, immediately realized things were not as simple as he thought.

The two French political activists, however, reacted even faster than Arthur.

They astutely picked up on the keywords “unofficial” and “Portugal,” linking it to Napier’s earlier concerns about their French identities and the recent changes in the European landscape. It was becoming increasingly clear what Napier was going to do.

Louis quietly asked, “Does the Foreign Office intend to intervene in the Portuguese Civil War?”

The Foreign Office secretary, upon hearing this, coughed lightly.

“Officer Bonaparte, please mind your language. This has nothing to do with the Foreign Office. The Foreign Office has never officially announced its intention to intervene in the Miguel War. And, as I mentioned earlier, Mr. Napier doesn’t hold any official Royal Navy title. He’s currently a free agent.

Where he wants to go, what kind of work he wants to do, and how he wants to make money, are all his own business. Britain is a free country, we have no right to inquire into personal matters. Of course, the Foreign Office also encourages and promotes all citizens to contribute to the best of their abilities, utilize their skills to achieve personal fulfillment, and we are happy to provide assistance.”

With the secretary stating this explicitly, Arthur naturally understood his intentions.

It was similar to what Foreign Secretary Viscount Palmerston had said in the House of Commons regarding the Polish issue: “We signed the Treaty of Vienna, but that doesn’t mean we’re obligated to ensure the Russians abide by it.”

Applying this principle, the Foreign Office not officially declaring intervention doesn’t mean they won’t intervene.

Just like during the Greek War of Independence, while Britain was hesitant to formally declare war against the Ottoman Empire, it didn’t stop them from sending a Royal Navy officer corps led by “Bombship Madman” Thomas Cochrane to train the Greek navy.

As a result, the Greek navy adopted a set of British standards, making it a stronghold of pro-British forces.

Andreas Vokos Miaoulis, the Commander-in-Chief of the Greek Navy, who served as Cochrane’s deputy during that time, became a leader of the pro-British faction and was elected as one of the three members of the Greek Supreme Council after the assassination of the President.

With the successful experience in Greece, the Foreign Office was likely considering repeating the same tactic in Portugal.

Britain, a long-standing ally of Portugal with over 400 years of alliance, had maintained a very good relationship since the 14th century.

However, due to the recent “Spanish affairs are always so messy,” Britain no longer considered this former maritime hegemon as a major competitor. Consequently, Portugal, once viewed as an unsinkable fortress on the Iberian Peninsula by the British government, was neglected.

Of course, this couldn’t be entirely blamed on the Foreign Office’s indifference. It’s because Portugal, despite its location in Western Europe, doesn’t resemble a Western European country in terms of population, economy, or natural conditions.

They lack the fertile land of France, the abundant harbors of Britain, and the coal and iron resources necessary for the Industrial Revolution.

Of course, Portugal isn’t entirely devoid of resources. They’re quite rich in mountains, bad water, and troublesome people.

The Iberian Peninsula bestowed its best sunshine upon Spain, while sending its worst natural conditions to Portugal.

However, the harsh mountains, plateaus, and other terrains within Portugal don’t always play a negative role. They are quite popular with military enthusiasts.

These mountains not only protected Portugal from the Spaniards who always coveted its territory, but they also provided significant assistance to the Duke of Wellington, who led the British forces to land in Portugal during the Peninsular War.

Wellington, known for his defensive tactics, fully utilized these advantageous terrains, reclaiming a large part of the Iberian Peninsula that had fallen to Napoleon.

The harsh natural conditions also forced the Portuguese to become “the first crabs to seek sustenance from the sea,” with the Age of Discovery originating from this barren land.

However, the glory of the Age of Discovery has become a relic of the past. Today’s Portugal not only receives little attention from other European countries, but even their own royalty doesn’t hold much regard for this land.

In 1817, due to their dissatisfaction with their impoverished homeland, the Portuguese colony of Brazil erupted in a revolution for independence, proclaiming the establishment of the Republic of Brazil.

Although this republic lasted only 76 days, it dealt a heavy blow to Portugal, which was already struggling to maintain its existence, and it also gave the opposition within Portugal a glimpse of another possibility.

In 1820, influenced by the liberal winds brought by the French Revolution, the Portuguese people launched a revolution, forcing King João VI of Portugal to flee to Brazil.

Ultimately, after a year of back-and-forth, João VI finally reached an agreement with the Constituent Assembly, ending his exile and returning to his country on the condition of abolishing absolutism and establishing a constitutional monarchy. Prince Pedro, João VI’s heir, was left in Brazil to manage the region.

Upon discovering this situation, the members of the Constituent Assembly immediately approached the king, uttering strange phrases like “The prince is of royal blood and should not remain in the barbarian lands for long,” demanding that the king recall the prince.

Furthermore, these members, who deeply looked down upon Brazil, passed legislation to demote Brazil, which had already been elevated to the status of a kingdom, back to an overseas province of Portugal, essentially a colony.

This naturally sparked outrage among the Brazilians, with calls for independence echoing once again throughout the streets of Brazil.

At this critical juncture, Prince Pedro, who had been left by the king to manage Brazil, resolutely chose to stay in Brazil, taking on the mantle of leader of the Brazilian independence movement.

This prince, who had accompanied his father to exile in Brazil during the Napoleonic Wars, had a deep affection for this land. To prevent Brazil from returning to colonial status, Prince Pedro even made pronouncements that seemed utterly absurd even to his father.

Upon receiving the news, Prince Pedro, enraged, exclaimed, “If there’s to be a merger, it should be the fourth-rate, impoverished country of Portugal joining the first-rate country of Brazil, not the other way around!”

Later, Prince Pedro formally issued a statement to the world: “For the benefit of all and for the well-being of the entire nation, I have decided to tell everyone that I will remain in Brazil.”

Subsequently, he officially declared his refusal to comply with the demands of the Portuguese Constituent Assembly.

Upon learning of this, the Constituent Assembly, with a “one-step-at-a-time” approach, immediately declared the Brazilian government illegal and issued a threat of war against Brazil.

At the time, Prince Pedro, having just finished training with his cavalry unit and resting by the Ipiranga River, upon receiving the news, immediately stomped the official letter into the mud with his riding boot.

He climbed back onto his horse and announced to his soldiers, “The time has come! Independence or death! We’re breaking away from Portugal!”

The Constituent Assembly, upon hearing this, immediately dispatched a punitive force to Brazil.

On October 12, just before the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, Pedro I was crowned in Rio de Janeiro as the “Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil.”

After years of squabbling between Portugal and Brazil, the Portuguese ultimately couldn’t conquer the Brazilian navy, trained by “Bombship Madman” Cochrane, who had been discharged from the Royal Navy.

Seeing his son’s remarkable achievements, João VI, while heartbroken over his own descent into a constitutional monarch, was also quite pleased that his son had become the Emperor of Brazil.

Therefore, João VI eventually accepted Brazil’s independence.

Prince Pedro dared to challenge his old man, and his younger brother was no less heroic.

With the principle of “half a teenager can beat an old man,” while his elder brother, Prince Pedro, led Brazil in a “teach daddy a lesson” campaign, his younger brother, Prince Miguel, became the leader of the Portuguese absolutists, seizing the opportunity while his father was flustered and preoccupied to launch his “destroy dad” operation.

In 1823, the absolutists, led by Prince Miguel, suddenly struck, marching directly toward the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, demanding the dissolution of Parliament and the abolition of the constitution.

João VI, burdened with two filial challengers, had no choice but to make concessions to the rebels, bestowing the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Army upon Prince Miguel.

The old king thought that his son would finally settle down, but unexpectedly, Prince Miguel launched another attack the following year. However, this time, João VI, prepared for the challenge, showed him what it meant to be “your dad is ultimately your dad.”

The rebels suffered a crushing defeat, and Prince Miguel was arrested. Subsequently, João VI declared Prince Miguel an unwelcome person and ordered his expulsion from the country, forcing Miguel to flee to Austria and seek refuge under Metternich’s protection.

In 1826, while eating, João VI accidentally choked to death.

While this method of death sounded as unreliable as the Tsar’s stroke, the pragmatic Portuguese quickly accepted the reality.

The king’s unexpected death brought a new problem: he hadn’t designated a clear successor before passing away.

Thus, Portugal once again erupted in a “heated debate” over the right of succession. The liberals supported João VI’s eldest son, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, to inherit the Portuguese throne, while the absolutists supported his younger son, Prince Miguel.

In their pursuit of the throne, the liberals, who controlled the government, struck first. They preemptively declared Pedro the rightful heir to the Portuguese throne.

The absolutists, however, claimed that the liberals were acting unconstitutionally, arguing that Prince Pedro couldn’t inherit the Portuguese throne while being Emperor of Brazil.

Seeing the two factions on the verge of clashing in the suburbs of Lisbon, Pedro, eager to resolve the issue, hastily issued a Grand Charter in 1826, replacing the constitution drafted in 1822.

To bridge the gap between the two factions, Pedro also declared that he wouldn’t inherit the Portuguese throne, instead passing the title to his seven-year-old daughter Maria. His brother, the leader of the absolutists, Prince Miguel, would marry this seven-year-old niece.

According to Pedro’s proposal, Prince Miguel would act as regent until Queen Maria came of age.

Once Maria reached adulthood, Portugal would be ruled jointly by the couple.

“I call you brother, you call me dad, we’re family after all. Now, we’re even closer. Let’s just make do and get along. What else can we do?”

While Pedro’s intentions were noble, Prince Miguel clearly didn’t share his brother’s views.

Not fond of lolis, nor of his niece, and without any intention of lowering his status, Prince Miguel, whose thinking was deeply rooted in Catholic piety, outwardly agreed to his brother’s proposal. But upon his return to Portugal in 1828, things quickly escalated toward a civil war.

Prince Miguel, upon gaining power, immediately turned against his brother.

He refused to accept the Grand Charter, declared the restoration of absolute monarchy, and, following ancient tradition, convened a meeting of the Three Estates, consisting of clergy, nobility, and commoners, and crowned himself King of Portugal.

Furthermore, he had already secured recognition from the United States, Russia, Spain, and the Papacy, ready to engage in a showdown with his elder brother.

The Portuguese Civil War officially began in 1829.

The British government had initially remained indifferent to the Portuguese Civil War, as they had little interest in such a financially unrewarding domestic dispute.

However, the July Revolution in France in 1830, followed by the issues of Belgian independence and the Polish uprising, finally aroused the Foreign Office’s sense of alarm.

While the British Foreign Office wasn’t a neighborhood committee gossip or the Inquisition, if they continued to ignore this tangled mess…

If the Portuguese liberals won, they might lean towards France, while if the absolutists won, they might lean towards Austria or Russia.

Arthur, upon realizing this, finally had a clear understanding of General Napier’s sudden visit.

It seemed he couldn’t refuse this task.

Arthur sighed. “Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange a ship as soon as possible. But… the Foreign Office still has the energy to care about Iberia? It’s true what people say about Viscount Palmerston’s boundless energy.”

The Foreign Office secretary, relieved that the issue was resolved, also relaxed.

Leaning his hand on the table, he said, “Who wouldn’t say so? He’s been giving us all a hard time. The Viscount is simply using us as donkeys. However, Mr. Hastings, we haven’t seen each other in a long time. You’ve been through a lot too! Remember me? We’ve met at the Foreign Office.”

Arthur, upon hearing this, took another look at the man, then slapped his forehead. “Ah! You’re the clerk from the Electorate of Hesse-Kassel in Germany?”

(End of Chapter)