Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 62: A Request From Uncle

Napoleon I and II exchanged glances, they were taken aback by Murat’s statement.

"Unify huh?" Napoleon I stroke his chin, contemplating the idea.

"Why do you think you can unify the Apennine Peninsula, and under your leadership?"

"It’s because I want my kingdom to be as strong as France. You’ll need a strong ally and I don’t think there’s any country in Europe willing to fill that part. You can say Austrian Empire but do you really think you can count on it? Just because your mother is an Austrian archduchess?"

Napoleon II leaned forward slightly, elbows near the table but not resting on it.

"You’re asking to redraw Italy," he said. "That’s not ambition. That’s disruption."

Murat did not flinch. "Italy is already disrupted. Divided states, foreign garrisons, competing crowns. Naples is the only one with an army that’s been tested properly."

Napoleon I exhaled through his nose. "Tested because I put it there."

"And because I kept it intact," Murat replied. "I didn’t lose it. I didn’t fracture it. My officers are loyal. My cavalry still moves faster than anyone else south of the Alps."

Napoleon II turned his head slightly toward his father. "He’s not wrong about Austria."

Napoleon I nodded once. "Austria cooperates when it benefits Austria."

Murat took the opening. "Exactly. They will smile, sign, and stall. Italy will remain a chessboard. If France wants a stable southern flank, it needs a single authority there. Preferably one that doesn’t answer to Vienna."

"Well, what’s the situation in the north? Father, perhaps you can fill me in now in the geopolitics of northern Italy now that I’m the Emperor."

"There’s nothing much I can say to the matter as I’m not focused on the internal affairs of another nation," Napoleon I said.

Napoleon II looked at Murat. "Are you sure that the Kingdom of Naples, you are a popular leader, that everyone likes you?"

"Of course, if I am not, then I would have been deposed by the mobs," Murat confidently said.

Napoleon II looked at his father. "What do you think father? Supporting uncle Murat here gives as a strategic advantage in the south and in the Mediterranean."

"I don’t know, the Italian states are fragmented and probably loyal to their states, not to a nationalization. Piedmont is an independent country, Lombardy and Venetia are controlled by the Austrian Empire, and not to mention the Papal States, Tuscany, and Sicily."

"Uncle Murat, why do you need our help again? Because looking back, you said that you are an industrialized state with a strong economy, so what’s stopping you from showing off the progress and then telling those states to unify?"

"Well because if I do that, the Austrians would react from the North and in the south, Sicily has an alliance with the British Empire. We need France to make them stay in their place."

"Hmm, so you want France to act like a deterrent to Austria and the British Empire?" Napoleon II noted.

"That’s precisely it," Murat confirmed.

"But if we openly declared support for the unification of Italy, the coalition powers would see France wanting to expand its influence again," Napoleon I said, "We don’t want to risk another coalition war."

"I agree," Napoleon II said.

"So you are not lending a hand to me?" Murat asked, his expression was that of disappointment.

"We didn’t say that," Napoleon II said. "I want to know what the Piedmontese’s take on unification is. Have you reached out to them with a proposal of a unified Italian state?"

"I did, in fact, I got the idea from the Piedmontese itself. Their prime minister visited me in Naples," Murat finished. "He didn’t come asking for annexation. He came asking whether a southern anchor existed if the north ever moved."

Napoleon II’s eyes narrowed slightly. "So Piedmont is testing the ground."

"Yes," Murat said. "They know Austria won’t loosen its grip willingly. They also know they can’t challenge it alone. What they’re looking for is assurance that if they move, they won’t be isolated."

Napoleon I folded his arms. "And you told them what?"

"That Naples would not oppose a broader Italian framework," Murat replied. "But I also told them I wouldn’t move unless France stayed neutral at minimum. Preferably attentive."

Napoleon II leaned back, considering. "Piedmont leading the north, Naples anchoring the south. That leaves the center."

"The Papal States," Murat said. "But we can handle it, we are just going to make some concessions and then once we secure it, we are going to move to Sicily. We can do either diplomacy or war. And I was told that the Sicilians are feeling the same way as the people in other Italian states do, unification."

"So who will become the King of Italy once it’s unified?" Napoleon II asked.

"Naturally, it would be me," Murat answered.

"In that case, we can definitely support your unification," Napoleon II said.

"Wait, son, what are you doing? Do you really intend to go to war again with the coalition? In your first year? That’s your foreign policy? Intervention?"

"Father, relax, I have an idea. An idea that would need the participation of the Piedmontese."

"Ohh...that’s more like it," Murat grinned. "So, what’s your idea?"

Napoleon II smiled. "It’s simple really. Northern Italy wants independence from the Austrian Empire. So to achieve that, they’ll have to rebel against the Austrians. And of course, they can’t defeat the Austrians so that’s where the Piedmontese will come in. They will support the rebels in Venetia and Lombardy, and make Austria wage war against the Piedmontese. The moment they declare war, we will join in."

"How?" Napoleon I asked.

"By entering into a defensive alliance with the Piedmontese. We can only intervene in a defensive war, and that cannot be seen as an aggressive move from us, and thus won’t alert the coalition forces. Besides, they are fighting for their freedom, it’s a morally justified cause," Napoleon II finished.

"Austria cannot openly crush a rebellion and still claim legitimacy. If they do, Piedmont responds. If Piedmont is attacked, we are bound to intervene. On paper, France does nothing more than honor a defensive treaty."

Napoleon I folded his arms, listening closely now.

"You’re counting on Britain and Prussia accepting the paperwork," he said.

"I’m counting on them preferring paperwork to war," Napoleon II replied. "Neither of them wants another continental conflict over Lombardy. Not when it can be framed as Austria mishandling its own territories."

Murat leaned forward, interest sharpening. "And Naples?"

"You’ll support them morally but you stay neutral. And once it’s done, we can focus on Sicily."