Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 3: The Legend: Archduke Karl

Having said everything he could, Franz had barely convinced his mother to let him arrange his own schedule. Even so, his schedule went on basically uninterrupted, regardless of the fact that some things had been cut.

Courses Franz thought of as useless were trimmed down, like religion, language, and art. Even time spent studying politics would have been diminished if not for the persistent objections of Princess Sophie.

The main reason Franz thought these subjects useless was that they remain unchanged from a hundred years ago: nobility was supreme, chivalry was holy...

There wasn't much left that interested Franz save for the exaggerated might of supremacy. Work on kingcraft was shortened, and underhanded trickery was totally removed.

His studies concerning said might include lines like this: An emperor who showed his wrath could bring even warlords to their knees…

Was this meant to bring up an emperor, or to sway the subjects?

If an emperor were nurtured based on such an idea, then in the complicated situation of Austria, he would surely be sent to the guillotine before long.

If nothing got in the way, Franz would inherit the throne of this ancient empire after two years. It was 1846 already, which meant time was running out for him.

Should he take part in politics early?

This was obviously impossible. Anything that would change the big picture of history would also bring uncertainty to the future, so Franz was not going to take risks before the succession.

He could try, of course, if he insisted, but he couldn't expect to have much of a voice in important matters as a wimpy 16-year-old kid. Though an heir to the throne he may have been, Franz couldn't change his age, which appeared as a weakness in politics.

However, this didn't stop him from stirring things up. More often than not, a man behind the curtain has the edge over a soldier on the front lines. For example, Franz was about to visit a legend: Archduke Karl.

As the most legendary general, he had defeated the French army many times, and he was promoted to Marshal at the age of 25. Not to mention, he was the only general among the Allies whom Napoleon feared.

If it hadn't been = for the Viennese government's inability to make use of the good hand they'd drawn, the Napoleonic War would have been ended before the Russians stepped in, and Austria wouldn't have had to lose the Netherlands. A man who highlighted the emperor's incompetence undoubtedly led to no good, especially when that man was Archduke Karl, who came from the royal family.

Fortunately, the Austrian Emperor Franz I, Franz's grandfather, was not ruthless, allowing this stalwart Marshal to remain active. However, ability in military science didn't equate to effectiveness in politics; after they used the Archduke to reform the Austrian army, his political opponents played a little trick to try to make him quit and return home.

Since then, Archduke Karl had concentrated on studying military theories and composing military books such as "The Tactics of Generals," "Strategic Principles of the German War in 1796," "The History of German and Swiss Wars in 1799," and so on.

A great militarist of the generation had emerged. Archduke Karl believed that military science consisted of two parts: strategy and tactics.

Strategy was the science of the supreme commanders, whose task it was to draw up a war plan and determine military operations. Tactics, subordinate to strategy, were the art of commanders at all levels.

Both strategy and tactics were composed of specific rules or principles, and the essentials were to correctly figure out the armed forces needed to achieve the intended purpose and to make sure the two components, strategy and tactics, worked in harmony. No matter what the force, it was critical to maneuver at just the right time for the best effect. Therefore, the most effective way to win was to rally the troops and correctly judge the timing.

Another point was to form an overwhelming advantage in a vital location. The strength of the forces referred not only to the number of troops but also to the morale of the army, the commanders' ability, and the terrain conditions, among other things.

Archduke Karl also divided combat into attack and defense: the attacker's role was considered to be more favorable, while the defense was only strong if it was planned in such a way that it could become an attack.

He introduced the concept of "military reserves," which were needed for battlefield emergencies, whether attacking or defending.

Archduke Karl believed the commander, whose skills were not innate but rather born of knowledge and experience, was a decisive factor in the life and death of the country and millions of people.

A qualified commander-in-chief needed a deep understanding of the essence of war, careful study of the laws of military action and their practical applications, and the ability to apply both his own experience and that of others as he skillfully handled various military principles.

It would be a shame if Franz, as a reincarnation, did not use such a talented martial artist.

As for military reform, it appeared to be the right way to go, but Franz was well aware that conservative forces in the military were often stronger than most people might imagine. Any reform was highly liable to insult the targeted parties, and inevitably, they would bite back. Franz was too weak to face such a reality.

If Franz proposed the reform, it was entirely possible that everyone would laugh at it, or maybe even say something behind his back about how such an idiotic kid should go jump in the lake.

On the other hand, if it was Archduke Karl who proposed the reform, everyone would sit down and think about it, whether they agreed with it or not.

"Archduke, please, wait a moment; my master will come out soon!"

The housekeeper spoke with polite unease in his tone, thinking it was a bad idea to keep Franz waiting like this, since he was not a duke who might pass in a crowd.

In truth, the housekeeper's worry was baseless, because Archduke Karl was like a grandfather to Franz, and he had seniority.

Beyond that, with his influence in the Imperial Army, Franz had no choice but to show respect, especially since he had come to visit with the excuse of studying the military.

"I've no problem waiting here. Also, bring me a pot of tea; I prefer it to coffee of late!" Franz said with a smile on his face.

Fran wasn't faking it—he really wasn't angry. Anyway, there was no need at all to bother about a person who would drop dead within the year.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Franz was still drinking tea and reading the newspaper, without a trace of impatience.

"Little Franz, long time, no see. How you've grown!"

A cheery voice sounded. Franz knew it was Archduke Karl, for no one else dared speak to him like that.

"Dear Marshal, when you call my name, can you please leave out the word 'little'? I am 16 years old already!" Franz said without much hope.

"Is that right? My little Franz has grown up? Then, how can I help today?" asked Karl, showing his concern.

So "Little Franz" it was again. It was what it was. There was nothing much Franz could do, since Karl was a brother of his grandfather.

"Sir Marshal, I come for advice today about your military work, having been deep in thought after reading your books."

"Well, let's talk then, and I'll be sure to put all your confusion to rest." Karl roared with laughter.

"It is your theory on the commandership, about which I found little has been done by the Imperial Army. A lot of problems have not been solved!" Franz said.