I am the Crown Prince of France

Chapter 353: Catherine II's Ambition

To prevent Austria and Prussia from aligning their interests, Joseph knew he first had to stop the partition of Poland. For him, that meant Sweden would have to bear some hardship.

If the King of Sweden, Gustav III, knew what Joseph was thinking, he would probably give him a thumbs up and say, "You're something else, you're so noble!"

Of course, Joseph wasn't planning to let Russia expand unchecked. On the contrary, he was very wary of Russia's endless territorial ambitions. The title "Europe's Gendarme" wasn't given lightly. If Russia, a massive nation, got the hang of warfare, its armies would sweep across the heart of Europe. In fact, just twenty years later, in 1814, Russian forces marched into Paris with Tsar Alexander I.

The reason Joseph was pushing Russia towards the Swedish front was because he knew Sweden could definitely withstand Russia's fierce assault. Even if the Battle of Svensksund didn't go in Sweden's favor, they would eventually turn the tide with a decisive victory.

The reason was simple—Britain was standing behind Sweden.

Britain, which closely watched Russia's expansion, had always adhered to a policy of maintaining a balance of power on the continent, refusing to allow any single power to dominate Europe. For them, Sweden served as the frontline fortress against Russia's westward advance.

As for Poland, the British weren't as concerned. Even if Russia managed to annex Poland, the entirety of Germany, including Austria and Prussia, would stand in its way, making it difficult for Russia to push further west.

But if Sweden were to fall, Russia would have free rein over the Baltic Sea, and Britain would likely find itself facing the Russian military directly.

Historically, Russia secured several victories early in the war against Sweden, prompting Britain to intervene forcefully. Britain allied with Prussia to pressure Denmark, Russia's ally, into withdrawing from the war. Once Denmark was out, Sweden could concentrate all its efforts against Russia and, with significant British aid, eventually defeated the Russians and regained all the territory lost earlier in the war through the Treaty of Värälä.

So Joseph fully supported Russia's war with Sweden, as it would give Poland more time to consolidate itself as a nation and also draw Britain into the conflict, thereby exhausting them. For France, this was a low-cost strategy—just words, no need for actual involvement.

However, to Queen Marie Antoinette, this all sounded too overwhelming.

After listening to Russian Ambassador Stroganov, her eyes widened as she tried to recall if Talleyrand had ever submitted such a significant national strategy for her approval.

Stroganov, thinking she was in agreement, leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "Your Majesty, the Emperor is grateful for your stance. As Prussia and Austria are fiercely battling in Silesia and France is heavily involved there, the Emperor fully understands your claims on the Low Countries and is ready to support you."

"But..." Queen Marie was still puzzling over the Swedish situation when this new revelation hit her, leaving her even more confused. France had no intentions regarding the Low Countries—was the Russian ambassador drunk?

Had Joseph been present, he would have been shocked. With French troops still stationed at the Liège border and Luxembourg legally still belonging to Austria, Catherine II had already discerned his intentions for the Southern Netherlands. This woman truly deserved her reputation as one of Russia's most brilliant rulers, with strategic foresight that outshone many of Europe's great powers.

Of course, she was projecting her own ambitions onto France's strategy. In reality, Joseph was only interested in the southern Walloon region. Biting off more than one can chew is never wise.

Stroganov continued, "However, the Emperor believes France's ambitions shouldn't stop at the Low Countries."

Queen Marie quickly shook her head. "I've never thought of the Low Countries as..."

"Yes, I understand." The Russian ambassador thought she meant that the Low Countries were not the ultimate goal and quickly nodded. "The Emperor agrees. He believes your sights are set on the vast Rhine."

He raised his right hand to his chest and made a strong gesture. "But that will be a very difficult goal to achieve. I don't doubt your power, but believe me, facing all of Germany alone would provoke hostility from Britain, the Italian states, and even Sweden. It would be a long and costly war for France."

"But if France and Russia join forces, things would be different. Once the Emperor's forces cross Poland—of course, after the war with Sweden ends—they can offer strong support from Austria's eastern front. As for the next steps, that would require further discussion between you and the Emperor."

Stroganov's message was clear—Catherine II wanted to team up with the powerful woman of France to carve up Europe from both the east and west!

France would take the western banks of the Rhine, and Russia would claim eastern Sweden and Poland. Eventually, the two armies would converge on Austria from both directions.

Where to stop would be up to the two women to decide.

After processing this barrage of ideas, Queen Marie finally concluded that the Russian ambassador was drunk.

Low Countries? The Rhine? Facing all of Germany?

Even drinking only wine wouldn't get someone this drunk—he must have downed a whole bottle of vodka!

Once she figured this out, she quickly regained her composure, smiling at Stroganov with the patience one would have for an inebriated guest. "You're quite the jokester. Perhaps you need a little rest? De Berninac, please prepare a room for our guest..."

Stroganov hesitated, then realized he had conveyed everything necessary. The Queen's response suggested she needed time to consider.

So he bowed and said, "Then I shall not interrupt your enjoyment of the art any longer."

Far away in Luxembourg, Joseph had no idea that his recent maneuvers had sparked such grand ambitions in Catherine II. If Queen Marie did indeed choose her granddaughter as the Prince's bride, it would undoubtedly cause a seismic shift across Europe.

(End of Chapter)

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