The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 801 - 599: Plan for Greece_2

One cannot help but marvel at the complex web of blood relations that exist among European royal families. The Greek royal family shares ancestry with the British Royal Family, and George was also one of Queen Victoria’s great-grandsons.

Moreover, after George married Charlotte and gained support from Australasia, the life of Constantine I and Crown Prince George in Switzerland was quite comfortable.

A turning point occurred in 1920 when King Alexander was bitten by a monkey in the Royal Palace and developed an infection a few days later, which worsened and became life-threatening.@@@@

As exaggerated as it might seem, this is a true event in Greek history.

Penicillin from Australasia was not yet public knowledge, and the world’s only way to combat infection at the time was to endure it.

Clearly, King Alexander was not favored by Lady Luck, and he soon ended his brief reign.

With no male heir, the Greek throne ultimately fell into the hands of Constantine I, the former king, and Crown Prince George eventually returned to Greece.

The rest of the story is well-known: under Constantine I’s rule, Greece lost the Greco-Turkish War, and the royal family was held responsible.

Constantine I was once again deposed, and Crown Prince George succeeded him, becoming George II.

However, the story of George II differed from that of his grandfather, George I. Although George I ruled Greece for 50 years without any significant achievements, he was fairly popular in the country.

In contrast, George II, because of his father and brother, did not enjoy high support in Greece and was forced to abdicate due to a revolution that year.

Greece is currently known as the Second Hellenic Republic, and the former Greek royal family no longer exists. George II, Charlotte, and some Greek royal family members have gone into exile in other European nations, waiting for the opportunity for the restoration of the throne.

Hearing King George V’s question, Arthur smiled and nodded, saying helplessly, "The situation in Greece cannot be changed by Australasia alone. How could I possibly wage a war for her personal interests to force Greece back into a monarchy?"

Interfering in the Greek revolution would cause many troubles, and European nations would not welcome Australasia forcefully intervening in Europe.

Even worse, such actions might damage Australasia’s reputation among European nations, causing their goodwill toward Australasia to fade. Stay connected via novelhall.Côm

Arthur nodded, finding the British thought process not at all surprising.

A nation like Greece, although nowhere near the powers, could sometimes provide considerable help.

Especially since Britain is not on the European continent, it should curry favor with the smaller European nations even more, forming a vast alliance that at times can be more effective than one’s own military power.

Compared to the British, the French control fewer European nations. This has led to France, although the strongest country on the European continent, being constrained, and the British concern over France has significantly reduced, nowhere near as much as when Germany once was the strongest country on the continent.

"Arthur, would you be interested in joining our action? Helping that fellow George return to the Greek throne would, I believe, ease some of your worries," King George V said with a smile.

Supporting the restoration of George II was not of significant benefit to Australasia, but it still held a slight advantage for Arthur.

After all, Arthur’s own sister, Charlotte, was the wife of George II, and the future princes and princesses of the Greek royal family would be Arthur’s nephews and nieces.

Although in Europe there is no such saying as maternal uncles holding significant influence, the blood ties among close relatives are still quite reliable, and they would help each other when possible.

All things considered, the restoration of the Greek monarchy holds no disadvantages for both Britain and Arthur.

Especially for Arthur. The strength of a nation is measured by its comprehensive national power and military might, which include the economy, industry, and performance on the real battlefield.

The stability and strength of a royal family’s position rely more upon its status and prestige within the European royal families, as well as the level of support it receives in Europe.

If Arthur wished to establish an empire in the future, he would need as much support as possible from other European royal families to legitimize his title as Emperor.

Only if Arthur’s own title of nobility is recognized by the European royal families will the nobility he bestows, including future dukes and princes, be acknowledged by the European nobility and become a part of it.

German nobles currently hold a favorable view of Arthur, and together with the British Royal Family and the Greek royal family, as well as the related Russian Royal House, Arthur could be said to have garnered the support of some of the most critical royal families in Europe. This is the real reason for Arthur’s relatively stable and high status among the European royalty.

It was for this reason that Arthur did not reject King George V’s proposal. With the British taking the lead, Australasia need not worry about criticism from other countries.

For two powers to join forces and control the political situation of a nation is simple enough, all the more so when paired with Britain, the strongest nation in Europe.