Chapter 63 Victory without a fight (Part 1)

In September 1806, the stupid Prussian king, instigated by his queen, joined forces with Russia and Britain to form the fourth anti-French alliance.

In October of that year, Napoleon declared war on Berlin in Paris. Soon, the two armies held a battle with Alstette in Jena. Napoleon wiped out the Prussian army and took advantage of the victory to occupy most of Prussian territory. The French entered Berlin in line.

Afterwards, although the Prussian royal family once fled to East Prussia with the support of Russia and continued to resist, it was difficult to save the defeat. In July 1807, Napoleon expressed his grace extrajudicial grace and signed the "Tirsit Peace Treaty" with the defeated Prussian King Law.

According to the provisions of this peace treaty: all the territories captured by Prussia in Poland were deprived of them and the Duchy of Warsaw was formed on these territories; all the territories on the left bank of the Elbe River in Prussia were transferred to the newly established Kingdom of Westphalia (Napoleon's younger brother, Jerome, served as king); the Prussian army was ordered to cut from 140,000 to 50,000 (initially 40,000); Prussia paid 150,000 French francs in reparations, 150,000 French troops were stationed in East and West Prussia, and the Governor's Office was located in the free port of Danze until the reparations were paid and withdrawn. The treaty reduced Prussia's population and territory by half, directly to the embarrassing position of third-class European countries.

The disastrous defeat of the war and the signing of the humiliating peace treaty made countless Germans (Prussians) more and more clearly see the huge gap between them and advanced France. Including thinkers Fichte, Hegel, military reformers Gnezenau, Schánhorst, political reformers Baron Stein, Hardenberg and others, they wrote letters to the King of Prussia to implement military and political reforms to the country.

Baron Carl von Stein was appointed Prime Minister of the Cabinet by Frederick William III in September 1807, carrying out all-round political reforms involving the country, and promulgated the famous "October Edict", including allowing citizens to participate in politics to awaken their nationalist emotions; releasing serfs; implementing local autonomy; reorganizing central government agencies, and supporting industrial and commercial development.

However, Prime Minister Stein had a strong nationalist feeling in his heart and openly opposed Emperor Napoleon who controlled the fate of Prussia. After he took power, he made it his diplomatic center to force the French army to withdraw from Prussia and get rid of Napoleon's constraints.

In the first half of 1808, the Spanish anti-French national uprising was greatly excited by Stein. He miscalculated the political and military situation, advocated that the whole Germany should support the brewing Austrian anti-French war, united Britain and Russia, and held an uprising in North Germany. He believed that the time for the people of Europe to resist the "evil tyrants" and "liberate the motherland for the Germans" had arrived.

Just after the French ambassador to Berlin intercepted the above information and reported it to Paris, Napoleon became furious and forced King William III to remove Stein from his post as prime minister, forcing the prime minister to flee abroad.

However, the newly succeeded Altenstein cabinet showed mediocrity and incompetence. By the spring of 1810, the chaos in Prussia was out of control. In October, Frederick William III appointed former Foreign Minister, 60-year-old Carl August von Hardenburg as prime minister, and authorized the formation of a cabinet to continue the unfinished reform cause of the former Prime Minister.

Unlike the liberal democratic practices believed in by Stein, Hardenburg was more inclined to the old form of enlightened and authoritarian rule, which belonged to a "good-intentioned revolution". In addition, Hardenburg had long been involved in the diplomatic stage and participated in a series of negotiations with France. He was famous in European politics for his sleek and sophisticated skills, and played an important role in maintaining the highest status of Prussia.

But in October, after Hardenburg ascended the throne of Prussian Prime Minister, he also faced a difficult choice similar to Stein.

Just this morning, Hardenburg accompanied His Majesty William III at the Palace of Cezlienhof (Berlin) in Potstan, to accept severe reprimand by Napoleon's envoy, saying that Prussia is secretly uniting Britain, Russia and Sweden to conspire to implement a new round of anti-French alliance.

William III immediately denied it, saying that all this was a rumor, and that he and his cabinet would never do anything to harm the interests of the French Empire. The impatient Frenchman simply took out a document, threw it directly at the feet of the Prussian king, and turned around and left.

When Hardenburg saw the title of the document, he knew that something was wrong, because the document was the document he and Queen Louise entrusted General Gnezenau to secretly sign an alliance with diplomatic envoys from Russia, Britain and Sweden. Although there was no clear opposition to France or Napoleon in the secret treaty, the lines were expressed intently to restore the political landscape of 1793.

William III couldn't help but sigh. He turned around and looked helplessly at the Prime Minister in front of him. Hardenburg's eyes were bright and intelligent. His expression was gentle but not without solemnity. He was one of the most outstanding and talented people of that era.

The Prussian king was not stupid, he was just indecisive in character. Of course, he knew that Hardenburg had made the same mistake as Stein and was eager to achieve success. However, William III, who was kind-hearted, did not blame this prime minister for being capable. Before leaving, the king only said, "If I need to go to Paris to explain, please notify me one day in advance!"

However, misfortune never comes alone!

Just as Hardenburg was worried about the leak of the Stockholm Secret Agreement, General Naizenau suddenly heard a bad news from Warsaw: Andrew Desay, the new monarch of the Duchy of Warsaw, has incited 20,000 or 30,000 Polish troops in the military camp in the southern suburbs of Warsaw, and will unite Austria and Saxony to launch a criminal war to invade Prussian Silesia.

Prime Minister Hardenburg was angry. He accused him with no aristocratic style: "Damn, this Andrew bastard didn't just get the Danze Corridor, and now he is not satisfied. He still wants to plot against Silesia! Damn Sarasen and Austria, they forgot that they are also a member of the German family, and actually assist our enemies and attack their compatriots!"

However, anger and abuse cannot resist the massive attacks of the Poles. When Hardenburg regained his sanity, he had to seriously consider how to deal with the imminent crisis.

Diplomatic approach? Obviously not very reliable.

For their own interests, the Austrians and the Saxons have completely betrayed Prussia and become accomplices of the Poles;

The countries of the Rhine Federation, which were in the hands of Napoleon, would not support the Prussians who were also German people;

Russia has reconciled with the Principality of Warsaw and is fighting with Türkiye, and will never risk opening up the Western front;

The ambiguous relationship between Britain and Desai is known throughout Europe, and the greatest possibility will only be in a neutral position;

And the Swedish regent Crown Prince, Bernardoth, would not support the war between Prussia and Poland, even if the latter belonged to the invaders;

As for Denmark, it would be better if Norway didn't say it, but they were weak in their national strength and could not expect anything;

Therefore, the only diplomatic efforts could only be placed in Paris, in the Palace of Duille, and in Napoleon. But now, the emperor is angry at Prussia's betrayal, and it is impossible to restrain the Duchy of Warsaw, and even secretly encourage it.

Therefore, Prime Minister Hardenburg turned his attention to General Nezenau, and he asked in a deep voice: "Please tell me whether our army can defeat the Principality of Warsaw alone, the three-nation coalition of Austria and Saxony!"
Chapter completed!