Chapter 260: Conjectures in opposite directions
While the Italian government discussed their plans for unification, Pope Pius IX of Rome was filled with concern. He had accepted Austria-Hungary's promise of protection, but he couldn't help but question where Austria's troops were when Italy was at the doorstep.
The Adriatic Sea separated the Papal State from Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Navy, while not weak, couldn't directly face off against the Italian Army on land. Italy had faced humiliation in the Battle of Lissa, and its navy was relatively weak during this period.
The Pope was surrounded by Italian territory, and any attempt to resist Italian annexation seemed futile, considering the strength of the Italian Kingdom. Even the Pope's own army, known as the Zuav Legion, was made up of diverse nationalities and was not capable of defending against Italy.
In the past, French troops had been stationed to support the Pope, but their withdrawal led to a chain reaction, with some of the Pope's soldiers resigning. Without the French, they were reluctant to face the Italian Army directly.
Pius IX, growing increasingly uneasy, sought guidance from Freud, the Austro-Hungarian special envoy. He had agreed to certain conditions hastily, but now he began to doubt whether Austria-Hungary could truly protect the Papal State.
Freud, however, had been waiting for this moment. He assured the Pope that the conspiracy of the Kingdom of Italy would not succeed and that Austria-Hungary had a plan in place. Pius IX, anxious and desperate, grasped at this lifeline.
When Pius IX asked about Austria-Hungary's plan to counter Italy, Freud replied vaguely, stating that Italy's conspiracy would fail. However, Pius IX was insistent on knowing more.
He inquired about Venice and Lombardy, suspecting that Austria-Hungary's plan might revolve around the eastern regions. But Pius IX also knew that such a plan would likely result in the Papal State being subjugated, and his own safety was uncertain.
Freud assured the Pope that he need not worry. He hinted that the Austro-Hungarian Empire had foreseen the Franco-Prussian War's developments and already had a plan to ensure the Pope's safety.
Pius IX, realizing that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was closely monitoring Rome's situation, began to think about Austria-Hungary's intentions more clearly. Perhaps they intended to incite opponents of Italy, such as the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, to rebel after Austria-Hungary declared war on Italy, thereby dismembering the Kingdom of Italy.
Pius IX's understanding of Austria-Hungary's plans brought him a sense of relief, as he believed that Italy would be hard-pressed to deal with such a well-thought-out strategy. He thought that Italy would first need to defeat Austria-Hungary's army before worrying about countering forces opposing its unification. In reality, Pius IX had misunderstood Austria-Hungary's true intentions, and his perception of an Austro-Hungarian spy was none other than Ernst, who was merely a disruptive agent in Italy's unification process.