Time quickly came to 1869. Although there was no news from Spain, Carlo was already fully prepared for the possibility of taking over Spain.
First of all, the public opinion force that Carlo vigorously developed has achieved significant results. Carlo's largest newspaper, the Italian 24-hour Sun, has become the most prominent newspaper in northern Italy, with an average daily sales of more than 24,000 copies in 1868. In addition to the Sun, Loren also founded several newspapers in northern and southern Italy under Carlo's instructions, with their combined daily sales exceeding 10,000 copies.
Carlo has successfully completed his initial deployment of public opinion. These newspapers boast tens of thousands of loyal readers, influencing at least hundreds of thousands of people. Whenever Carlo desires, he can disseminate news to hundreds of thousands or even millions of Italians within a short period. This influence is remarkable in an era when transportation is extremely inconvenient, and most travel is done by horses and ox carts.
These newspapers have also generated nearly 250,000 liras in revenue for Carlo over two and a half years. Thanks to Garibaldi's reputation, the Sun was able to quickly penetrate the market; otherwise, earning over 200,000 liras would have been challenging.
As February 1869 arrived, the Spanish parliamentary elections officially commenced. As history would dictate, Primo, the most powerful individual in the provisional government and a respected figure in the revolutionary army, successfully secured the majority of seats in the parliament. This news brought Carlo relief, as it indicated that Spain was moving towards a constitutional monarchy rather than a republic, fueling his hopes of becoming the King of Spain.
Once the new Spanish Parliament was established, it announced that it would not abolish the monarchy but would instead form a national government under a constitutional monarchy to oversee Spanish affairs. Due to the unresolved status of the throne, the parliament appointed the interim government's Prime Minister, Francisco Serrano Dominguez, as the regent of the Kingdom of Spain, while the Minister of War, Primo, was appointed as the new prime minister.
These two leaders not only held the most prestige in the interim government but were also the two most supported generals in the revolutionary army. This dynamic was the primary reason Spain continued to uphold the monarchy. After all, the two individuals wielding decision-making power were in favor of it.
Thanks to a report advocating for an advanced monarchy, the announcement that Spain would maintain the monarchy did not incite significant unrest. As long as Spain was free from a tyrant like Queen Isabel, the opposition from the Spanish people would likely be less intense.
With the parliamentary affairs concluding for the time being, the most pressing issue for Serrano and Prime Minister Primo became the selection of a suitable king for Spain. While they could choose freely among European royal families, the candidates must also be accepted by the populace. Those with poor reputations could not be considered, as the Spaniards would be unwilling to accept a king they doubted could govern better than Isabel. A king with controversial origins would also be unwelcome, as Spain needed a monarch with noble heritage and strong familial backing to restore order.
Considering these various conditions, the pool of suitable European princes narrowed significantly. After over a month of deliberation, Serrano and Primo finalized a list of five candidates.
The first choice was Leopoldo, a prince of the German royal family. Born into the Hohenzollern family and supported by the Kingdom of Prussia, which had just triumphed in the Austro-Prussian War, his origins and reputation aligned with Spain's requirements.
The second choice was Fernando, who served as the regent of Portugal. Both his wife and son are kings of Portugal, and he had maintained a commendable reputation during his tenure.
The third candidate was Prince Amadeo of the Savoy Dynasty in Italy. While Italy still held sway in the Mediterranean following unification, the Savoy family's prestige had slightly increased within European royal circles. Amadeo may not have been as reliable as the first two candidates, but he remained a qualified option.
The fourth candidate was Amadeo's younger brother, Carlo. Although he was a bit young—just months shy of 18—Carlo's reputation in Italy was strong, and the Sun's effective promotion had endeared him to many Italians. His amiable demeanor during travels had earned him goodwill, which played a significant role in his candidacy. Primo and Serrano believed that Spaniards would not reject a friendly king.
The last candidate was the Duke of Ponteponchel, Queen Isabel's brother-in-law. However, considering the Spaniards' distaste for Isabel and potential animosity towards her family, Primo placed the Duke at the bottom of the candidate list and contemplated removing him entirely.
With the selection process remaining relatively confidential, disappointment arose when news broke that Fernando had declined the Spanish throne. This refusal effectively ended any potential for a unification between Spain and Portugal, as Fernando's son was the current King of Portugal.
Fernando's withdrawal trimmed the candidate list to four. After lengthy discussions with Serrano, Primo decided to eliminate the Duke of Ponteponchel from consideration, leaving only three viable candidates.
Though the selection process for the Spanish king was shrouded in secrecy, the implications of their choices would significantly impact the European political landscape, potentially reshaping the balance of power in ways they could scarcely anticipate.