Empire Rising: Spain

On September 27, 1872, the train station in Madrid, the capital of Spain, was bustling with activity.

Early in the morning, the train station was filled with guards under martial law, and it was temporarily sealed, allowing exit but no entry.

On a small square nearby, Prime Minister Prim of Spain, along with several cabinet ministers, had been waiting for a long time.

The esteemed guest who warranted the personal attendance of Prime Minister Prim was none other than a person of high status.

The first President of the Third French Republic, the controller of a powerful France, and the current highest leader of the French Government, Louis-Adolphe Thiers.

Much like the chaotic internal situation of France, the newly established government structure of the Third French Republic was relatively chaotic.

France not only had a president but also a prime minister. However, there was no power struggle between the president and the prime minister; rather, it was the president and the Congress that experienced a rather fierce struggle for power.

The French president was elected by the people, and the prime minister was appointed by the president. Yet, both the president and the prime minister had to be accountable to Congress, which had the power to pass a vote of no confidence forcing the prime minister to resign.

Unlike the semi-presidential system of the Fifth Republic of France, the current Third Republic theoretically still saw Congress holding higher power. The current French president was not the center of power in France; congressmen had the oversight of government and could easily question government decisions and eventually overthrow it through their power.

However, in the initial stage of the Third Republic, as the first president, Thiers still held some power.

If one had to describe it, Thiers now resembled the first monarch in European monarchies transitioning to constitutionalism.

The power of the French president was similar to that of a king in a constitutional monarchy; aside from not being able to confer titles of nobility, he was the nominal highest leader of the country and commander of the army.

France, despite failing in the contest of supremacy with Prussia, was still an old European power, much stronger than Spain.

To express importance towards the French President Thiers, Prime Minister Prim specially borrowed the royal band’s orchestra and mobilized a newly restructured military unit to maintain order at the scene.

Of course, this was not without purpose. The mobilized army came from the First Infantry Division of the Royal Spanish Army, considered elite in the Spanish military.

This army not only demonstrated the Spain’s Government’s emphasis on Thiers’ visit but also showcased the strength of the Spanish Army.

Though Spain was no longer as glorious as before, it was still ranked among the strong nations on the European continent. If the French wanted to win Spain over, they must at least show sincerity.

The current initiative was with Spain. Due to Spain’s important geographical location, it was almost the object of contention among various countries.

Of course, there were countries like the United Kingdom, which directly seized control of Gibraltar, holding vital geographical positions in their hands.

But for France, it was obviously impossible to act like the British. After all, France directly bordered Spain, and what posed a threat to France was not a particular region, but Spain’s entire geographical position.

"Honorable President Thiers, welcome to Spain!" Prime Minister Prim, with a bright smile, expressed his welcome upon meeting French President Thiers in the square at the train station.

"It’s my honor to come to Spain, Prime Minister Prim." French President Thiers nodded, likewise smiling friendly and proactively conversed with Prime Minister Prim: "Spain is truly a great country, the prosperity of Madrid is hardly different from that of Paris!"

Prime Minister Prim would not believe President Thiers’ nonsense. Although Madrid was Spain’s largest city, it was still quite distant from international metropolises like London and Paris.

In terms of population alone, Madrid’s overall scale and economy could not compare to Paris. Saying Madrid was hardly different from Paris was essentially just friendly politeness.

"While Madrid is bustling, it still cannot compare to Paris. But Madrid does have its own unique characteristics. I hope you enjoy your time in Madrid," Prime Minister Prim said with a smile.

Thiers nodded, and under Prime Minister Prim’s leadership, proceeded to the hotel prepared by the Spanish Government specifically for foreign guests.

Apart from the small-scale welcoming banquet that Prime Minister Prim hosted for President Thiers on the evening of the first day, there was no public interaction between Prime Minister Prim and President Thiers the next day.

Both seemed to regard the visit of the French delegation as a mere ordinary foreign trip, without proactively discussing any governmental relations between the two countries.

In diplomacy, the one who speaks first often falls into a disadvantage. The one who speaks later seizes the initiative, as the one who speaks first is often the party with needs.

Prime Minister Prim, knowing this principle, thus possessed great patience in engaging the French delegation.

Since this diplomatic visit didn’t require excessive expenditure from the Spanish Government, spending the French’s money, there was naturally no need to feel remorse.

The French faced a lousy diplomatic environment, and it was they who should be worried. For the Spanish Government, if cooperation with France could be facilitated, it would be ideal; if not, there would be no loss.