Chapter 288: The True Core of the French Cabinet
East Wing of the Palace of Versailles, meeting hall.
Queen Marie Antoinette, seated at the head of the meeting table, was evidently in high spirits. On the one hand, the recent days of song and dance competitions had left her feeling relaxed. However, the most significant reason was the report from the Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday: the British government had agreed to arrest Jeanne and extradite her back to France.
At long last, she would no longer have to hear about that fraud writing more scandalous news tarnishing the French royal family.
Before the cabinet meeting officially began, she turned to the Crown Prince and asked, “Joseph, have you heard about the situation in Spain?”
Joseph quickly put on a sorrowful expression. “May the late King rest in eternal peace in heaven.”
Indeed, King Carlos III of Spain had recently passed away.
Queen Marie crossed herself and sighed, “May God have mercy on him.”
“By the way, you should make a trip to Madrid soon to convey congratulations from your father and me to His Majesty Carlos IV on his coronation.”
Carlos IV was the former crown prince infamous for his wife’s infidelities. Joseph had once assisted him in dealing with her lover, forging a connection between the two. Furthermore, the Spanish and French royal families both belonged to the Bourbon lineage, making it essential in every sense to formally congratulate the new monarch on his ascension.
Joseph nodded. “Of course, Mother. I will set out tomorrow.”
In truth, he had been planning a visit to Spain for some time. Not just Spain—he intended to tour the major European powers.
With France’s rapid industrial development, he needed to lay the groundwork by signing trade agreements with various nations, paving the way for French industrial goods to find broader markets.
Queen Marie then signaled to Archbishop Brienne to begin. “Please proceed.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Brienne replied, bowing before addressing the cabinet ministers seated at the table. “As Her Majesty just mentioned, with the coronation of His Majesty Carlos IV, we must prepare a diplomatic delegation to accompany His Highness the Crown Prince on his visit to Spain.
“Additionally, some policies regarding Spain require prior adjustments...”
The Spanish and French royal families were closely related, and the two nations' interests were largely aligned, almost forming a semi-allied relationship. Therefore, most policies were expected to follow the precedents set during Carlos III’s reign, so this topic concluded quickly.
Archbishop Brienne then continued, “Next, we must discuss the situation with the Ottoman Empire.
“As you all may already know, Hamid I passed away earlier this month. He had designated his nephew, Selim III, as the new Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
“During Selim III’s accession, the Ottoman Empire is likely to experience some instability.”
The Duke of Brissac, Minister of War, immediately spoke up. “We can take advantage of this opportunity to locate the heirs of Ali I of Tripoli and deploy troops to support his reclamation of Tripoli.”
Ali I was a Pasha of the Karamanli dynasty, recently overthrown by Ottoman officer Ali Benjiul in a coup.
Several cabinet ministers nodded in agreement at the suggestion.
Tripoli posed a significant threat to Tunis, which France had effectively seized from the Ottomans. Maintaining a large force in Tunis to counter this threat was costly. It would be more efficient to resolve the issue directly while the Ottomans were unstable.
However, Joseph promptly opposed the idea. “That might not be the wisest strategy.”
Queen Marie, about to ask for his reasoning, noticed that the ministers who had fervently supported the proposal earlier had now gone silent, as though the matter had never been raised.
Puzzled, she turned to Joseph. “Ahem, could you explain your reasoning?”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Joseph replied. “There are British influences behind Tripoli. They would undoubtedly welcome us becoming mired in a conflict there. If the Ottomans manage to deploy reinforcements with British naval support, we would struggle to counter them, and a prolonged war could easily ensue.
“Most importantly, even if we manage to drive the Ottomans out, we cannot occupy Tripoli ourselves. You know how the other European nations would react to our increased presence in the Mediterranean.”
Queen Marie frowned. “But if we miss this opportunity, the Ottomans might solidify their control over Tripoli.”
“Rest assured, Your Majesty. I have already made arrangements. The Ottomans are even farther from Tripoli than we are. Without British backing, they will likely withdraw soon.”
Joseph turned to the Duke of Brissac. “Maintaining a short-term military presence in Tunis is far less costly than waging a war.”
“Quite right, Your Highness.”
Queen Marie remained skeptical. “And these arrangements you’ve made are...?”
Joseph smiled faintly. “I will submit a report to you shortly, Your Majesty.”
The Ottoman issue was set aside for the moment. Archbishop Brienne then presented two reform proposals put forth by Count Mirabeau: abolishing internal tariffs within France and reforming the tax-farming system.
Of course, both initiatives were directed by Joseph himself.
With several million livres acquired from the Duke of Orléans now in the Royal Treasury, the government had the financial foundation to push for these reforms.
The abolition of internal tariffs would streamline the flow of goods, effectively expanding the market. Among the three pillars of industrial development—capital, technology, and market—markets were the most crucial. A thriving market could even stimulate the growth of the other two.
The tax-farming system, on the other hand, was a chronic issue in French finances, consuming a substantial portion of annual tax revenue.
However, when Brienne introduced these proposals, opposition outweighed support, with only Mirabeau and Bailly expressing approval.
Joseph was not surprised. Such sweeping reforms would inevitably face resistance.
Local taxes were deeply tied to provincial governments’ finances and the development of local handicrafts. Previously, weaker local industries could rely on tariffs for protection. With their removal, these regions would face competition from all over France, leading to the collapse of many small workshops and triggering waves of unemployment.
The tax-farming issue was even more complex. The government’s tax collection system was inefficient and rife with corruption. If tax collection were handed over to government officials, the resulting shortfall could bankrupt the French government within a year.
Joseph had instructed Mirabeau to propose these reforms primarily to raise public awareness, preparing society for the eventual changes.
As expected, after over an hour of debate, Queen Marie reluctantly announced the temporary suspension of the proposals.
Archbishop Brienne heaved a sigh of relief and moved on to the final matter: “A serious uprising has recently erupted in the Southern Netherlands. Rebels have surrounded the Governor’s residence and expelled Austrian officials from Brabant.
“While Vienna has yet to respond, we should prepare our own contingencies.”
He saved this item for last, considering it of minor importance. Uprisings were a common occurrence in Europe—France had experienced one not long ago.