In fact, Switzerland is a magical country, not only pro-French, pro-Austrian and Papal, but also pro-Spanish, pro-Sardinian, pro-Dutch and even pro-Venetian.

Looking at the factional relations within Switzerland, Franz's head hurt even more. Some people say that the Swiss are just the French who don't want to be French and the Germans who don't want to be Germans, plus a group of Italians who don't want to be Italians.

But at this time, it looks like a group of poor people who want to be foreigners but can't.

But the Swiss were really resolute in exercising their right to asylum, and they took in a large number of Germans, French, Italians, England, Hungary, Spain, Russia, Sweden, and even the Ottomans who took refuge in the country.

In addition, the Polish Restoration Army also intervened, and even almost joined forces with Mazzini to declare war on the monarchies of all Europe.

Although it cannot achieve the principle of impartiality and absolute neutrality towards anyone, it can already be regarded as a moral model of this era.

They even refused to hand over Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon).

Of course, it also depends on which canton, for example, Lucerne has long allocated one-fifth of its income to support the exiles.

There are also states that require these exiles to pay a refugee tax, and violators will be evicted from their localities.

Theoretically, Switzerland is not allowed to accept foreign troops, but they have a very flexible bottom line. For example, the rebel forces in northern Italy, and the Sequoia Army led by Garibaldi after the failure of the uprising in history, all fled into Switzerland.

The reason is that the number is too small, so it is not the army.

Although Switzerland had enacted a law in 1512 to stop sending mercenaries to France, Louis Philippe actually had a Swiss guard at his side.

There was also a sizable Swiss mercenary army in the Netherlands, which never disappeared even after the total ban on mercenaries in Switzerland in 1874.

In addition, Franz felt that it was frighteningly stupid to hand over the leadership to the clergy, and it was clear that the Swiss "League of Independence" or "Catholic League" needed a competent man, not a priest.

When the priest Belite failed to appeal for help in France, he turned to another powerful neighbor to the east. This neighbor is, of course, Austria.

However, the Austrian Empire's top brass hated Switzerland as a country, Metternich felt that they were harboring criminals, Count Korolav felt that they were middlemen, hateful second-hand dealers, and Count Latour felt that Switzerland was a rebel camp.

And everyone was unhappy with Belite's decision to go first to France and then to Austria.

Belite's explanation that he lived in western Switzerland, closer to France, was obviously not satisfactory to everyone, and no one wanted to hear him.

Of course, no one wanted a real civil war in Switzerland, which was seen by Austria as a sabotage of the Viennese system.

However, if Switzerland is allowed to carry out "religious persecution", Austria, the guardian of the faith, will lose face.

As a result, Austria issued an ultimatum to the possibility of a Swiss civil war.

"The inviolability of the neutrality of the Swiss Confederation will only be respected if the Treaty of 1815 has not been violated."

(The Treaty of 1815 refers to the Peace of Vienna.) ）

"If the Swiss Confederation does not strictly comply with the terms of the treaty, Austria will have the right to withdraw its previous commitments."

In fact, what Metternich did was simply exert pressure. He did not want the Swiss to revolt, which would set a bad example for the Austrians.

And Metternich wanted to deport the exiles, who were always a threat to Europe's security.

Of course, Metternich is not stupid, he knows how to force people. Metternich deliberately delayed the sending of Austria's credentials, but instead sent notes to Prussia and Russia, and the letters of the three countries arrived at the same time, which represented the attitude of the Holy Alliance.

In this way, even if the Swiss really wanted to fight a civil war, they would have to consider the consequences of being intervened by the great powers.

In fact, the supporters behind the Protestant coalition in Switzerland are the British, and of course, no one can unite so many factions in Switzerland without such a-stirring stick.

But it is a pity that far water cannot quench the thirst of the near, and the British overseas cannot help Switzerland in the inland center.

However, it was the French who reacted most quickly to the Austrian credentials, and they immediately issued the credentials demanding that the Swiss stop the civil war and possible public disorder.

The flames of the Swiss Civil War were temporarily suppressed by the pressure of two powerful groups in the neighborhood, but Franz was well aware that this was only temporary.

As the situation changes, so do the interests of all parties.

The plethora of colonies and alliances in this life distracted France, but if it were to be unified, it would definitely be even more terrifying than it was in history.

At that time, France will not be so restrained, and will even actively seek to break the Vienna system, and of course Franz will not let that happen.

As for the Swiss Civil War, it was good news for Austria, or anything that could increase the population.

In order for everything to develop according to Franz's plan, the leadership of the Independent Alliance must be changed, and what can a group of gods do, except to cheat food and drink, is to cheat money.

There are also names that must be changed, and the name of the Independent Union is very passive. Franz was going to turn it into an Orthodox Alliance, and yes, the de jure source was Switzerland's original Covenant of Perpetual Alliance.

The Perpetual Alliance Covenant was the foundation of the Swiss Confederation and must be overturned if the opposing side wanted to continue the civil war.

But once this covenant was overturned, the basis for the existence of the Swiss Confederation disappeared. At the same time, since the civil war undermined the Vienna system, Austria also intervened to sanction the "saboteurs".

Of course, Franz did not want Austria to be directly involved in the Swiss Civil War, if he could. Because if that time comes, many powers will choose sides, and a big war will be inevitable.

Unless Franz can resolve the issue directly at the negotiating table, as in the case of the Luxembourg crisis, to the satisfaction of all parties, that will be almost impossible.

However, the Swiss Civil War had some difficult problems, namely the outrageous distribution of the seven cantons of the Orthodox Union.

The canton of Fribourg, in particular, is directly under siege by the enemy Free State. Several other states, although clustered together, are also surrounded by free states.

The difference between the two is only the size of the encirclement, and what is even more terrifying is that these Orthodox states do not border with the surrounding countries.

If the war began, even if Franz wanted to send supplies and weapons, he would not be able to find a way to start.

In addition, when it comes to the wars of religion, Archbishop Rauscher is not sleepy, and even the pattern is opened.

He assured Franz that one or two more states could be brought to join the Orthodox Alliance, at which point the balance of power between the Free and Orthodox states was 13 to 7, and three states remained neutral.

If, as Archbishop Rauscher had said, he could persuade one or two states to join the Orthodox Union, the gap between the two sides would be narrowed even further.

In this way, Franz has a little more room to maneuver.

(End of chapter)