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Chapter 291 There\'s No Turning Back

April 22th, 1802. Versailles, France.

Duke Alfonso de Castellano looked out of his window, gazing upon the beautiful edifice of the residence of the First Consul, the Palace of Versailles.

"So this is where my daughter is living huh?" Alfonso muttered under his breath before the guard outside opened the door.

Alfonso stepped out of the carriage and followed the guard through the ornate halls of the Palace of Versailles.

After a short journey through the grand palace, they arrived at a set of imposing double doors guarded by soldiers and one middle-aged man.

"Don Alfonso de Castellano," Beaumont greeted with a bow.? "The First Consul will be seeing you now."

Alfonso inclined his head in acknowledgment of Beaumont\'s greeting and followed him through the imposing double doors into the inner chambers of Napoleon\'s office.

The room they entered was lavishly decorated, befitting the grandeur of the palace itself, and the territories it is governing.

Napoleon, seated behind a large desk piled with documents, looked up as Alfonso and Beaumont entered.

"Your Excellency, Don Alfonso de Castellano," Beaumont announced as Napoleon rose to his feet, extending his hand toward Alfonso. The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift, as the First Consul\'s expression softened slightly.

"Welcome," Napoleon greeted warmly. "Beaumont, can you prepare some refreshments for our guests here?"

"Of course, First Consul," Beaumont replied with a nod, before making his way out of the room to arrange for some refreshments.

Napoleon gestured for Alfonso to sit in one of the ornate chairs placed in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat, Alfonso."

Alfonso obliged as he settled into the chair.

Napoleon, now standing, walked over to a side table where a decanter of wine and some glasses were set. He poured a glass for Alfonso and one for himself before returning to his seat behind the desk. He handed a glass to Alfonso, who accepted it with a nod of thanks.

"Thank you, Napoleon," Alfonso said, the atmosphere turning casual.

Napoleon raised his glass slightly in acknowledgment before taking a sip himself. "Now, Alfonso, how was your trip to France?"

"It was amazing," Alfonso didn\'t hesitate to answer. "My daughter Isabella was right, Paris is improving dramatically with wide roads, uniform architecture, beautiful monuments, interconnected cities, and more importantly, it\'s not depressing compared to Madrid."

"Thank you for the compliments, I have been striving to make it that way, whether we are in conflict or not," Napoleon said, chuckling.

"Where is my daughter?" Alfonso asked. "I heard that she has already given birth to a boy."

"Tristan—" Napoleon said the name of his newborn son. "His name is Tristan and he is sleeping peacefully in the nursery. As for my wife and our children, they are in Paris, they love to explore and shop. You can see them later as they\'ll be returning at five o\'clock in the afternoon."

"That\'s great," Alfonso nodded with a genuine smile, relieved to hear about his daughter\'s well-being and the newest addition to the family.

He added. "Tristan, you said? A fine name. So he\'ll become the future Emperor of Spain. Speaking of which, we should discuss the post-war."

"It took our army three days to force Madrid into surrender," Napoleon began. "According to the news from the front, we have suffered a casualty of 300 at the battle of Madrid, either killed or wounded. The Spanish Army incurred twenty times that."

"We are so far behind in terms of weapons technology," Alfonso said, sighing. "Not to mention the King is stubborn for not seeing the futility of the situation, along with his minister, Godoy. Well, I have been sent here to discuss the terms. So what are France\'s terms?"

"This is where it starts to get serious, Alfonso. My terms are that Spain is to pay indemnity to France, I\'m thinking fifty million francs, to cover all the cost of the war and the maintenance of our troops on Spanish soil. Furthermore, I expect Spain to cede its territories in North America and Italy. This will include Cuba, Florida, the New Philippines, Santa Fe of New Mexico, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Navarra, Upper California, and Lower California. As for Italy, the Kingdom of Etruria shall be ceded to the Republic of Italy. That\'s all."

Upon stating the terms, Alfonso leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. These were indeed substantial and far-reaching terms, and he knew that they would be met with significant resistance in Spain. However, he also recognized that this might be part of Napoleon\'s plan of taking over the country.

"So you wish to create social unrest when Spain accepts this treaty?" Alfonso asked.

"Let me teach you about how a person usually takes over the government," Napoleon said, leaning forward and propping his elbows on the desk. "Let\'s say Spain accepted our terms, which they don\'t have a choice because if they refuse, I will simply order my troops to stay within it. There would be resentment and bitterness towards the entity who agreed to it, which is the government of Spain. Because of them accepting the harsh treaty, the economy crumbled, causing inflation, and financial instability. This discontent among the people would naturally lead to unrest and, ultimately, a desire for change.

"From there, a person must make an appearance, and declare that he can fix everything. That person would be you, Alfonso, given your popularity among Spanish nobles and commoners. In their eyes, the enemy is not France but the King and his government. You show them that your enemy is your enemy."

"So a scapegoat?" Alfonso said.

Napoleon nodded solemnly. "In a way, yes, a scapegoat for the problems that will inevitably arise from accepting these terms. It\'s a strategy as old as politics itself, Alfonso. But in this case, it\'s not just about seizing power; it\'s about creating an opportunity for Spain to transform itself into a modern and stable nation, aligned with the changing tides of Europe."

"I see, but what if it fails?" Alfonso said.

"It won\'t fail," Napoleon assured. "Even I, a Frenchman, is not blind to the inefficient governance of the government of Spain. They have been growing unpopular to the masses due to the series of losses in wars, with a war against France being significant. You will take this opportunity, Alfonso. And once you have seized power, becoming the de facto King of Spain, I will return the money Spain paid for indemnity. And you will announce that there\'ll be a new king of Spain, Tristan Bonaparte."

"Okay," Alfonso agreed. "I will deliver these terms to the Prime Minister of Spain."

"Good luck," Napoleon extended his hand once more.

Alfonso grasped it firmly, sealing the fate of Spain.

***

May 1st, 1802. The Treaty of Madrid was signed in the Royal Palace of Madrid, effectively ending the conflict between the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of France.

The terms of the treaty are as follows:

Territorial Cessions - The Kingdom of Spain agreed to cede several territories in North America and Italy to the Republic of France and the Republic of Italy. These territories include Cuba, Florida, the New Philippines, Santa Fe of New Mexico, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Navarra, Upper California, and Lower California. The Kingdom of Etruria shall also be ceded to the Republic of Italy.

Indemnity - Spain shall pay an indemnity of fifty million francs to France to cover the costs of the war and the maintenance of French troops on Spanish soil.

Amnesty - A general amnesty shall be granted to all individuals involved in hostilities against France during the conflict, provided they renounce any claims or actions against the Republic of France.

Return of Prisoners - All prisoners of war shall be returned to their respective nations, and both sides shall facilitate their safe and speedy return.

Signed by: Armand Augustin Louis, Marquis de Caulaincourt of the Republic of France, and Manuel de Godoy of the Kingdom of Spain.

As Napoleon predicted, the people of Spain were enraged at the harsh terms presented in the Treaty of Madrid. News of the cession of valuable territories, the hefty indemnity, and the perceived humiliation of the Spanish crown spread like wildfire across the nation. It was as if the wounds inflicted by the war had been deepened by the terms of peace.

In the streets of Madrid and beyond, discontent and anger simmered. Demonstrations and protests erupted, with crowds clamoring for the resignation of Manuel Godoy, the one who signed the treaty.

The public sentiment turned decidedly against the ruling authorities, who were seen as having capitulated to the French and betrayed the interests of Spain.

As the turmoil unfolded, Duke Alfonso de Castellano, hosted a secret gathering for his new and old followers. Thousands of them attended. He stood at the podium and addressed the people.

"People of Spain, I have witnessed for many years your suffering under the leadership of King Charles IV and Manuel de Godoy. When they signed the treaty, Spain lost its international prestige as one of the Great Powers of Europe. I have done everything I can to help you but if the government is inefficient and ineffective, then it falls upon us, the people of Spain, to rise and take control of our destiny," Alfonso declared passionately to the assembled crowd. "We shall remove the King of Spain, the Prime Minister, and others who support the crown? and have led us into this calamity. It is time for a new beginning, a Spain free from the shackles of incompetence!"

Upon concluding the speech, the people cheered and roared with fervor, their collective voices echoing through the hall.

Alfonso had ignited the flames, and there was no turning back.