Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology - Chapter 847

Chapter 847: Declaration of Unification 1671 (1/2)
June 1671

The Italian Peninsula

Under the unexpected gaze of the Europeans, it has been nearly six months since the War of Unification/Italian Revolution broke out in the Italian Peninsula. In the meantime, a lot of changes have taken place on the continent that have continued to make the nobles and royals of Europe dumbfounded. The Russian army, piled up by numbers and armed with advanced Bharatiya weapons, pierced through the defences of the Ottoman Empire hundreds of kilometres, but unfortunately, as they got deeper, the resistance increased and the marching speed slowed down. Within the Italian Peninsula, dust has settled in a lot of states where rebellions broke out, and the Venetians were finally successful in achieving what they set out to do and planned for over the last decade. However, the French and the Holy Roman Empire are still relentless as they attack the border of Savoy and the border of Venice in full force in the hopes of breaching the Italian Peninsula and stopping the unification.

The defence line came very close to being breached several times in the last six months. Bloodshed happened every day as thousands of soldiers from both sides lost their lives at the borders, which has become a meat grinder and a personification of death itself. But as time went on, as more Italian states were unable to resist the onslaught of the rebels without any reinforcements from their patrons like the French, the Romans, or the Spanish, they eventually succumbed. Some were stubborn even after the loss and were assassinated by the rebels, giving the rebels the chance to occupy the Magpie Nest, while others saw that they had no chance of winning and decisively sided with the Republic of Venice, not only to maintain their sovereignty but also to give themselves a pinch of hope.

Doge Giovanni Morosini left the Republic of Venice for the first time since the work of unification started. He travelled with a well-armed unit of over 2000 people and a grand procession of titled knights, destination: the banks of the River Po.

He was going to officially declare the establishment of Federazione Italiana, and for that to happen, the federation needed a political centre. He could have chosen Venice since it is one of the most prosperous places in Europe, and Venice holds a very deep cultural heritage, even when compared to other locations in Italy. But the Federazione Italiana was not established peacefully; it was done through violence, and it was imperative that he did not give the impression that Venice is out to monopolise all the power in Italy and take it all for its own. Well, Giovanni does have that ambition, but he knows that his brawn is not enough to support his ambition. The reason why he was successful this time was because he had planned for this day for the last decade, and the ruling nobles in different states were not fighting to their death because he had promised them sovereignty in their own states while taking away only a few of their privileges. If he really showed his ambition to annexe all of Italy and imperialize it into an empire, not to mention winning the two states in a matter of a month, he might not even win one for half a year.

Therefore, with everything considered, he chose Piacenza, a large town on the banks of the River Po, to be the political capital. It was in the middle of two of the largest powers in the current Italy—the Republic of Venice and the House of Savoy. All the other states and duchies have been damaged to some extent and, therefore, for the time being, cannot put up any resistance to his decisions.

Arriving in Piacenza after several hours of travel, Giovanni received a grand welcome befitting an emperor. The streets, lined with banners and colourful tapestries, were filled with the sounds of trumpets heralding his arrival. Nobles, dressed in their finest silks and velvets, lined the streets, their faces adorned with smiles that masked the scheming thoughts within. Knights, their eyes glinting with admiration, stood in perfect formation, awaiting the moment when their new ruler would pass by. The air was thick with the scent of incense and freshly bloomed flowers, their fragrances mingling with the sharp tang of polished armour.

As Giovanni dismounted, the cheers of the crowd rose like a tidal wave, shaking the very ground beneath his feet. Nobles knelt before him, their gestures extravagant, their praise overflowing. His entrance into the city was nothing short of a spectacle—an event designed to leave no doubt as to his power and dominance. The streets echoed with the sound of celebratory drums, while musicians played intricate melodies on lutes and violins, adding to the grandeur of the occasion.

“Welcome, Your Excellency, the Doge, welcome!!”

As he got to the end of the red carpet, he surprisingly received reception from the rulers of various states: Duke Charles Emmanuel II, Doge Andre Doria, Duchess Laura Martinozzi, Grand Duke Cosimo III de Medici, Duke Francesco Maria III della Rovere, Duke Francesco II d’Este, Doge Carlo Delle Piane, and other familiar faces in the crowd—almost all earls, marquises, and others with higher titles.

However, he did not move forward to greet them. Instead, he stood still and loudly proclaimed, looking at each of their faces intently, as if to declare that he had fulfilled his promise—he had kept his word.

“Gentlemen and Ladies, we have won! The Italian nation has won. From now on, moving forward, come what may, the English, the Dutch, the Russians, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the French, or the Germans—no matter who they are, we are now confident to defend our motherland by ourselves. We need no assistance from foreigners, and we do not tolerate foreigners trampling our sovereignty.”

“Long live Italy!!!”

He proclaimed with his chest puffed up and his face red.

The Dukes and Doge’s, although some of them were unhappy under the circumstances under which they had to join the federation, still felt touched hearing the proclamation. Because if it wasn’t for the fact that they alone did not have enough power, why would they join hands with the French, Spanish, or the Romans to receive support? But now, at least they don’t have to stretch their hands to anyone.

Charles Emanuel II, Duke of Savoy and Sardinia, smiled, looking at the man in front of him who looked like he was basking in supreme glory. He realised how right his gamble was to side with the Venetians. Not only was he able to occupy part of Milan as his own territory, but he also occupied part of Parma, ruled by the House of Farnese—a long-time rival.

Although in the process Venice expanded quite a bit as well, he did not feel like anything was wrong, since the Venetians—more specifically, the silver-haired man in front of him—was the architect behind the unification. If it were not for him, he wouldn’t have gotten the chance, so he wasn’t very threatened. If anything, he should be very thankful for them, since he did get a written promise from the Doge of Venice, Giovanni, that he would support him rising to the throne of *Imperatore Federale* (“Federal Emperor”) in the second term under his recommendation.

With the recommendation, his ascension would not be set in stone, but it was enough for him to have a huge head start against his competitors. Not to mention, his competitors were mainly weak republics that had been formed after eliminating the sovereigns who refused to admit defeat. For example, the Republic of Mantua and Montferrat—the rebellion was led by four houses: Canossa, Castiglioni, Arrivabene, and Cauriani. After eliminating the House of Gonzaga-Nevers along with Duke Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga-Nevers, they formed an oligarchy like the Republic of Venice or the Republic of Genoa, where the wealthiest and most influential families together control the state.

Charles Emanuel would be worried if Naples or Sicily were part of the federation, since they had the influence and power to have a huge sway over the federation. But being the heartlands of Spanish influence in Italy, those two states have still not fallen despite supporting multiple noble families and rich merchants to launch the rebellion. And finally, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany had the capabilities to affect his election for Federal Emperor in the second term, since the House of Medici is an ancient family similar to the House of Savoy—their histories went back to even before the 14th Century. But fortunately for him, Cosimo III de Medici is the only remaining heir of the Medici family, and due to them not joining the federation early on and only joining it after things got too out of hand, their foundation was quite damaged.

Coming back to his senses, Charles Emanuel II personally went over, gave the Doge of Venice a hug, and congratulated him.

Giovanni Morosini gracefully accepted the congratulations and put his hand around the shoulder of Charles Emanuel.

“Thank you for your kind words, sire, and if it wasn’t for you, all of this wouldn’t have been possible.” He turned towards the nobles and pointed his hand at Charles Emanuel.

“So, gentlemen, please give it up for His Highness, the Duke of Savoy, His Highness Charles Emanuel II.”

“Clap clap clap”

Claps rang out from the nobles who had gathered.

Charles Emanuel humbly raised his hands to gesture to them to stop while he looked at Giovanni with some respect.

“There is no need to praise me, Your Excellency. Every one of us knows the contributions you have made. Compared to what you have done, mine is at most being of some assistance to your grand vision. I am just honoured to be a part of this.”

“With that being said, Your Highness, please officially declare the birth of our great federation. It has to send a strong and powerful message to our enemies that we Italians are no longer ones to be stifled.”

Giovanni Morosini nodded. He also knew that things had to be done fast because as time goes on, more people will try to mess things up—and he did not want that to happen.

Greeting the other leaders one by one in a hurry, he got on stage. It was not a luxurious one, just a simple stage built of wood. But seeing as how all the top nobles and famous knights of the peninsula were standing under the stage, looking up with anticipation, it gave the stage an air of majesty and value far beyond its materialistic existence—it was elevated in its essence.

Giovanni Morosini cleared his throat and started to speak in a loud and commanding tone: “Good morning, gentlemen and ladies. On this fine, fine morning, we are here not only to observe history, but also to be a part of it—or might I say, be history itself. Because heed my words, kind sirs and madams of Italy: today is going to be etched into the history books for our future generations to know about. We will henceforth be called the fathers, mothers, and architects of the great Italian nation.”

He clenched his fist and spoke with passion, his expression containing a hint of pain. “Previously, we were all confused. We did not have the concept of a nation. It was only a dynasty or a republic. We all exist to serve our own purposes. But we were blind to the fact that we share the same language, culture, race, and commerce—goddamn it! We Italians are renowned throughout the world for our mercantile culture. How did we even fail to see that the whole of Italy is a single economic body, interconnected with each other? And how laughably ignorant were we to not understand that, despite differences in borders, the rise in grape prices in Naples affected the price of wines in Sardinia, or the price of fish in Sardinia affected the price of aquatic items all over the peninsula. We were blind to the fact that we were divided up by our enemies. But no more! The Bharatiyas have taught the world what is meant by a nation, what is meant by a culture, and what is meant by a civilisation.”

The words of Giovanni echoed in the hearts of the nobles who were listening. It was as if a new door had been opened in their muddled minds, and in their thoughts, they felt like they were seeing a wider world through their limited vision.

“We are divided by dynasties and states. We are divided by borders and interests. But we are united by our race, our history, our culture, and most importantly, the greatest civilisation in Europe—the Latin civilisation that brought the Western world the Renaissance, the era of Enlightenment.”

“We deserve better than to live like German barbarians. We deserve a unified nation of our own to call our home, one that no enemy dares to come across. So, respected ladies and gentlemen, on this auspicious day, with the blessing of the Lord and Saviour, by His Holy Spirit, I do proclaim that the Federazione Italiana is brought into existence. May God bless us.”

By the end of his sentence, he roared, causing everyone to burst into applause. Even the ones who were forced into their current circumstances felt their blood boiling as the seed of doubt emerged in their minds: “Maybe what happened wasn’t too bad after all.” The doubt only lasted for a split second before their rational minds took over. But still, it was enough. The seed of doubt that had been laid will blossom one day and become a flower that is ready to accept that the Italian Federation is a reality, and there is no need to oppose or resist it, as it is their home and safe haven.

TO BE CONTINUED…

P.S. I wrote one more chapter, I’ll upload tom