Chapter 564: The Supreme Louis Prize
For the Nordic countries—Sweden and Denmark—both of which were in a state of decline and far removed from the core of Europe, Joseph considered them of minimal strategic importance.
Germany's myriad small principalities, however, required careful attention.
These tiny states, though often aligned with Austria or Prussia, harbored their own ambitions. With appropriate incentives, many could be swayed—if not overtly, then covertly—into aligning with France.
Historically, Napoleon's sweeping conquest and dissolution of these states was a monumental mistake. Even more puzzling was his decision to consolidate them into the Confederation of the Rhine, effectively giving the German states a "trial run" at a unified Germany.
By centralizing fragmented territories, weakening local feudal lords, and unifying church influence under a common legal framework, Napoleon inadvertently laid the groundwork for a unified Germany.
When unification occurred decades later, much of the administrative and judicial structure simply mirrored that of the Confederation of the Rhine.
To the German populace, Napoleon was seen as an invader who stripped them of their freedom and equality. This fostered resistance and ultimately birthed German nationalism.
Joseph examined a map and identified the Ottoman Empire as the next key player.
France's trade with the Ottomans was substantial. However, deepening ties with the Ottomans risked alienating Austria and Russia—both of which coveted Ottoman territory.
Recent tensions over North Africa further strained Franco-Ottoman relations. Nevertheless, the Ottomans depended on French-controlled North African ports to sustain their Mediterranean trade, giving Joseph leverage.
Strengthening trade ties with the Ottomans could bolster France's economy, particularly if Britain's naval dominance disrupted global trade routes. The Mediterranean would become France's economic lifeline.
The challenge, then, was balancing political and economic interests. Joseph made a note to draft a detailed plan for managing relations with the Ottomans.
The "Palace of Scholars"
Joseph's thoughts were interrupted by Émond lightly knocking on the door.
"Your Highness, according to your schedule, the opening ceremony for the 'Palace of Scholars' is at 2 PM."
Glancing at the clock, Joseph saw he had 40 minutes left. He set aside his notes and gestured for Émond to fetch his coat.
The "Palace of Scholars" was a cornerstone of Joseph's talent recruitment initiative, marking the official launch of the French Talent Attraction Program.
The program included other critical elements:
The reorganization of the French Academy of Sciences.The inaugural Supreme Louis Prize.The founding of the Natural Science Journal.
Though Europe was increasingly overshadowed by the specter of war, Joseph understood that talent remained the most valuable resource in any era.
In times of war, the ingenuity of a single genius could produce inventions capable of turning the tide.
Even with his packed schedule, Joseph prioritized the talent program, knowing its long-term significance.
As he stepped outside, he saw First Minister Briand, Minister of Trade Bailly, and the French Academy of Sciences' president, Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, waiting to accompany him to the ceremony.
Shortly after, their carriages departed the Tuileries Palace, heading toward the Saint-Germain district.
The Supreme Louis Prize
Inside the carriage, President Le Roy, clearly nervous about being in the prince's presence, fidgeted before presenting a document with both hands.
"Your Highness, this is the final list of Supreme Louis Prize recipients as determined by the committee…"
The Supreme Louis Prize, modeled after the future Nobel Prize, was Joseph's brainchild.
To maximize its impact, the prize committee had spent over 400,000 francs on promotion across Europe. For six months, newspapers in every country had been buzzing with news about the award.
The committee comprised 5 permanent members and 25 judges, over half of whom were foreign scholars to ensure fairness and impartiality.
Of course, the French Academy of Sciences funded the judges' salaries, and the committee's headquarters were in Paris. If Joseph wanted to engage in backroom dealings, it wouldn't have been difficult. But for now, he saw no need.
Joseph unfolded the list, which read:
Physics Prize: Henry Cavendish (United Kingdom)
Awarded for determining the universal gravitational constant.Chemistry Prize: Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (France)
Awarded for elucidating the nature of combustion.Mathematics Prize: Joseph-Louis Lagrange (France)
Awarded for establishing the theory of first-order partial differential equations.Biomedical Prize: John Hunter (United Kingdom)
Awarded for significant contributions to pathological anatomy.Literature Prize: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Hesse)
*Awarded for The Sorrows of Young Werther.
Joseph nodded approvingly. The selections seemed fair and left little room for dispute. He had also addressed a historical oversight by including a mathematics prize—something the Nobel Prize lacked.
In contrast, Joseph had omitted a peace prize.
In the late 18th century, talk of world peace would have been laughable—no one cared. The desire for peace only emerged after decades of Napoleonic wars and widespread devastation.
Le Roy hesitated before speaking carefully:
"Your Highness, the committee unanimously agreed that you deserved both the Chemistry and Biomedical Prizes. Your work on 'modern chemical reaction equations' has greatly advanced the field, and your 'Prince's Blessing' remedy has saved countless lives—from French aristocrats to Russian peasants.
"But you insisted on declining the awards."
Joseph nodded with slight embarrassment.
"As a member of the royal family and still young, winning in the inaugural year might cast doubt on the prize's fairness."
Privately, Joseph felt that claiming credit for discoveries copied from the future would be inappropriate. While leveraging such knowledge to benefit France was fair game, using it for personal recognition felt dishonest.
Moreover, he genuinely believed allowing international scholars to dominate the first awards would bolster the prize's reputation.
For example, while Lamarck could have easily won the Biomedical Prize, the committee had prioritized publicity by awarding it to John Hunter. Lamarck would simply have to wait for the next round.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10