Chapter 461: Friedrich
If anyone was most enraged by the Hechingen Consortium's increased investment in Austria-Hungary, it was the Jewish financial syndicates—especially the Rothschild family. There was a saying in the Austro-Hungarian Empire: "Austria has an Emperor Ferdinand and a King Solomon," with Solomon referring to the Rothschilds, who by 1848 had entirely controlled the Austrian Empire's economy and finance.
The Austrian government was deeply reliant on Jewish capital, but everything changed with the rise of the Hechingen Consortium. Both sides engaged in fierce competition in the financial sector across the German-speaking world. With the added effects of the economic crisis, the balance of power shifted in Hechingen's favor.
Economic crises are inherently uncontrollable. Even seasoned families like the Rothschilds couldn't avoid losses. Normally, their deep pockets would let them buy low and profit later—but this time they encountered a cash-rich rival in Hechingen. Using capital stockpiled before the crisis, Hechingen aggressively bought up businesses—especially in emerging industries, as Ernst knew the prolonged nature of the 1873 depression made traditional industries less promising.
Meanwhile, East Africa's railroad construction greatly helped the Austrian government maintain stability, contrasting sharply with the predatory conduct of Jewish capital during the crisis. With backing from the Habsburg family and other nobles, the Hechingen Consortium eventually displaced the Jewish syndicates to become Austria-Hungary's largest financial group.
Still, Jewish capital retained the upper hand in Britain, the United States, and France. Hechingen was dominant only in the Germanic world. Even within Jewish finance, internal factions were many—so there wasn't much they could do against Hechingen.
In truth, Jewish capital wasn't as omnipotent as many believed. European powers often treated Jewish financiers as ATMs. No matter how much capital they held, they couldn't compare to the aristocracy, who still controlled the guns. To truly control the global narrative, the Jewish community would have to wait until the United States became the undisputed world power—until then, their influence was limited.
European writers had already captured this truth in literature: Shakespeare's Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and Balzac's old Grandet in Eugénie Grandet. Regardless of their biases, these literary giants had a sharp grasp of human nature, and their portrayals of greedy Jewish merchants resonated with social realities. Of course, that criticism was aimed at the unscrupulous minority. Most Jewish people were savvy businesspeople, but outside the business class, Ernst held a generally positive view—especially toward Jewish thinkers and scientists. History had shown that Jewish intellect excelled in those areas, though it became problematic when applied to business and politics.
This wasn't a racial judgment but rather an observation about societal role fit. Jewish people were the most educated group in the world. Ernst believed that if Black Africans had the same access to education, they too could produce world-shaping geniuses. Human intelligence had its disparities, but these differences existed across all of humanity—not along racial or ethnic lines. If it were truly race-based, the Jews would have been, in Hitler's words, an "inferior race," no better than Africans.
In more traditional countries, Jewish influence rarely thrived. But America, as the most untraditional state, provided fertile ground. Without the two world wars, the collapse of European aristocratic dominance wouldn't have occurred, and anti-Semitic sentiment would've remained prevalent across the continent.
To Ernst, economics may underpin politics, but politics ultimately rules over economics. He knew this well. In his previous life, the wealthy might have seemed impressive, but in front of nobility, they had no real power—except in the American model, where the elite were businessmen and politicians were heavily constrained. That's why figures like Roosevelt were exceptions, while the norm was more like Lincoln or Kennedy—often obstructed or eliminated.
…
Year 1877
March adorned the halls of Svete Palace with blooming flowers. A fusion of Hohenzollern Castle and Schönbrunn Palace in design, Svete offered both imperial grandeur and sunlit elegance.
Inside, the entire family was gathered around a new life: Ernst's firstborn son had just been born.
"Look, baby, it's your mommy!" Ernst cradled the little prince and smiled dorkily at Karina, whose eyes were still shut. He kissed her forehead gently. "You've worked so hard, my dear!"
Karina lay weakly in bed, but a soft smile appeared on her lips. "Our baby... our little one."
Gripping her hand, Ernst joked, "He's born to be the future Grand Chieftain of East Africa."
Constantino and Ferdinand, standing nearby, were visibly annoyed. "What Grand Chieftain of East Africa? Let this grandfather hold him first!"
Constantino swooped in and hugged his grandson tightly, muttering, "This boy is heir to the Hohenzollern (Hechingen) family, the pride of the Germans! Don't compare him to African tribes! The name 'Kingdom of East Africa' sounds awful—we really should change it!"
He doted on his grandson too much to let him carry a tribal-sounding title. It was one thing for him to be king of East Africa, but his grandson? That was unacceptable.
Ernst obliged: "We'll change it. But let's wait two more years—I think 1880 is the right time."
Archduke Ferdinand asked, "Why 1880?"
"Because that's when I plan to officially found our kingdom," Ernst replied.
"Found the kingdom?"
Ernst nodded. "Right now, East Africa has essentially been in a closed-door policy. I've never said it publicly, but we've had almost no diplomatic interaction—especially among civilians. We were weak, a fledgling colony that needed time to grow, to avoid global scrutiny. But now, Europe is turning its eye to Africa, and we're too large to remain hidden."
"Interesting way to put it," Ferdinand replied.
Indeed, Ernst's strategy deviated from the norm of European noble thinking. It explained East Africa's many unconventional policies.
"Alright, enough politics. Let's give our little prince a name!" Constantino interrupted.
A lively debate began. Naming the little prince proved surprisingly tricky.
"Let's call him Friedrich!" Constantino finally declared.
"Friedrich?"
"Yes. Our ancestor Friedrich III was the one who added 'Hohenzollern' to our family name. That legacy allowed the family to rise across Europe. I hope this little Friedrich takes us even higher."
In 1185, Count Friedrich III of Zollern married Sophia, daughter of Conrad II, Count of Nuremberg. When Conrad died childless in 1192, Friedrich inherited the County of Nuremberg. Ruling both Zollern and Nuremberg, he grew powerful, and the family took on the name "Hohenzollern"—meaning "high and noble."
Ernst approved. In his experience, anyone named Friedrich seemed highly capable. Sure, the name was common—but in Europe, all names were.
In German, Friedrich (Frederick) meant "peaceful ruler," so those who bore it were usually wealthy or noble.
To celebrate the prince's birth, East Africa declared a seven-day national holiday. Every city held festivities and prayers for young Friedrich, who was instantly loved by the entire population.
To mark the occasion, Ernst ordered a top-tier ironclad from Austria-Hungary and named it after Friedrich.
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