C2 - Confiscation (1)
Agustín I's biggest mistake was, needless to say, dissolving the legislature. And that dissolution of the legislature happened after he arrested opposition members, which only made more members react more violently.
'If he had already arrested opposition members, the situation would be several times more difficult. Reconciliation with the legislature is practically impossible, and it might be better to prepare for civil war right away.'
Stopping my father was my top priority, but I didn't go to him immediately.
Even though I'm his eldest son, going to him without understanding the situation and immediately trying to hinder what the emperor is trying to do is nothing short of madness.
'First, I need to understand the situation.'
***
I took a deep breath at the door and knocked.
Knock knock knock.
"Mother, it's Jerónimo."
"Come in, my son."
'Well… Judging by her voice, she seems to be favorable to this body.'
I didn't have much information because I didn't have the memories of Jerónimo Iturbide, the owner of this body. Most mothers are favorable to their children, but there are exceptions.
'If you were going to send me here, you could have given me the memories as a service. Other gods did that.'
I complained about the Mexican old man and opened the door.
Inside the lavishly decorated room was a woman of elegant appearance. It was Ana María, this body's mother. It's Anna Maria in American pronunciation, but I'll have to get used to Spanish.
'She looks like a 36-year-old woman in modern times.'
She wasn't an amazing beauty, but she had the overall impression of a well-raised rich girl. Agustín I became a large landowner thanks to the dowry she brought, so how rich must her original family have been?
"Son, what's wrong? You finally came to see your mother?"
She said it as if she was surprised that I came to see her. I didn't know the ins and outs, so I answered casually.
"Well, I came because I wanted to see you, Mother."
"What? Are you really my son?"
'Huh?'
I felt a chill down my spine for a moment, but I realized it was just a joke when I saw her smiling.
"Of course I'm your son. Who else would I be?"
"You haven't been talking to your mother much lately. Have you grown up already?"
'Ah.'
This body was at the age when puberty would hit. Judging by her words, it seems like he was quite a handful.
"Haha, I guess so. That's beside the point, is Father busy these days?"
I naturally changed the subject. My mother sighed and answered.
"Your father is busy fighting with the members of the legislature every day. He's the emperor, but there's nothing he can do as he pleases."
'At least I avoided the worst timing.'
If Agustín I is feeling frustrated fighting with the members of the legislature, it means he hasn't arrested the opposition members yet.
'That's right, you have to do this much.'
I was just possessed by a person from the past, I didn't have the memories of the possessed person, and I didn't have the ability to become stronger or smarter. It's fortunate that at least the timing was right in the midst of this unfortunate situation.
The arrest of opposition members took place on August 26, 1822, and the dissolution of the legislature took place in October 1822, so the current date is between July and mid-August 1822.
'That means this body is 15 years old, right at the age when puberty hits.'
I asked more questions about what I was curious about.
"What's the domestic situation like these days?"
It's a strange question for a 15-year-old to ask his mother, but it's okay considering the country has only been independent for a few months.
"Now that I've looked at you, you didn't come to see your mother. Are you interested in state affairs?"
"Yes. I'm the crown prince now."
"Ho ho, it feels a little awkward that you suddenly grew up. But as you said, you're the crown prince now, so it's good to be interested in state affairs. What are you curious about?"
"What happened to the Peninsulars?"
"They mostly went back to Spain during the war of independence."
Peninsulars refer to nobles from the Iberian Peninsula, who were at the top of the various classes in Latin America.
They are also called Peninsulares, and they were sent by Spain to manage its colonies. Since they have Spanish identity, most of them opposed independence.
"What about the ones who stayed? How many are left?"
"There are almost none left, and the remaining ones are being expelled gradually."
'Oh, I guess the expulsion started sooner than I thought.'
Peninsulars monopolized high-ranking positions in the colony. If they all leave, the empire's administrative network won't function properly. They were also the highest intellectual class in the colony, and they were the ones who knew the most about the Industrial Revolution and various knowledge that started in England.
Mexico also has universities, and Criollos, descendants of Peninsulars, are also well-educated, but it's true that they possess the latest European knowledge.
"···Then, taxes won't be collected properly."
"The financial situation is not good, but your father will take care of it. Don't worry too much."
My mother patted my head and reassured me, as if she thought it was admirable that I was worried, but I, who knew the reality of Mexico, couldn't be reassured.
Mexico right after independence is a mess. The national treasury is in ruins due to the long war of independence, it has a huge debt, the administrative organization is falling apart so taxes aren't being collected, and the provinces are refusing to be controlled by the center.
Agustín I and the members of the legislature lacked political experience. They didn't know how parliamentary politics worked, and they hadn't decided whether or not to do parliamentary politics. In this chaotic situation, they were only engaged in political struggles for their own gain.
The reason this chaotic country, which could collapse at any moment, is still functioning is because of the vague optimism that things will get better now that they have gained independence.
"Aren't they even unable to pay the salaries of civil servants and soldiers?"
"···I don't know about those details, but… I think so."
'There was a reason why Agustín I lost the army.'
Right now, this body's father has three things.
First, the support of the people. After all, my father is the hero who led Mexico to independence. He will lose popularity quickly later on, but he still has the support of the people as a hero of independence.
Second, the support of the army. My father has a brilliant career as a soldier, and he has controlled Mexico's military power long before he became emperor.
Third, the support of conservatives. The church and landowners don't want rapid social change. Therefore, they support my father, who is also a landowner and a royalist.
'Even if you don't have money, you have to pay the army's salaries. If you lose the support of the army, it's over.'
The most important of these is the support of the army. He gained the support of the people and conservatives based on his power to move the army.
Agustín I is an excellent military leader, so the army is more important. As long as he maintains control over the central army, he can defeat the republicans and the provinces even if they rebel. But he hasn't been able to pay salaries for a long time, and it seems like there's no way to pay them in the future, so soldiers will gradually lose their support for Agustín I.
'It all comes down to money.'
There's no shortage of ways to solve the money problem. Just mine the gold in California. The Gold Rush is more than 20 years away, and there's still a huge amount of gold left in California.
They say that some areas had so much placer gold that the rivers looked golden, so it would bring immense wealth if you just mined it.
The problem is time. The current situation requires an immediate solution. It takes at least five months one-way to get to California in this era without railroads.
'I need another solution.'
My head hurts trying to find a way to get money instantly.
"Mother, what happened to the Peninsulars' property?"
"They probably took their valuables, but most of their land and farms are still there. Many of them were just sent by Spain as agents to buy farms in the first place."
"I heard Spain is in a situation where they can't move their army, right?"
That's right.
At least Spain at this time can't send military forces to Mexico, no matter what they do. It's a time of turmoil due to the Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent civil war, and they have lost the ability to project military power abroad.
'It's seven years until 1829, when Spain overcomes its turmoil to some extent and attacks Mexico to reconquer it, so we're safe until then.'
The reason I asked this question even though I knew this was because I was curious if people of this era were aware of it.
"I heard there was a rebellion."
'As expected.'
People of this era knew that much.
After all, my father was from the Spanish army, so he would know better than anyone. If he had had the power, he would have stopped Mexico's independence from the beginning.
"Then, we could confiscate all the property of the Spanish royal family and the Peninsulars, and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it right now."
"Well… It seems like that, but isn't that too radical? If we go that far, we can never avoid Spain's retaliation."
'Mexico and Spain will fight regardless of confiscation.'
"It's better than the government collapsing right now. You know the situation is precarious."
"···"
"Father's power comes from the army. What will happen to our family if that power disappears?"
"···So what do you want to do?"
"Father is exhausted from fighting with the members of the legislature and is considering drastic measures. I'll persuade him, so please help me, Mother."
It's much more effective to go with my mother than to go alone and try to persuade him at the age of 15. After all, Agustín I was a doting husband.
'He had 10 children with her.'
In this era, infant mortality was still high, so people tended to have many children, but 10 children is a huge number. Especially aristocrats often avoided having more children except for the heir and the spare heir because of inheritance issues.
If my mother supports my opinion, Agustín I will find it difficult to ignore it.
***
I walked with my mother to the Palacio Nacional, the residence of the Mexican imperial family and the seat of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
'It's not just about the logic to persuade Agustín I, but also how he thinks of me as his eldest son.'
This body seems to be about 175 cm tall because he was well-fed as the son of a landowner, but judging by my mother's reaction earlier, Agustín I might think of me as just a naive teenage boy.
'That would be a bit of a problem.'
If he doesn't intend to listen to me seriously, there's almost nothing I can do.
If I had more time, I would join the army to gain his trust, but I don't have time for that, as the day I'm kicked out for failing is only a few months away.
'It would be nice if I had some memories of our conversations.'
I felt anxious for no reason and asked my mother.
"Will Father listen to me seriously?"
"···I don't know. But if I speak with you, he won't completely ignore you, so don't worry."
As we were talking, we arrived at his office. A soldier was guarding the door. I said to the soldier.
"I have something to tell His Majesty."
The soldier, after checking me and my mother, went into the office and informed him that we were there.
"He said you can come in."
It's time to meet Agustín I, the pinnacle of current Mexico.
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