After the Pope left, Maximilian came calling.
Franz had a terrible headache whenever it came to this younger brother of his. Maximilian's behavior was a perfect illustration of what it meant for greed to know no bounds.
At first, when Franz proposed making Maximilian King of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the latter could hardly believe that he could still become a king. He expressed endless gratitude to Franz and even composed a poem.
But it was far too saccharine, so Franz had no intention of writing it down.
In truth, sending Maximilian to become King of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies had been part of Franz's plan from the very beginning. After all, the Austrian Empire had to mind its table manners, and the House of Habsburg needed its so-called reputation as well. They could not frighten all the small neighboring states, much less hand Britain, France, and Prussia an excuse to attack them.
Of course, Franz was also fulfilling Sophie's wish: to make Maximilian a king.
This was not difficult for Franz to accomplish. When the opportunity came, he simply went with the flow.
It would also keep Maximilian from corrupting Venice's atmosphere. No matter which province of the Austrian Empire he was placed in, someone like Maximilian serving as viceroy would cause major problems.
Sophie had actually paid little attention to politics for quite some time. Franz was capable enough, and she felt that her own abilities could not help him anyway, so she simply devoted herself to family affairs and the fashion industry.
Yet Maximilian's initial gratitude did not last long. He could not wait to take up his post in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, but the Bourbon royal family had not yet finished relocating.
To keep Maximilian from making an irreparable