Franz had deeper considerations for not annexing the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies: he wanted to prevent the Austrian Empire's economic center of gravity from continuing to shift southward.
Vienna was crucial to Franz's strategy. The heart of the Austrian Empire had to be Vienna, and could only be Vienna.
It would also reduce panic and resentment in Northern Italy. In truth, Franz's earlier lease of the port of Genoa from the Kingdom of Sardinia had already stirred jealousy and discontent in Venice.
Fearing that Genoa might rise again and siphon away Venice's interests, the Venetians tried every possible means to strike at Genoa, employing methods that could be called utterly unscrupulous.
These included, but were not limited to: extortion, kidnapping, sabotaging roads, manufacturing maritime disasters, malicious competition, malicious slander, and exploiting information gaps to set commercial traps.
The Austrian Empire itself was a nation lacking in ports, which was why the Venetian region had been able to retain its position.
As Franz reclaimed large tracts of Central Italian land, the Austrian Empire's number of usable ports increased dramatically. Moreover, compared with Venice, whose potential was severely limited, these new ports possessed far superior natural conditions.
As long as the funding was in place, these new ports would soon replace Venice's traditional position.
No one understood the consequences of a shift in trade centers better than the Venetians. They had only enjoyed a few years of growth by riding the tailwind of the Austrian Empire's rise, and it had seemed as though they could once again glimpse the glorious days of old.
Yet with the outbreak of the Great Rebellion of 1848, the Austrian Empire had been forced to consider more secure ports, plunging the Venetians into deep fear.
Their good days might come to an end in ten or