Empress Olga's status was highly unusual; she came from Russia, the Austrian Empire's strategic ally at the time.
Olga's pregnancy would inevitably strengthen the ties between the two nations, but the expectations of the domestic populace were the main event.
Strictly speaking, the Slavs were the most populous ethnic group in the Austrian Empire, though they were divided among the West Slavs, East Slavs, and Yugoslavia.
Within the Austrian Empire, these people had always played the role of third-class citizens, or even fourth-class citizens.
Although Olga's bloodline came from Germany, the Slavs within the Austrian Empire would still regard her as a spokesperson for the Slavs.
The benefit would be a stronger sense of belonging among the Slavs within the Austrian Empire, greatly enhancing the nation's cohesion over them. The Austrian Empire's Pan-Slavic ethnic issue would consequently be greatly alleviated.
Yet the drawback was that Pan-Slavism within the Austrian Empire might very well transform into Greater Slavism.
This Greater Slavism would not simply mean drawing closer to Russia. More likely, it would become a form of Greater Slavism with distinctly Austrian characteristics.
Though all waved the banners of religion, ethnicity, and nationhood, most Slavs within the Austrian Empire believed in Catholicism or the Eastern Catholic Churches, and found it difficult to accept the identity of Eastern European barbarians.
Most of them were loyal to the House of Habsburg and preferred to be subjects of the Austrian Empire.
Taken together, they would most likely see Russia as a competitor, perhaps even begin competing with Russia for leadership over Greater Slavism.
Moreover, the timing was exceedingly delicate. Franz had just used the Great Rebellion of 1848 as an opportunity to deal with the Hungarians.
Several million people had died. Of the six hundred thousand Hungarian nobles, more than five hundred and fifty