But it was indeed a very substantial haul—perhaps somewhat superfluous to the Austrian Empire's army, even something they found mildly distasteful.
Yet it was perfectly suited for sale to the Kingdom of Greece.
Why did it have to be sold?
Giving was a matter of sentiment; selling was a matter of duty.
Franz had long since fulfilled every obligation of sentiment he owed his cousin. Time and again, he had helped Greece stabilize its situation, resolve crises, expand its territory, provided money, weapons, talent, and policies.
Even House of Wittelsbach had only given him a three-thousand-man guard force. That was not remotely on the same scale as what Franz had provided.
But Franz was, after all, the Emperor of the Austrian Empire. He could not help an ally indefinitely, regardless of cost.
Just as the Austrian Empire could supply materials to help its allies and fellow Christians resist the Ottoman Empire's evil invasion, it could not possibly empty its coffers and plunge its own people into poverty for that reason.
Thus, selling was the inevitable choice. The Greeks needed to understand their position: every gift came with a price tag, one they had to repay with loyalty, political support, and economic returns.
The main purpose was to prevent them from developing the illusion that "everything was simply their due." In truth, for a long time, the Greeks had harbored the fantasy that they themselves were Europe.
The Greeks held great expectations of Britain, France, and Russia alike. That was why they had reacted so fiercely to the Don Pacifico Affair and the Russians' attack on the Balkans.
This had also led the Kingdom of Greece, throughout history, to adopt radical strategies in nearly every diplomatic crisis and eagerly embark on military adventures.
Selling these strategic supplies could also recoup part