Vienna Palace
Prime Minister Felix proposed, "Your Majesty, the number of our colonies is steadily increasing. It is necessary to establish a Colonial Ministry dedicated to managing colonial affairs."
After doing the sums, Franz suddenly realized that Austria had also become a colonial power—at least in terms of colonial territory.
From 1854 until now, over the course of little more than a year, more than thirty colonial outposts had been established across the African Continent, and over two hundred thousand immigrants had been sent there.
Among the European nations, Austria had been the most proactive in developing the African Continent. At a time like this, without a specialized department to manage it, chaos could easily arise.
After giving it some thought, Franz asked, "We truly do need to establish a Colonial Ministry now. Who does the Prime Minister believe is suited for this post?"
Prime Minister Felix suggested, "Your Majesty, how about appointing Count Josip Jelačić as Colonial Minister?"
Count Josip Jelačić was a Croat and, in history, one of the three great contributors who saved the Austrian Empire. He had led the Croatian militia in suppressing the Hungarian rebellion.
As time passed and the great integration of the ethnic groups advanced, the Vienna Government would inevitably have to appoint high-ranking officials from ethnic minorities as well, to demonstrate equality among all peoples.
Against this backdrop, Josip Jelačić, as a loyal supporter of the Empire, stood out from the crowd.
After thinking it over, Franz said, "Then Josip Jelačić shall serve as Colonial Minister. I recall that during the campaign to suppress the rebellion in 1848, he rendered great service to the Empire.
"In recent years, he has also done well in his post as a senior official in Croatia. Whether in road construction or economic development, he has achieved