While undercurrents stirred across the international stage, Franz stayed home, delighting in his children and grandchildren as though he were utterly unaware.
It was obviously impossible for him not to know. The British wanted to win over so many countries that there would always be a few traitors among them.
In international politics, those who stubbornly walked a single road into darkness were always the minority. Playing both ends against the middle was the normal way of things.
The contest between Britain and the Holy Roman Empire was hardly one-sided. Before the situation became clear, most countries would not bind themselves to one side alone.
The Holy Roman Empire could use its advantage in land power to herd the nations of the European continent aboard its ship; the British likewise relied on their naval supremacy to gather allies across the world.
There was no way to stop it. Fence-sitters would only sway with the wind, and could only sway with the wind. That was the way small countries survived.
It was not that the Vienna Government could not intervene. The main problem was that its ability to project power was limited; overseas, it could not compete with the British.
The British had operated overseas for centuries, while the Holy Roman Empire had entered the Age of Exploration less than forty years ago. Its overseas influence lagged far behind Britain's.
Besides, gathering followers was no easy task. The overseas countries were not a single solid block either. Quite a few neighboring states bore bitter blood feuds against one another; winning over one inevitably meant offending another.
Getting people aboard the ship was easy. The trouble was being dragged into regional conflicts and disputes while doing so.
Over-involvement in regional disputes had no meaning for the Holy Roman Empire beyond attracting hatred.