Near East Development 1.0

Without question, with the Vienna Government's support, the Armenian throne fell into the hands of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.

Once the news spread, Europe's spectators slipped into their usual mode, with experts and scholars popping up one after another to offer grand pronouncements on the state of the world. Before anyone could argue their way to a conclusion, the British Government was the first to grow anxious.

The struggle for the seemingly insignificant Armenian throne carried political implications behind it that could not be ignored.

Armenia lay between Russia, Austria, and Persia. Anyone who had read Procopius's military histories would find that Byzantium and Persia had fought over this region time and again.

If the Tsarist Government wanted to gain control here, it certainly was not to target Austria. The Russo-Austrian border was so long, with plenty of regions easy to attack; there was simply no need to go to such lengths.

The Kingdom of Armenia itself held no value. Such a tiny patch of land was not worth the Tsarist Government's coveting, so its real target was obvious without saying.

Foreign Minister George said, "The Caucasus is too far away. Our influence cannot penetrate that deeply, and we lack the strength to interfere in the struggle for the Armenian throne.

"Russia and Austria have reached an agreement on this issue with remarkable speed. We must raise our guard from here on. Aside from the Austrian threat, the Russian threat cannot be overlooked either.

"In the future, the pressure on us in Central Asia and Persia will increase sharply. The Foreign Office recommends giving appropriate support to France and North Germany, restraining Russia and Austria from behind."

There was no helping it; this was a problem left over from history. More than a decade ago, the British had taken