Joseph had originally intended to use "Bern's French-speaking population holds the majority" as the basis for unification, but clearly, the banner of "Rome" was far more useful.
Had Elach and the others not brought it up, he truly would never have thought that Switzerland could wind its way through so many turns and claim a connection to the Roman Empire.
He could not help narrowing his eyes. The Swiss people had reminded him of something.
Come to think of it, the Capetian Dynasty was Charlemagne's sole heir by blood, while the Carolingian Empire was universally recognized as the legitimate continuation of the Western Roman Empire.
At present, France's territory already overlapped with most of the Carolingian Empire's—especially after acquiring the Rhineland. Even Aachen, the capital of the Carolingian Empire, now lay within France.
Now, raising the banner of Charlemagne's legitimacy was simply justified beyond question!
Wait.
Joseph suddenly recalled that Alexandra, as a member of the Romanov Family, had also inherited the legitimate bloodline of the Byzantine imperial family! [Note 1]
In other words, his descendants would possess the legitimacy of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.
The Roman Empire would be perfectly resurrected!
However, he quickly suppressed the thought.
The Roman Empire's banner indeed held an immensely powerful appeal in Europe, but it would also arouse extreme vigilance from Austria, the Ottoman Empire, and even Russia.
France was currently at a crucial stage in integrating Germany and the Italian Region. It was not the time to stir up unnecessary complications.
But once France began expanding its influence, this would absolutely be the best lever to use.
Joseph could not help looking at the Swiss people before him. Perhaps this time, France would gain not only an eastern province, but also an opportunity to begin laying out the "roman