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The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 225
🕑 Added 2025-05-27 19:05:01 +0000 UTCChapter 225: France's New Province
Tunis.
A group of Berber soldiers, dressed in white short robes with dark gray studded vests underneath and white turbans on their heads, marched through the streets. They held scimitars and escorted hundreds of prisoners from the Algiers Guard. The prisoners trudged slowly between the square, beige houses on both sides of the road.
A large crowd of Tunisians followed closely behind, loudly cursing the Algerian invaders and occasionally hurling garbage at the prisoners.
The ambush at Annaba had been a resounding success. Under the pincer attack of the French forces, the Algiers Guard had surrendered in less than an hour.
Joseph had deliberately handed over some prisoners to the local Tunisians, allowing them to "exhibit" the captives in major cities such as Tunis and Susa.
The official narrative for public consumption was that "Tunisia, France's closest friend, dealt a crushing blow to the Algerian invaders with the help of the resistance forces."
Indeed, Jamil's resistance forces had contributed by transporting logistical supplies for the French Guards Corps and the Moulin Corps and by helping escort the prisoners. Their assistance was duly acknowledged.
Since Hussein had ascended to the position of Bey of Tunis, Algiers had repeatedly interfered in Tunisia’s internal affairs, engaging in looting and slaughter along the way. Furthermore, Tunis had been forced to pay substantial tributes to Algiers, adding to the burden on the lower classes. Thus, the Tunisians harbored intense hatred for the Algerians.
When Algiers announced plans to deploy troops to suppress the Tunisian resistance, under the pretext of helping their Ottoman kin restore control, the Tunisian people were outraged.
What they did not anticipate was that the Algerian army would be defeated by their "French brothers" before even entering Tunisian territory. Numerous captives had been taken.
The news caused a sensation throughout Tunisia.
Having just overthrown the oppression of the Guard, the people were now celebrating their victory over foreign invaders. A surge of pride and dignity swept through the populace, and every household rejoiced in the victory.
Both triumphs, however, were inseparable from the help of their beloved "French brothers."
Joseph seized this opportunity, enlisting Elder Ali's assistance in spreading propaganda. By this time, in the eyes of the Tunisian people, the French army had become their closest kin and protector.
After a week of "exhibition," the more than 200 prisoners from the Algiers Guard were brought to the square in front of the Great Mosque in the city center.
The newly appointed Chief Judge of Tunis and several judicial officials sat nonchalantly behind a wooden table. They ordered the prisoners to kneel in neat rows, then opened a "manual" to learn on the spot how to handle the situation.
Indeed, Tunisia’s administrative and judicial systems had been restructured entirely in the French model after two nationwide "civil servant examinations." From management structures to desk arrangements, everything had been adopted wholesale.
Consul Joan had brought over a hundred French administrative officials to guide these inexperienced Tunisian locals in running the country.
Fortunately, the rural tribes of Tunisia had their own traditional management systems, which required little intervention. Only the commercially developed cities truly needed administrators. After a month, at least the central and northern parts of Tunisia had established rudimentary administrative functions.
Joan had also issued "governance manuals" for officials at every level, including the document the Chief Judge was now leafing through.
The judge spent over 20 minutes figuring out what to do first. Nearly a thousand Tunisian citizens stood under the blazing sun, patiently waiting during this time.
At last, the judge awkwardly began the trial process.
An hour later, no one could quite discern what he had done, but his verdict was clear: “All invaders are sentenced to hanging!”
This era had little regard for human rights, particularly in North Africa. In the face of the people’s fury, notions like defense or appeal were unthinkable.
Immediately, the square erupted in cheers. The crowd roared the judge's name, praised their French brothers, and celebrated the great victory. Then, they escorted the prisoners to the execution site.
...
The following morning, Hajji Bey was having breakfast when loud shouts from outside the Ksar Kahil palace caught his attention.
He turned to his new wife, puzzled.
“Are more Algerian prisoners being tried today?”
Hafsa shook her head.
“It doesn’t sound like it. Besides, prisoner escorts shouldn’t pass by the Ksar Kahil…”
As they spoke, a servant hurriedly entered and bowed to Hajji at the door.
“Great Bey, there are thousands of people outside the palace petitioning.”
“Petitioning?” Hajji asked nervously. “Petitioning for what?”
“This… I don’t know,” the servant replied, keeping his head low. “But the leader seems to be the interior official Hilada Pasha.”
Hilada was the scholar who had previously written the Analysis of Tunisian Origins. He had successfully passed the "civil servant examination" and was now serving as an interior official in Tunis.
Currently, national affairs such as taxation, finance, and appointments were still under "military administration." High-ranking officials had not yet been appointed, so the mayor of the capital was effectively the highest-ranking civil servant in Tunisia.
Hajji anxiously went to the palace gates. Upon seeing his French "guards," his heart eased slightly. After all, it was these French brothers who had stopped the resistance forces from killing him during the last uprising and preserved his position as Bey.
When the French guards opened the gates, the deafening chants of the crowd filled the air:
“Glory to the Tunisian Province…”
“Join the French Kingdom…”
“Return to the embrace of our Roman kin…”
“We want to be with our family…”
Hilada signaled for the crowd to quiet down and then approached Hajji, bowing respectfully before presenting him with a large parchment scroll.
“What… what is this?” Hajji hesitated to take it. The memory of the resistance forces storming the Ksar Kahil and threatening his life had left him deeply scarred.
“It is a petition, esteemed Bey,” Hilada explained as he unfolded the parchment. The top bore an inscription in Arabic: Petition for Tunisia to Join the French Kingdom.
Below that were thousands of signatures and handprints.
“Join France?” Hajji stammered. “How?”
A fellow scholar who had co-authored the Analysis of Origins stepped forward and declared loudly:
“Tunis was once a province of the Ottomans. Since we have broken away from them, we can now become a great province of France!”
Another official chimed in:
“Yes! Forever united with our Roman brothers!”
“Only a strong France can bring prosperity and strength to Tunisia!”
The petitioners immediately echoed the sentiment, shouting:
“Tunisian Province!”
“Join France!”
Hajji retreated a few steps in alarm. From behind him, Hafsa shouted:
“If Tunisia becomes a province, what will happen to the Bey?”
Hilada promptly replied, “I have already consulted Consul Joan to seek guidance from His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of France.
“His Royal Highness has said that you shall be granted the title of ‘Duke of Tunis,’ retain possession of the Ksar Kahil, and receive a substantial annual pension—just like the esteemed dukes of France.”
The scholar beside him added with an enthusiastic expression, “Compared to being a declining Ottoman pasha, becoming a noble duke of the great France is far more glorious!”
These Tunisian intellectuals had long been ardent Francophiles. During the recent "civil servant examinations," many had secured prominent positions due to their academic prowess.
Thus, whether out of their admiration for French culture or to stabilize their own positions, they were eager to see Tunis become a province of France.
After the Tunisian resistance forces entered Tunis, Joan had given Hilada just a slight nod, and Hilada immediately led the intellectual class in launching a fervent campaign to promote the idea of becoming a French province.
The common people of Tunis also welcomed this development.
During their uprising against the Guard, they had looted a great deal of wealth from the Guard’s households. Now, with Algiers sending an army of 20,000 to “quell the rebellion” and restore the Guard’s rule, the people could not bear the thought of losing what they had gained—much less regurgitating the spoils already in their hands.
They urgently needed the powerful France to protect their newly acquired wealth. To them, the identity of their ruling province made little difference. The beloved “Roman brothers” seemed far more benevolent than the Ottomans.
As for the Tunisian military, they also needed someone to legitimize their prior actions in eliminating the Guard. Furthermore, the leader of the resistance forces, Isaac, who was also part of the intelligence agency, strongly supported joining France.
In religious matters, the Ottomans had long implemented policies of religious harmony, fostering peaceful coexistence between Christianity and Islam. In fact, Hajji’s grandfather, Hussein, had been a Catholic before ascending to the position of Bey.
Under this influence for over a century, the people of Tunis had no objection to joining a Catholic nation.
Hajji cautiously accepted the petition and turned to look at Hafsa.
She glanced at the sea of petitioners and whispered, “The terms offered by the French Crown Prince pose no disadvantage to you. Moreover, with the title of Duke of France, you will no longer need to fear mobs threatening your safety.”
Hajji nodded and said to Hilada, “Please draft the request for His Majesty the King of France to accept Tunis as a province of France.”
...
Bizerte Army Base.
While Ksar Kahil was surrounded by petitioners, thousands of soldiers of the Guards Corps gathered at their base in Bizerte to attend a medal ceremony for those who had distinguished themselves in the Battle of Annaba.
As the solemn and stirring tune of Glory and Victory played, Joseph, dressed in a white military uniform and with a sword at his waist, strode confidently to the front of the wooden platform overlooking the neatly arrayed ranks of soldiers.
He scanned the formation of more than ten phalanxes and declared loudly, “Today, we bear witness to those who, with unparalleled courage, wisdom, and conviction, have written a legendary tale worthy of reverence and achieved unparalleled glory. These heroes shall receive medals commensurate with their honor! Let us salute them!”
With a resounding clatter, the soldiers raised their rifles in a crisp salute toward the dozen or so individuals awaiting decoration on the platform.
Joseph took the medals from the hands of the corps staff officer and began by posthumously awarding medals to the representatives of fallen soldiers.
Then he approached Lefebvre, who had been awarded the Silver Fleur-de-Lis Medal. He carefully pinned the finely crafted medal onto Lefebvre’s chest and solemnly saluted him.
The soldiers erupted in a wave of cheers, like the roar of the sea.
Lefebvre, born a commoner, had defied the odds. In other French military units, someone of his background might, at best, rise to the rank of second lieutenant—and even then, only after paying a hefty bribe.
Yet here, he had earned the Silver Fleur-de-Lis Medal and been promoted to the rank of major, commanding an entire battalion of soldiers.
All of this stemmed from his battlefield valor and merit.
Birth no longer mattered!
Each soldier’s heart brimmed with hope. They knew that if they fought bravely on the battlefield, they too could achieve such honors—or even become generals one day!
This hope alone was enough to crush the morale of any other European army of the time.
Joseph then approached Davout and pinned the Bronze Fleur-de-Lis Medal onto his chest, saluting him as well.
He looked at Davout, who responded with a sharp salute, then glanced at Berthier and Lefebvre standing nearby. He could not help but sigh inwardly: Napoleon, I’ve found three of your marshals already, but where on earth are you?
Months earlier, Joseph had asked the Minister of War to locate a soldier named Napoleon Bonaparte.
By his recollection, Napoleon should have already graduated from the artillery academy and been serving in some unit.
However, the Marquis de Saint-Priest had informed him that there was no soldier by that name in any regiment.
At first, Joseph was not surprised. After all, information in this era was notoriously unreliable, and armies were often private assets of the nobility. It was akin to trying to access someone’s bank records—it was not unusual to be kept in the dark.
He then tasked Fouché with the search, but even now, there was no trace of Napoleon.
Shaking his head slightly, Joseph reminded himself to be patient. Napoleon was still only 19 years old. As long as the search continued, he was confident that Napoleon would eventually be found.
...
Versailles Palace.
Queen Marie Antoinette glanced over the report on the situation in Tunis, her eyes filling with tears of joy. She embraced the royal chamberlain who had delivered the message. “Wonderful! Joseph is safe and sound!”
She stepped back, crossed herself several times, and said, “Thank you, Almighty God, for your protection of Joseph!”
After carefully rereading the report, she excitedly paced the room before stopping in front of one of her maids.
“Prepare a welcome ceremony! My Joseph will soon return!”
She paused and asked, “Has the King been informed of this good news?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The same report has been delivered to His Majesty.”
“Good, good! Now bring me two strawberry cakes with plenty of chocolate sauce. I must celebrate!”
...
Meanwhile, the Marquis de Saint-Véran, who had just marched into Toulon, also received news from Tunis. However, his reaction was somewhat lackluster.
He had not expected the 6,000 soldiers to defeat the Algerian army. Now that the Crown Prince was safe, his opportunity to secure additional funding was gone.
Regret washed over him. If he had known this earlier, he would not have delayed for extra funding. If he had acted sooner, the glory of defeating the Algerians and protecting the Crown Prince might have been his.
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