IBTCPOTME Novel - Chapter 160
**Chapter 160**
**< Coronation (1) >**
“This place is beautiful, no matter how many times I see it.”
I looked around the cathedral where the coronation would take place. I had come to check if the preparations for the upcoming coronation were going well, and to have a conversation with my father.
“It is beautiful. I’ve seen it so many times that I’m not as impressed anymore. You’re not here on Sundays, so you won’t have that problem.”
“*Hahaha*…”
Considering the status of the Catholic Church in Mexican society, attending mass every Sunday is considered almost mandatory, but I’ve been so busy that I’ve missed many Sundays.
My father and mother are also devout believers, so they’ve commented on it, but they haven’t scolded me because they know I’m really busy.
The official name of this building is ‘The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Heaven in Mexico City (La Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María a los Cielos de la Ciudad de México)’, an incredibly long name, but it’s simply called ‘Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral’ or ‘the Cathedral’.
The Metropolitan Cathedral, which was already beautiful, had been undergoing renovations all year for the event, and the building, both inside and out, was cleaned so thoroughly that it looked like a brand new building.
This building, which is also very important in Mexican architectural history, is where my father, Agustin I, was crowned, and it’s also the church where the royal family attends mass every Sunday.
‘It’s a masterpiece that took 240 years to complete, from 1573 to 1813.’
Of course, the main reason it took that long was not because of the construction itself, but due to complex factors such as finances, politics, mid-design changes, and weak foundation problems, but it also gained something from that.
Because the construction took such a long time, 240 years, various architectural styles that were popular at the time, such as Gothic, Baroque, Churrigueresque (a Spanish artistic and architectural period that emerged during the Baroque era), and Neoclassical, could be mixed together.
The same goes for artists of all kinds, including painters and sculptors. The paintings, sculptures, furniture, and various decorative items inside were created in various styles from different eras, showcasing a unique and distinctive atmosphere.
My father, who was looking around the cathedral with me, seemed lost in thought and brought up a story from the past.
“When I was crowned here, I didn’t have enough money to buy jewels, so I had to borrow them.”
“That was 25 years ago.”
It was right before I entered this body.
“Yes. After that, things changed really fast. Even I, the emperor, couldn’t imagine that our Mexican Empire would grow this fast.”
My father paused for a moment and said.
“Thank you, son.”
The strength of the hand I felt on my shoulder wasn’t the same as before, but the feeling was clear.
“…It’s all because you believed in me and supported me. Honestly, it’s not easy, even for father and son.”
“*Hahaha*, it wasn’t that hard to believe. Your words and actions were transparent. It was harder to get rid of your uselessly ambitious uncles and aunts.”
“…Relatives?”
It was something I had never heard before.
“Yes. I was also from a landed gentry family, but it was hard to compare to your mother’s family. Your mother was from one of the most prominent families in all of Mexico.”
To summarize my father’s story, he was a young lieutenant from a wealthy family, and his success was also due to the help of his wealthy in-laws.
During the War of Independence, and even before that, when he was a Spanish army officer and was suppressing the independence fighters, the support he received from above was ridiculously small, and he often had to spend his own money for the army, so it was unavoidable.
It’s common throughout history for wealthy families with daughters to take in capable young men as sons-in-law. George Washington in the United States is an example, and it’s not uncommon in South Korea in my previous life either.
If you invest, it’s human nature to want a return when you succeed.
“So, it’s not unreasonable for them to come to me with a bill after I became emperor, is it?”
“Well, yes.”
“That’s how it is with my in-laws, so what about our family? They thought they were kings too, just because a king came from their family.”
“…I didn’t know.”
“I took care of it, but you’ll have to pay attention to it in the future.”
I was a bit surprised to hear that something like that had happened behind my back without my knowledge. But when I thought about it, it was only natural.
Didn’t even Napoleon get entangled with his family, handing out the throne, and then face a huge backlash?
‘Compared to that, our mother and father are wise.’
They said that they didn’t let them touch power, although they spent a bit of money to appease and soothe them.
“Yes, I’ll pay attention.”
“Alright.”
“But father, what are you going to do after you abdicate?”
The day of my coronation is the day my father abdicates. That day, my father is going to publicly hand over the crown and scepter, the symbols of the empire’s authority, to me.
I was curious what my father, who had lived as a capable soldier and emperor, would do after he stepped down from the throne. He’s not like he’s sick, considering that he was born with a strong physique and doesn’t have any major health problems.
“Well… I don’t know yet. It would be nice to spend more time with your mother, and it would be nice to play more with my grandchildren. I’m just thinking about that. I don’t really have any hobbies.”
My father had been preparing for the coronation for a year, but he still hadn’t decided what to do after he abdicated.
‘Well, he’s been so busy.’
It was his last year, but he was much busier than usual, handling his original duties, preparing for the handover, and preparing for the coronation.
He decided to abdicate because he felt physically exhausted from handling a huge amount of work, even with the abdication itself, so the future might feel uncertain.
‘People like my father find it hard to just play after they retire…’
I walked around the cathedral, thinking for a moment, and then I thought of something suitable.
“Father, do you remember when you saw the Army vs. Navy soccer game with Carlos last time?”
“Yes, I do. It was fun.”
Carlos was completely absorbed in the competitive soccer game between the Army Academy and the Navy Academy, but my father, surprisingly, had also watched it with excitement, holding his breath.
Unlike my stance of letting anyone win, my father cheered for the Army Academy team, and they won a hard-fought victory.
“I’m going to create a professional soccer league in our Mexico in the future. How about you manage a team?”
“A professional soccer league?”
This is a time when the modern concept of professional sports has yet to emerge. The concept of paying to watch sports, or professional athletes who make a living only by playing sports without any other productive activity, is rare.
But there were horse races that had been around since ancient times, and professional cricket and boxing had recently emerged in England.
More importantly, in the original timeline, modern soccer rules were established in 1863, and the English Football League was launched in 1888, so it wasn’t a delusional idea.
I explained the professional soccer league in detail. It’s just a form of entertainment that doesn’t seem productive at all on the surface, but it’s actually a sport with many advantages from a ruler’s perspective.
“Well… it sounds fun, but will people really pay to watch the game?”
“There’s no need to insist on paid viewership from the start. I’ll put up the prize money…”
After that, my father and I continued to walk around the cathedral, talking about many things.
***
December 1847.
As the coronation approached, dignitaries from countless countries around the world arrived.
Over 100 delegations were sent from European countries such as the British Empire, the French Republic, the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, the Austrian Empire, the Kingdom of Spain, the Dutch Republic, and the Kingdom of Portugal, as well as from various countries in South America, the United States, the Ottoman Empire, Joseon, Qing, and Japan.
Most countries had already established formal diplomatic relations and had embassies in Mexico, so there were already diplomats in the Mexican Empire, but since it was a coronation, high-ranking officials such as royalty or the foreign minister attended in person.
“The Southern Confederacy would have been rejected even if they had come, so that’s fine, but New Granada didn’t come either?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The New Granada central government is trying to regain control over the provinces, but they have almost no actual military power, and it’s practically turning into a confrontation between the provincial elites and the citizens.”
“I see. I’ll instruct them to intervene more actively. It’ll be a problem if several independent countries are actually created.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Many dignitaries came from many countries, but I didn’t need to meet all of them in person. Of course, I had to show my face to some of the great powers, such as the British Empire and the Russian Empire, to maintain face, but there were more important people I had to meet.
Wilhelm I.
He’s the man who will become my son-in-law and later the Emperor of Germany. He’s the younger brother of Friedrich Wilhelm IV, the current King of Prussia, and he visited the Mexican Empire with his wife and daughter.
“Welcome.”
“Congratulations.”
My first meeting with Wilhelm I was a bit awkward. But fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the main characters here weren’t me or him.
My son Carlos and Princess Luise Marie Elisabeth were the main characters of this event.
‘This feels like a meeting of the families. From the parents’ perspective.’
It’s a complex and mixed feeling.
It was a meeting of an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old, but they seemed to have already noticed each other.
Just as I was about to tell them to greet each other, Carlos opened his mouth.
“Hello! It’s really nice to meet you!”
The interpreter translated Carlos’ greeting, which he said a bit stiffly, as if he was a little nervous, and Princess Luise also said.
“Oh, hello!”
Seeing Princess Luise hide behind her, blushing after saying that, I burst into a happy laugh.
“*Heh heh heh*, you’re so cute.”
“*Hahaha*.”
Seeing the children, the awkwardness subsided a bit, and we continued to converse in a fairly friendly atmosphere.
After the first meeting with my son-in-law, December passed quickly, and fierce battles took place in the United States and New Granada, but all the Mexican Empire’s citizens were focused on the coronation.
By the end of December, dignitaries from almost every country had arrived safely, and Archbishop of Perugia, Gioacchino Pecci, sent from the Vatican, also arrived.
It was only natural for the Vatican to send someone. The Mexican Empire had become the most powerful country among those with Roman Catholicism as their state religion. It was only natural for the Vatican, which was losing its authority day by day, to send someone, if only to show its relationship with the Mexican Empire.
The archbishop came to me and offered to crown me at the coronation, but I rejected it immediately.
“As I told the Archbishop of Mexico, I appreciate the offer, but I decline. Someone else has already been chosen for that role.”
“…It’s a shame, but I respect Your Majesty’s decision, in accordance with God’s will. But it could be a precious opportunity to share the blessings of God with the many faithful believers of the Mexican Empire, so please let me know if you change your mind. We can all paint a holy moment of unity.”
It was once only natural for a clergyman to crown a king, but times have changed.
Even during my father, Agustin I’s coronation, a clergyman was present, but the Speaker of Parliament took on that role, not him.
‘I have to receive it directly from my father.’
The previous emperor is alive, and he’s peacefully abdicating to his son. There was no need to receive the crown from anyone else.
Moreover, Roman Catholicism can’t be a friendly force for me. It’s a target for reform.
Of all the many problems remaining in the Mexican Empire, the biggest problem is the church.
‘The church is the biggest source of corruption in Mexico.’
The problem of the large landowners who own huge haciendas and the implicit legal system of peonage they exercise is secondary to the church. The church enjoys all of that, plus various religious privileges.
In the original timeline, the Mexican government tried to implement secularization policies, and the church revolted twice, but in this world, I’m not going to let them get away with that.