African Business Chronicles

Chapter 85: East Africa Through the Eyes of Maximilian I

As the saying goes, "it's easy to invite a god but hard to send one away." Maximilian I, with his strong sense of pride, refused to return to Europe. He believed himself to be exceptionally talented and thought that returning in disgrace would only make him the object of ridicule.

Late July.

Mombasa Port was bustling. Due to geography, Asian immigrants arrived here, while European immigrants landed at Dar es Salaam.

Maximilian I arrived in Mombasa with a convoy of Chinese immigrants. He had stayed only one day in Alaska, declaring it uninhabitable.

Since there was no Austro-Hungarian diplomatic office in the Far East at the time (the Treaty of Beijing with Austria-Hungary wouldn't be signed until 1869), ships belonging to the Hohenzollern royal territory had no choice but to bring Maximilian to East Africa.

From East Africa, it was possible to directly communicate with the Austro-Hungarian homeland. In Mombasa, Maximilian quickly reconnected with familiar elements.

There were a fair number of Austro-Hungarian immigrants here (as colonial immigrants were redistributed and settled in scattered areas), allowing Maximilian to gather considerable information.

Upon learning that this was the domain of his future son-in-law, Maximilian decided not to leave. Claiming poor health, he refused to return to Europe with the Hohenzollern Military Academy escort.

The East African colonial government and the special operations unit couldn't forcibly send him back either. After all, this was Hohenzollern royal land, and Maximilian was the prince's father-in-law, making him the highest-ranking figure in the colony.

Even solely by virtue of his title as the former Emperor of Mexico, no one dared disrespect him—let alone as a member of the Austro-Hungarian royal family.

Though East Africa lacked Europe's comforts and wasn't as developed as Mexico, Maximilian found it agreeable.

Like Mexico, East Africa was in the tropics and dominated by highland terrain, so the coastal environment felt familiar.

Strolling along the docks of Mombasa, watching busy workers moving cargo, Maximilian was flanked by Hohenzollern cadets ensuring his security.

During their journey from Mexico to East Africa, Maximilian realized these men, who resembled Native Americans, were not Indigenous. They spoke fluent German, very similar to Austrian dialects.

Maximilian had been furious when, in Mexico, he assumed they were local Indigenous supporters who simply couldn't understand him and refused to speak.

But when he overheard them conversing fluently in German with staff during a supply stop in Alaska, he realized they weren't mute—they had just chosen not to talk to him.

After Ernst received the telegram in East Africa, he didn't rush to send Maximilian back to Europe, especially since Empress Dowager Sophie was emotionally fragile. If she saw her estranged son suddenly return, it could spark palace drama.

Sometimes distance preserves affection. Until Maximilian returned to Europe, he remained Sophie's poor, pitiable son in her mind. Better to wait until both had let go of their resentments before reuniting them.

With little to do, Maximilian spent his days wandering Mombasa. Before becoming emperor, he had a deep interest in entomology.

Now in East Africa, he dreamed of retreating into nature, exploring and collecting exotic insects.

The colonial government, however, would not permit it. His movements were strictly confined to the Mombasa area.

"Lee, why is it that you Chinese, though also yellow-skinned, are so much more perceptive and understanding than Native Americans?" Maximilian asked with curiosity.

"Your Majesty, allow me to correct a misunderstanding," Roy Lee replied. "First, I am a German, not Chinese. My education taught me that 'German' is a cultural identity. Anyone who sincerely embraces German culture is a German. If we define ethnicity by skin color and bloodline, even the German people of central Europe would be divided beyond recognition."

"You're absolutely right," Maximilian agreed. "Just like the Austro-Hungarian Empire—if everyone identified with German culture, it would never have fractured the way it did."

Cultural identity has that power. The Germanic region, especially in central Europe, is a melting pot of ethnicities.

Take Prussia—it wasn't originally a traditional Germanic state, but it was forcibly drawn into the German sphere by Brandenburg and eventually led the political unification of Germany.

Austria, too, was never a purely Germanic state. But if Austria had won the struggle with Prussia for control of the German world, then German identity would have dominated its population, and nationalism wouldn't have been such a threat.

Sadly, Austria lost the Austro-Prussian War, and a unified Greater Germany was never born. Thus, Hungarian and other nationalisms couldn't be suppressed.

"If only Austria had understood the power of cultural identity sooner, we might not have suffered such a defeat," Maximilian lamented, watching the Austro-Hungarian and Chinese immigrants working together peacefully in Mombasa.

Leaving Mexico, he seemed to regain the sense of purpose he once had—when he ruled boldly and confidently.

In Mexico, his reign was plagued by constant infighting. He quarreled daily with conservatives and republicans alike. Rebels advanced continuously while his own camp became increasingly unpopular. He never heard a word of good news.

"Ernst has done very well," Maximilian said. "He's given people a reason to live. East Africa may not be rich, but it's far fairer than Mexico."

"Our headmaster has strict standards for immigrants," Roy Lee explained. "Though most are poorly educated, they aren't burdened by conflicting ideologies. Their values are simple—they just want a decent life and aren't too interested in politics."

"That's Mexico's biggest problem—too many ideologies," Maximilian replied. "American, French, republican, monarchist... no one wants to sit down and talk. Everyone wants to resolve things through violence!"

Roy Lee thought to himself: "You're no different—but I'd better not say that aloud."

"East African society is still quite underdeveloped," he said instead. "Unlike Mexico, it hasn't been exposed to civilization for long. Our headmaster often reminds us: don't try to run before you learn to walk. Before changing the economic base of East African society, we shouldn't rush into seemingly advanced systems—we should tailor reforms to local conditions."

"Ernst sure has a lot of odd ideas," Maximilian said. "But there's truth in them. In Mexico, I tried to push reforms too. I gave the people liberty and equality. I even planned to pardon Juárez when I first arrived. But everyone turned against me. And yet, in my heart, I know I was implementing the ideas of Europe's great philosophers. The Mexican people just weren't ready to accept these advanced theories."

As an idealist, Maximilian's policies genuinely aimed to improve Mexico. As emperor, he was not self-serving.

But those who supported him—like Napoleon III—only did so to exploit Mexico. Meanwhile, Maximilian's blind trust in republicans earned him no praise and only caused him endless trouble.

Now, seeing East Africa—orderly and thriving under Ernst's rule—though not luxurious, filled with life and structure, and comparing it to the chaos of independent Mexico, Maximilian couldn't help but feel that God had played favorites.

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