Empire Rising: Spain Chapter 141 - 124: Land Lease Act (Part 3)

Perhaps this bill was submitted to parliant with the support of Pri Minister Prim? If both Pri Minister Prim and Duke Serrano support this bill, what can they do?

Duke Jacopo also persuaded so of the aristocrats at Carlo’s behest, resulting in several days of parliantary voting and the aristocrats not reacting too strongly during this ti.

After discovering that the aristocrats did not react strongly, Pri Minister Prim finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although the aristocrats certainly still had grievances, they hadn’t escalated to the point of causing upheaval.

As long as the aristocrats don’t make significant moves, once the bill is passed by parliant, they will have no choice but to grudgingly accept it.

Moreover, the bill targets not only the aristocrats but also the Church, which possesses large amounts of land.

While Pri Minister Prim pays so heed and concern to the aristocrats, he does not have the sa patience for the Church.

The vast lands controlled by the Church also hinder Spain’s developnt, and these lands are the target the Spanish Governnt wishes to reclaim.

Previously, tithes were abolished, and later, legislation was introduced to limit land rent, greatly restricting the Church’s inco.

Pri Minister Prim also mobilized the military, considering defensive asures against the Church. If the Church cannot withstand such losses and ultimately chooses to revolt against the governnt, events would unfold in the direction Pri Minister Prim most desires.

Large numbers of troops would quickly suppress the church rebellion, allowing the governnt a legitimate excuse to reclaim the Church’s land.

Certainly, because the interests of both the aristocrats and the Church are affected, Pri Minister Prim knows there is a small possibility they might unite to resist the governnt.

However, after being divided, the aristocrats find it difficult to unite against the governnt, as they have their own interests to consider.

During Queen Isabella’s era, the aristocrats almost completely controlled the army. The vast majority of mid-to-high level officers in the Spanish Army were aristocrats, with the royal army being a private army led by the aristocracy.

But after the revolution, the number of aristocratic leaders within the army diminished significantly. Many aristocratic officers previously joined the Carlos Faction rebellion, and they were also eliminated by the governnt.

And the suppression of the rebellion led to the ergence of nurous new-style aristocrats, distinct from the old-style aristocrats, and they support the governnt’s policies.

Additionally, the Royal Military Academy has trained many officers, greatly reducing the aristocrats’ influence over the military.

Unless the harm to aristocratic interests becos significant, such as forced governnt land reclamation, the aristocrats are reluctant to openly resist the governnt.

After all, resisting the governnt is not without cost. If the armies assembled do not have the overwhelming advantage to defeat the governnt forces, the outco for these rebellious Spanish aristocrats might be catastrophic.

There are quite a few smart people among the aristocrats. While acknowledging they would lose so benefits due to this bill, at least the overall outco is favorable, allowing most of their inco to be preserved.

If they take risks and initiate a rebellion against the governnt, and if the rebellion fails, they may even lose their noble titles.

With the aristocrats remaining silent, the Church becos the sacrificial lamb. Faced with either selling land or reducing land inco, Archbishop Pedro and the leading bishops of the Church know they must make a choice.