African Business Chronicles

Chapter 32 – Hohenzollern Castle

April 13, 1866.

Today marked the official completion of Hohenzollern Castle. Prince Constantin had personally invited several prominent members of the family to attend the celebration.

Hohenzollern Castle was the birthplace of the Hohenzollern family and a symbol of its legacy and pride.

The original fortress was built in the 11th century, when Burchard I was granted the title Count of Zollern around 1100, with land between the Neckar River, the Swabian Jura, and the Upper Danube. That's when construction began. However, the old castle was later destroyed.

The family had reinforced the castle over time, turning it into a refuge from war. Its strategic location made it a contested site between the French and Austrians. At one point, it was besieged for nine months, and the garrison inside starved to death—a brutal chapter in its history.

Over the years, the castle changed hands and was eventually abandoned before it could be completed.

In 1844, King Frederick William IV of Prussia wrote of the fond memories he had as a 19-year-old visiting the site—particularly watching the sunset from the castle. Rebuilding it became one of his youthful dreams.

Reconstruction of the present-day Hohenzollern Castle began in 1850, jointly funded by Prussia and Hexingen. Historically, it wasn't finished until 1867.

But thanks to the profits of Ernst's industrial ventures, the Hexingen royal household had more money to spend. Ernst decided to speed up the process. After coordinating with the Prussian royal family, construction was accelerated. Workers labored overtime, and the castle was completed a full year ahead of schedule.

At the same time, Ernst negotiated to buy back part of the property rights from Prussia, increasing the Hexingen branch's ownership stake in the castle to 50%.

After all, this was their ancestral home. It symbolized the glory of the entire Hohenzollern family, and especially the honor of the Hexingen line.

King Wilhelm I of Prussia, preoccupied with raising funds for war, was happy to sell a portion of the rights. Though royal finances and national budgets were separate, selling to a fellow royal was cheaper and more reliable than dealing with commercial banks, who always charged fees as middlemen.

…

The guests attending the castle's completion ceremony were all high-ranking members of the Hohenzollern family. From the Hexingen line, only Prince Constantin and Ernst were present.

Crown Prince Frederick (future Frederick III, the "Hundred Days Emperor" and father of Wilhelm II) represented the Prussian royal family, as King Wilhelm was busy preparing for war.

From the Sigmaringen branch came many members, including Prince Karl Anton and his two sons. The elder son, Prince Leopold (whose candidacy for the Spanish throne in 1870 would later help spark the Franco-Prussian War), attended.

Karl Anton's younger son, Karl—future King Carol I of Romania—was not present, as he was already in Romania preparing to take the throne. Ernst admired him; after all, Carol was about to become a monarch.

At that moment, only Ernst and Leopold seemed to have no "bright" future ahead of them. Leopold had lost his chance at the Spanish crown due to French pressure. Ernst, meanwhile, was heir to a minor principality.

However, Ernst had something Leopold didn't—East Africa. If that colony thrived, Ernst would at least have a place to rule freely after World War I. Poor Leopold's descendants would be stuck in Europe living off the family fortune.

Then again, compared to Karl's line and even the Prussian royals—who lost Romania and the German Empire, respectively—perhaps Leopold didn't have it so bad after all.

Ernst swore that if his East African project succeeded, he'd help his relatives—especially those who had helped him, like the Prussian royals. Without them, it would've been far harder to win military contracts or gain access to arms factories. That's the power of family ties.

Ernst's mother, Eugénie de Beauharnais, had been the daughter of Duke Eugène de Beauharnais of Leuchtenberg. Eugène had many children; the only surviving member of that branch was the former Queen Joséphine of Sweden.

In short, Ernst's closest political backing came from the Hohenzollern family.

…

"…The rebuilding of Hohenzollern Castle marks a new chapter for our family," Prince Constantin declared. "May it stand tall on German soil, alongside the legacy of the Hohenzollern name."

Applause followed his speech. Crown Prince Frederick and Prince Karl Anton then gave their own remarks on behalf of Prussia and the Sigmaringen line, respectively.

That evening, at the banquet:

"Hey, Cousin Leopold, why are you drinking alone?" Ernst greeted him.

"I've just been thinking about Karl. He's in Romania, and I worry about whether things will go well for him. That place isn't exactly stable. Even with family support, the fate of the last ruler there makes things uncertain."

"Don't worry," Ernst reassured him. "Whatever else you say about Karl, he has solid military experience. As long as he builds good relations with Romania's army, his opponents won't dare act rashly."

Ernst had a point—Karl had spent years in the army and had fought in the Second Schleswig War.

"Let's hope so," Leopold sighed. "I heard you're doing well lately. Looks like Uncle Constantin didn't push you toward a military career."

Ernst smiled self-deprecatingly. "Cousin, I have no talent for warfare. I'll leave the military to you two—I wouldn't want to drag down the kingdom."

"Father told me you're developing a colony in East Africa. How's that going?" Leopold asked, changing the topic.

"Haha, nothing compared to Europe. It's mostly agricultural right now—growing raw materials for my factories. Just a small operation," Ernst replied with a chuckle.

"What are you two chatting about?" Crown Prince Frederick joined them.

Of the three, Frederick was the eldest. He and Leopold both served in the Prussian army and had only met Ernst a few times. He didn't know him well.

"Your Highness," Leopold said, "Ernst and I were just discussing his colonial project in East Africa. I was curious."

"Colonies really are valuable," Frederick nodded. "Britain has used them to dominate the seas. Sadly, Germany missed out by not unifying sooner. The best colonies are already taken by Britain and France. All that's left are scraps."

Ernst seized the moment. "Which is why we must focus now on unifying Germany. Only a strong Germany can compete with the great powers."

Both Frederick and Leopold nodded in agreement.

Frederick said firmly, "It is Prussia's destiny to unify Germany. Our Hohenzollern family must fulfill that mission."

The tone was sharp—clearly aimed at Austria. It seemed Prussia's leadership had made up its mind: Austria would be the next target.

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