25 Chapter- 25 Ionian Islands (Part-4)

26th January ,1832

Nafpilon, Greece

The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon as Otto sat on his bed with three letters in his hands. His butler Michael was standing in front of him silently, waiting for his orders. One letter was from the Ionian Islands and others were from London. Otto opened one of the letters from London first. It was from the British Foreign Office in London and it contained a message that Otto had been dreading. The British government had decided to reject the Ionian Islands request to join Greece. Otto put the letter down and sighed. He knew it would not be easy to convince them.

As Otto unfolded the second letter, his eyes widened with anticipation. It was a massive news from his trusted subordinate, Frank Silber, a brilliant mind whose cunning abilities had caught Otto's attention during his visit to Prague. Silber, a Jew by birth, had proven himself invaluable in expanding Otto's network, especially in Britain, recognizing that it would become his primary adversary in his quest for an independent rule. Silber had been working in London to gather support for the annexation of the Ionian Islands to Greece, and he had some good news.

He told Otto in the letter that he bribed some Whig party-political leaders like Charles Grey and some Tory party politicians as per his instructions. They would also make sure to support the annexation of Ionian Islands in Kingdom of Greece in the next parliament meeting. Obviously, Silber made sure they didn't guess who was behind everything. Silber also spread rumours about how the Tory party leaders encouraged the British Governor General Fredric Adam to extort money from people of Ionian Islands and divided it among themselves for their luxury. These rumours were likely to damage the reputation of the Tory party and make it more difficult for them to oppose the annexation.

Otto sat back in his chair and thought about what Silber had written. He knew that the Whig party was more likely to support the annexation than the Tory party, but he also knew that the Tory party still had some power.

If history repeat again, Tory party would lose the next election to the Whig party at the end of 1832 which ushered in a new era of a period of political stability and economic prosperity in the British Empire. So, he knew about the rising popularity of Tory party in Britain which he would be using for his propaganda.

Then he opened the letter from his spy agency in Ionian islands. He learned that British Military would be used to stop the unrest. So, he ordered Michael

"Michael, Is everything ready for an armed uprising in Ionian Islands?"

"Yes, Milord. Everything is ready as you ordered. " Michael said.

"That's good," Otto said. "Tell my spies to start helping the revolts to conquer the whole of the Ionian Islands. Tonight will be the start of their operation. I hope that this operation will be finished in 1-2 days. Also make sure to capture the British Governor General Fredric Adam."

Michael nodded in understanding, fully aware of the criticality of the mission at hand. "Understood, Milord," he affirmed. "Additionally, I will ensure that our spies prioritize the capture of the British Governor General, Fredric Adam. His removal will undoubtedly weaken the British grip on the islands and bolster the chances of a successful uprising."

With a nod of approval, Otto dismissed Michael to set the plan in motion. The cloak-and-dagger operation was about to unfold, with the fates of both the Ionian Islands and Otto's grand vision hanging in the balance.

Otto sat back in his chair and thought about what he had just done. He knew that the rebellion would be a gamble.

Otto then stood up and walked over to the window. He looked out at the city below, and he knew that he had a long and difficult road ahead of him. But he was determined to see the Ionian Islands reunited with Greece, no matter what it took.

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As night fell upon the Ionian Islands, the rebellion began. The spies moved with stealth and precision. They communicated properly with rebels, coordinating their efforts to ensure a synchronized uprising across the entire Islands. Their training, combined with their determination to achieve Otto's vision, propelled them forward.

Utilizing their intimate knowledge of the local terrain and exploiting the element of surprise, the rebels launched simultaneous attacks on strategically significant British military outposts. In a brilliantly orchestrated series of maneuvers, the rebels first managed to cripple the communication lines between the British forces stationed on the islands and the mainland. The mainland British, unaware to the unfolding events, remained under the false impression of peace and control.

The spies ensured that all communications regarding the uprising were intercepted or redirected, effectively cutting off any chance of reinforcement from the British military.

With each passing hour, the rebels gained momentum. Fredric Adam, the British Governor General, soon became the primary target of the revolutionaries. They cunningly set a trap, drawing him to a remote location under the guise of an urgent meeting. Once isolated, the rebel forces struck with precision, capturing Adam and his loyalist entourage.

The British Governor General's capture sent shockwaves through the remaining British forces, and their morale plummeted. They were left in disarray, unable to mount a coordinated response. As the second day drew to a close, the British forces, disoriented and overwhelmed, had no choice but to retreat to their last stronghold on the islands in Kefalonia.

In a final, climactic assault, the rebels besieged the British stronghold with unwavering resolve. The fierce battle raged on, but ultimately, the might of the uprising proved victorious. The last British garrison surrendered.

As news of the victorious uprising reached Otto's ears later that day, he couldn't help but feel immense pride in the dedication and resourcefulness of his spies and the bravery of the rebels. It was a testament to the power of secrecy, cunning, and unity, which had enabled them to achieve the seemingly impossible.

With the capture of Fredric Adam, the rebels secured a powerful bargaining chip. The British government was stunned by the speed and efficiency of the rebellion when they learned about it from the rebels. They had not expected the rebels to be so well-organized or so well-equipped.

The British Parliament was in a heated debate when news of the uprising in the Ionian Islands reached them. The debate became even more heated when it was learned that the rebels had successfully conquered the islands.

Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, was forced to issue a vote on whether to merge the Ionian Islands with Greece or to send military forces to the islands with the fear of backlash. The vote was close, but 57% of the Parliament members voted in favour of merging the islands with Greece.

The rebels, who had been expecting a military response from the British, were surprised and relieved by the vote. They agreed to surrender all of their captives and to cooperate with the British in the transition to Greek rule.

1st February, 1832 was the day when King Otto of Greece, British Ambassador Sir Stratford Canning and present rebel leaders signed the peace deal of Ionina in Corfu, which marked the end of the British rule and beginning of the rule of Greek government. All the rebels on that day surrendered to the Greek government. British Governor General's secretary Elias became the Greek administrator of Ionian Islands.

This day also marked as the start of diplomatic conquest of Kingdom of Greece. People of Ionian Islands still remembered the day as 'Victory Day'.