The Rise of the European Emperor

At the Lateran Temple in Rome, the day after Marin came back, he suddenly remembered what the Venetian general Niccolò said about 20,000 mercenaries in Switzerland who were hired by mysterious employers. m.

This matter wants to be a mystery, because Niccolo's people didn't find out who hired the 20,000 Swiss mercenaries. You know, if the French hired Swiss mercenaries, there was no need for secrecy at all. Because the cooperation between the French and the Swiss is an old relationship, and there is no need to hide it from others.

Therefore, these 20,000 Swiss mercenaries must have been hired by other countries. But why keep it a secret? It can be seen that the employer is planning a shocking action. You know, 20,000 Swiss mercenaries can completely fight a war to destroy the country.

"Could it be the Principality of Geddes?" Marin suddenly remembered the Principality of Geddes, which was fighting against the allied forces of Saxony.

However, Marin quickly rejected the idea himself. Why? Because the Principality of Gerd doesn't need to hire 20,000 Swiss mercenaries. The Principality of Geddes itself has an army of tens of thousands, plus it has already hired thousands of Swiss mercenaries, so there is no need to hire another 20,000 people to easily defeat the Saxony coalition.

Besides, the cost of Swiss mercenaries is not cheap, three times that of ordinary mercenaries. A typical mercenary is paid 3 pfennig per day, while a Swiss mercenary is paid 9 pfennig. Hiring 20,000 Swiss mercenaries costs 180,000 pfennig a day, or 3,000 gold coins. After a month, it will cost 90,000 gold coins. After a few months of war, the cost will reach hundreds of thousands of gold coins...

Although the Principality of Gedes is relatively wealthy, it has an army of 10,000 people to support itself, and it does not have the financial resources to hire another 20,000 Swiss mercenaries.

So, Marin was a little confused. But soon, he decided to send spies to Switzerland to inquire about the news.

Coincidentally, the first batch of students from the spy school has already come out, and a few people can be sent to Switzerland to inquire about the news. If you can't find out, you can kidnap powerful figures and use severe torture to extract confessions.

To this end, Marin wrote a letter to Schwartz, asking him to mobilize the special forces led by Cage and cooperate with Kohler's spies to go to Switzerland to inquire about the news. Kohler's spies are mainly responsible for inquiring about news, while Cage's special forces are responsible for kidnapping Swiss officials who know the news, and can even torture them to obtain information...

...

A few days later, news came from Spain-Isabella I died...

The news was sent back by spies arranged by the Holy See in Spain, by land and through France. As Spain, one of the great powers in Europe, it is normal for Julius II to pay attention to the news from Spain. In particular, Julius II's enemy, Caesar Borgia, was still alive in Spain at this time.

Therefore, the Holy See and the Rovere family have spies arranged in Spain.

After learning that Isabella I died, Marin sighed first, then relieved...

Isabella I can be said to be one of the most outstanding queens in European history, even more outstanding than Queen Elizabeth I of England. Although it is said that Elizabeth I has a stronger ability to govern personally. However, Elizabeth I's vision is not as long-term as Isabella I. Moreover, the influence of Elizabeth I on later generations is far less than that of Isabella I.

You must know that when Isabella I first financed Columbus's voyage, he almost gritted his teeth and sold jewelry and property sponsorship, which was considered a private sponsorship. Because neither her husband, Ferdinand II, nor the parliament of the Kingdom of Castile approved the plan and were unwilling to provide money. Therefore, the financing of Columbus's voyage was actually the use of the Queen's private money.

Without Columbus's westward voyage, there would have been no rise of the great European voyage. Therefore, Queen Isabella I is a strong woman with vision and pioneering spirit.

In Spain, in the collocation of the two kings and couples, as the think tank, it is not the husband Ferdinand II, but the wife Isabella I. Although Ferdinand II has a strong ability, it is more in the execution ability. Many decisions in Spain were actually put forward by Isabella I, and then implemented by Ferdinand II.

Even several political marriages that had a great influence on Europe were also decisions made by Isabella I. For example, the marriage with Portugal almost unifies the Iberian Peninsula. And the marriage with Austria, in the original history, there appeared a monster that swept across Europe - the union of Shinra and Spain, an existence that smashed the whole of Europe...

It is a pity that the union of Shinra and Spain only existed during the time of Charles V, and when Charles V died, the two separated. Otherwise, this powerful dynasty will continue to slaughter the whole of Europe.

Of course, it is no wonder that historically, Charles V originally wanted to pass everything on to his son Philip II. It's a pity that the princes of Shinra didn't do it...

You must know that during the period of Charles V, if it wasn't for the hegemony with the French, the struggle with the Ottoman Turkey, and the religious war, which consumed too much energy of Charles V, maybe Charles V could have made the great princes of Germany. They were all cleaned up, and the hereditary Habsburg Germany was established.

Concerned that their authority might be deprived, the German princes decisively chose Ferdinand I, the younger brother of Charles V, as the Holy Roman Emperor, forcibly splitting the union of the Spanish Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.

It was precisely because the German princes split this powerful union out of their own interests. After that, neither Spain nor Shinra had the strength to beat France, but France cut off Alsace and Lorraine instead.

Once, Marin was moved when he saw what the Frenchman Dude wrote. But in fact, Alsace has always been a predominantly German-speaking region, even into the 21st century. The situation in which the so-called Alsatians described by Toude were forced to give up French and learn German did not exist at all. Because the locals all speak German. Except for the French who immigrated from abroad, they will think as described in the book. However, such people are very rare in Alsace. Therefore, Dude's is actually a very shameless political propaganda article, which is completely nonsense.

However, in our Chinese textbooks, this article is still regarded as a classic... Well, whether it is the translator Hu Shi, or the person who chose the Chinese text in this article, may not know much about the history of France and Germany. I understand, that's why this text is regarded as a good text.

Of course, this also has a lot to do with Germany's defeat in both world wars. The French were the victors, and of course they were vigorously promoting their ideas. Just like if Japan had won back then, maybe our school textbooks would have described the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere"...

...

The death of Isabella I represented the death of the pioneering spirit of Spain. Although Ferdinand II was talented, he did not have a long-term vision and was entangled in the hegemony of the Italian region.

As for Prince Juan, who is still alive, he is usually close to Ferdinand II. Of course, it was also greatly influenced by Ferdinand II. As a result, Prince Juan also seems to be more concerned about the European issue...

And Prince Juan's wife Margaret, although very talented, is a strong woman. However, her heart is still very biased towards Austria. Therefore, she will also encourage Prince Juan to help the Austrians and the French fight.

Marin had dealt with Prince Juan and found this man easy-going but not assertive, easily influenced by his father and wife. So, when Ferdinand II hangs up, Prince Juan must be the next Tang Gaozong Li Zhi - a king who is controlled by his wife...

Of course, now that Isabella I is dead, and soon, Prince Juan will be crowned King of Castile...

After the death of Isabella I, Spain will usher in a situation of father and son co-governance, and a new era has come...