The Rise of the European Emperor

In fact, Marin was completely overthinking it. How many of the ship owners of the Five-Port Alliance are fools? In response to the court against the French, it was a national hatred, and they naturally participated actively. However, the battle for the throne between Edward and Henry VII was an internal conflict, but if a shrewd ship owner couldn't hide in time, how could he easily get involved?

Of course, there are also a small number of ship owners who are willing to gamble for the upper ranks. For example, like the Wallace family, in order to obtain a noble status, they are completely fighting. However, that would be too dangerous. If it fails, the whole family suffers. Let's just say that when Henry VII took the throne, the shipowner who was in the wrong team might not necessarily die, but his family's decline was certain. Henry VII is not a good stubborn, and his attack is relatively ruthless.

However, if it is neutral, neither side will be embarrassed. why? Because in order to guard against the French, no matter who takes the position, they need the support of these ship owners, especially the ship owners of the Five-Port Alliance.

Therefore, there must be shipowners who will help Henry VII for the sake of wealth, and there will be some who will join Edward in advance. But more, choose to wait and see.

But there is a difference between watching and watching. Watching by yourself and persuading the sailors under your command to wait and watch neutrally are completely different concepts.

In order to keep the elite sailors of the Five-Port Alliance, the strongest fighting force, neutral, Marin suggested Edward to give him a very generous offer—helping to persuade the sailors to be neutral, tax-free for five years. Well done, knighted...

Tax-free for five years, which is a very favorable condition. In this era, the king's taxes were mainly collected from merchants. The import and export trade tariffs operated by ship owners are the bulk of them. Therefore, the five-year tax exemption is definitely a very favorable condition. Moreover, Edward's request is only to persuade the sailors hired by himself to remain neutral in this royal hegemony, and there is almost no cost...

Edward was not very happy with such a high price, but Marin reassured him and said-kill Henry VII and those great nobles, their property and fiefs are yours, are you short of money?

Edward thought about it too. Those big nobles were all very rich. Killing them in the name of slaying kings, confiscating their property, absolutely made a big deal... Then, Edward agreed...

This is easy to do, because Marin has long been deployed in England, and there are agents from the North Sea Chamber of Commerce in the five ports of the Five-Port Alliance. Over the past few years, I have long been familiar with the situation of the five major ports.

The North Sea Chamber of Commerce's spies in the five major ports knew very well which ship owners had a good relationship with which famous and powerful sailors. As long as the shipowners who have a great influence on the powerful sailors with relatively strong combat effectiveness are drawn over, those powerful sailors can be deeply influenced.

The so-called powerful sailors are actually those sailors who often cameo pirates and served the King of England in wartime.

These people are the old oilers who seek life at sea. They are bloodthirsty and warlike, and have strong fighting ability. They are the main force of the English naval battle. As long as they were appeased, Henry VII could only recruit ordinary sailors. And ordinary sailors, like militiamen, are much easier to deal with.

Moreover, Edward also had the intention of making plans for the future by attracting those ship owners and powerful sailors. Because, Edward still counts on them to stabilize the coastal defense in the future.

However, while Marin and Edward were busy wooing and threatening those shipowners and sailors, the French did something else...

The French envoys came to the camp once again. This time, they came to take all the French soldiers...

Last time, the French envoy came to Edward's army to incite the French army to make trouble, but Marin used the method of "borrowing your head to use it" to resolve it, and also blew up a real spy. In front of the "iron proof", the French messenger couldn't say anything, so he had to go back and almost angered Louis XII to death.

After Louis XII regained consciousness, he planned how to get revenge on Edward. But at this time, news came from Scotland that the King James IV of Scotland led an army of 10,000 to the south...

Louis XII suddenly came to the spirit, and he felt an opportunity in it...

Of course, the French have little chance now. For, the French navy was completely destroyed, and thousands of infantrymen and a great deal of property were lost. Therefore, the French have now lost the opportunity to participate in the hegemony of England.

However, Louis XII was not willing to let the 7,000 French troops continue to serve Edward - he was afraid that Edward would use the 7,000 French troops as cannon fodder to attack the fortified city of London... In fact, Edward and Marin did indeed plan to do so. of……

So, Louis XII finally thought of a trick - I won't be involved in your hegemony, can't I? So, he sent an envoy and decided to bring the 7,000 French troops back to France...

What, you say the French are out of boats? This is not a problem, Louis XII has already sent people to Holland to hire merchant ships...

Worried about the English intercepting the fleet? No, Henry VII would probably wake up laughing when he heard that the French army was about to leave. How could he object?

As for Edward's objection to not letting people go? This is no problem, because Louis XII has already made an excuse - the civil strife in France, the need for this army to return to the country King Qin, wait online, in a hurry...

Edward is not in France, how do you know if there is civil strife in France? Anyway, first find an excuse to deceive the seven thousand French troops back.

Even if Edward wanted to stay, those French soldiers would not buy it. After all, they are all French. If you stay strong, you will be distracted. If your heart is no longer here, you won't be able to fight hard. It's better to let it go.

...

As for why did Louis XII take away these seven thousand French troops? In addition to stopping the loss (that is, fearing that Edward will consume this group of people), it also has the meaning of muddying the water in England.

If the British were defeated, Henry VII would definitely not be Edward's opponent. But with the Scots on board, it's different.

With the Scots behind him, Edward would not be able to attack Henry VII with all his strength and had to guard behind him. According to Louis XII's knowledge, Edward's army consisted mainly of 7,000 French troops, 3,000 German mercenaries and 20,000 men from Marin. If 7,000 French troops retreated, Edward would have only 20,000 people left.

But at the same time, Henry VII had more than 10,000 sailors who could fight. In the north, there are also 10,000 Scottish troops who have resentment against Edward...

In this case, the three parties will form a delicate balance, completely muddy the water in England...

As a result, Edward's hands and feet will be bound, and some cannot be used. And if these 7,000 French troops were there, Edward might have more capital. But if the 7,000 French troops left, Edward's forces would be stretched to the limit... To deal with the two major forces at the same time, more than 20,000 people is not a lot... In this way, England may explode...

When the French envoy took the Dutch fleet around the North Sea and found the port of Grimsby to pick up 7,000 French troops, both Edward and Marin were a little stunned-the other party said that there was a domestic rebellion, how could you not? Let the French go? Therefore, Edward was suddenly depressed...