Chapter 256 The Autumn of 1484 AD - The Catholic World, Europe Before the Second Voyage
The northeast trade wind blows on the coast, carrying the fragrance of land vegetation, instigating the sails traveling far away. The North Atlantic warm current bifurcates southward here, forming the broad and slow Canary Cold Current. The weather is favorable, the wind is favorable, the location is favorable, and the water is smooth, from Portugal
It is so convenient for the kingdom to travel to the southern continent, which makes the navigators' hearts fly away.
Dias raised his head and looked at the southern sky. The huge flamingo soared in the sea breeze, its red wings like leaping flames, burning in the hearts of those who looked at it. The flamingo symbolizes freedom and fantasy, and is also an ancient Egyptian myth.
The sunbird in the sky. The royal steward thought about it for a long time before speaking with a wry smile.
"Diogo, we Portuguese can only rely on ourselves. The Treaty of Windsor lasted for a hundred years. Although the Kingdom of England is our solid ally, it cannot give us much strong support on land. King Henry and King Richard both
The army is being assembled and preparing for the final decisive battle.
This long war for the throne has been going on for almost thirty years! The nobles of England have suffered heavy losses. At least 50 noble families have been exterminated, and more than a thousand nobles have been killed. The English people are tired of war! No matter which king wins in the end
, they will not be able to respond to us in a possible Spanish war in a short period of time."
Diogo nodded with a heavy expression. In the brutal English Civil War, thousands of nobles and knights were killed, and countless fiefs lost their owners. This greatly weakened the power of the allies, and it was unknown whether it would affect the future Kingdom of England.
, guide to where.
"Diaz, what about the attitude of the Spanish's neighbors, the French? They should always be wary of the Spanish Kingdom that has become more powerful after the merger, right? When I came back, I heard about the death of the Spider King, and the new successor to the throne
King Charles is only fifteen years old this year. The person who is really in charge of the Valois Dynasty now should be the regent's 'Grand Lady', the eldest princess of France, Anne. She is the 'least stupid woman' in France!"
"Diogo, your information is still well informed. The Kingdom of France is hostile to its powerful neighbor, the new Kingdom of Spain, but the French royal family is in the midst of a divided confrontation. The 'grand lady' of the regent is suppressing Louis, Prince of Orleans, who challenges the regent.
After annexing Burgundy, Anjou, Maine, and Provence, the French royal family has become too powerful. Now there are only three to four lords left who still own larger fiefs, and they are all subject to the king's taxation and conscription.
.”
Speaking of this, Diaz's eyes were yearning and his words were filled with emotion.
"The eldest princess Anne has taken control of the royal power and has just convened the French Parliament of the Three Estates in Tours. I heard that the representatives present had agreed to restrict the royal power, but when they arrived at the meeting, no one dared to speak. The Parliament of the Three Estates finally became'
The Grand Lady's words became a place to show the royal authority, and even became a tool to suppress Louis, Prince of Orleans!"
"Diogo, France's royal power has become so powerful that the decadent three-level parliament has become more and more dispensable... This is probably the last influential three-level parliament."
Hearing this, Diogo nodded, with some yearning in his expression. When the royal power was strong enough, there was no need to compromise with feudal lords and religious representatives and make concessions in exchange for support from all walks of life. In the eyes of the European elites of this era
, only a centralized monarchy is a symbol of strength and advancement.
"Dias, Prince Louis cannot be the opponent of the 'Grand Lady'. It's just that he has a special status and the royal family will not really deal with him. The French still have enough power to check and balance the Spaniards on land."
"Diogo, having said that, the interest of the Kingdom of France is more concentrated in the wealthy Italian city-states. They want to drink wine in the wealthy city of Naples, rather than go to the Pyrenees and play with goats with the rude Spaniards.
"
Diaz winked and made a crude joke. He continued.
"Don't forget, King Charles' maternal grandmother was Marie, Duke of Anjou, and he still has nominal claims to the throne of Naples and Sicily."
Diogo did not smile. He replied with a stern face.
"Blessed Mother! Only a real fool would ignore the threat of the Kingdom of Spain and rashly enter the quagmire of the Italian Peninsula! This is a direct challenge to the Pope of Rome and the Emperor of Austria, and will inevitably distract the resistance of the Catholic world. Do the French want to
Do you want to be a traitor to the world of God and join forces with the evil Ottomans?!"
Diaz shrugged and said with deep meaning.
"My old friend, if you can suppress the Spanish, are you willing to join forces with the Moors across the strait?"
After hearing this, Diogo's expression changed and he didn't answer for a long time. After a while, he lowered his voice and asked.
"Across the strait, the kingdom of the Moors...is there any good news? They just sit and watch their compatriots on the north shore being conquered by the Castilians?"
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid so."
Dias shook his head sadly.
"The Blatter Palace sent envoys to the south in a low-key manner... Since the demise of the Marin dynasty, Granada has lost support from across the strait. The new Watas dynasty only controls the north of Morocco, and is internally corrupt.
Unbearable. When the palace envoys came back, they said that they had neither the intention nor the ability to challenge the Spanish, but that they were good targets for conquest.
The kingdom has never found a reliable ally, and now it can only rely on the king's plan. Of course, if there is an opportunity to get the Spanish into the other side of the strait, or some other quagmire that is difficult to get out of, the kingdom will be happy to secretly intervene.
With both hands, our dangerous and greedy eastern neighbors will encounter more trouble..."
After hearing this, Diogo exhaled slowly. He looked devoutly to the east, traced a small cross on his forehead, mouth, and chest with his thumbs, and prayed devoutly in Latin.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Per signum Sanctae Crucis, de inimicis nostris, libera nos, Domine Deus noster... It seems that Dias, the only one who is willing and able to help us, is currently facing
Spain threatens only..."
"The Holy See."
Dias nodded and said affirmatively.
"The respected Pope Cistercian has always been friendly to the Kingdom. Four years ago, the Pope signed a decree and approved the "Peace of Alcazovas", which clarified the Kingdom's maritime hegemony and allowed us to end it with dignity.
The War of the Spanish Throne. But Pope Francis has not been in good health this year, and he may soon... This is why the Portuguese Archbishop immediately reported the news about Presbyterian John to the Holy See and sent a Coptic Cross.
.”
Hearing this, Diogo nodded clearly. He clenched his fists in his chest, his emotions fluctuated, and he concluded word for word.
"Once the Pope is called by the Lord, it is not known how the new Pope's attitude towards the Kingdom will change... Only by finding traces of Presbyterian John's kingdom and mastering the route of contact with our compatriots in the East can the Kingdom truly have a lasting position in the Holy See.
influence!
And only by occupying the unowned land by the sea, establishing key coastal strongholds, and mastering the trade routes of the East, will we Portuguese people have a strong and prosperous future!
Blessed Mother! I will never stop on this voyage and will explore all the way until death!"
Diaz looked at his old friend's resolute expression and hesitated to speak. An unknown premonition flashed through his mind. After a while, he took out an ancient silver cross, handed it to the other person carefully, and whispered.
"Diogo, there are too many irresistible evils in the land of the devil in the south! They will unknowingly invade our bodies and take away the lives of God's people. This is a sacred thing left by my grandfather. Send it to
Keep it with you. I hope it will give you God’s blessing on your journey deep into evil!”
Diogo nodded gratefully, took the cross, and put it away solemnly. He thought for a moment and said in a deep voice.
"Dias, during my last voyage, I wrote a logbook, recording in detail the routes and road signs along the way after heading south from the Gold Coast. There is a difficult windless zone at the equator, and you must be prepared enough.
rowers and food. In the deep sea far away from the coast, the wind direction changes frequently, and a new type of jib needs to be designed...I will give you the log when I go to the captain's cabin. If I don't come back this time,
I’ll leave the rest of the exploration to you!”
Dias stared at his friend for a moment and nodded slowly.
"Okay! Diogo, for this voyage, the king specially sent a new palace adviser, a noble scholar from Nuremberg and an outstanding cartographer, Martin Beiheim. He will follow you and use the Jacob's Stick
Calculate the latitude and record the specific route to the south. If you are unlucky...I will continue to explore and find the route to the east!"
The sea breeze blew silently, carrying a moist breath. The two of them were full of thoughts and did not speak for a while. After a while, Diaz said with a smile.
"Diogo, the merciful Lord has always protected us Portuguese. His Majesty Joao is wise and wise, and the future of the kingdom is always bright! In the two years since your last exploration, His Majesty has shown himself to be a great king. In addition to paying attention to navigation,
In addition to restarting the exploration plan, the king also promoted talents, hired consultants, and worked hard to revitalize the kingdom, which was two major things!"
Hearing this, Diogo pondered for a moment and asked in a low voice.
"Two major events? Dias, you are His Majesty's confidant... When I came back, I heard that Your Majesty executed Duke Ferdinand of Braganza last year and confiscated the Duke's territory..."
Dias glanced at the deck, looking at the people chatting in the distance, and then said with certainty.
"Yes. The Duke of Braganza is dissatisfied with His Majesty's interference in the inheritance of the nobility, and secretly exchanges letters with Queen Isabella. He is the most powerful noble in the kingdom, and the area of the fiefdom is the largest... Only by concentrating royal power can we
It is the foundation for the strength of the Kingdom. We cannot follow the path of Wall of Christ, and I am afraid it will not last long.
Your Majesty has made up his mind to centralize the power of the royal family like the Kingdom of France. Next, in His Majesty’s plan, there are still many powerful nobles that need to be dealt with... Of course, sailing families like ours are the ones Your Majesty trusts the most.
We are direct descendants, so there is no need to worry about this."
Hearing this, Diogo remained silent and felt horrified. He pondered for a moment before asking again.
"When His Majesty summoned me, he carefully inquired about the gold production around Elmina Fort and the surrounding tribes that own gold. He also asked about the military strength of the Kingdom of Songhai and the Kingdom of Congo and whether they were rich in gold... This second
Is this a big event just minting coins?"
"Diogo, my old friend, you really have the keen intuition of a navigator!"
Diaz smiled and praised.
“Relying on the gold obtained from the Gold Coast, His Majesty has restarted King Alfonso’s coinage plan. A new batch of Cruzado ‘Crusader’ gold coins are being minted!
The kingdom's gold coins are popular in Mediterranean countries and are even accepted by Arab merchants. For every 3.55-gram Cruzado gold coin minted, the kingdom can obtain at least 8% of the seigniorage tax and attract more foreign businessmen.
In the commercial city-states of the Italian peninsula, the kingdom's influence is constantly rising. Because it has sufficient sources of gold, the stability of the kingdom's gold coins is even more stable than the Venetian ducats. Ha, the treacherous Venetian merchants make us hate them.
But there is still nothing to do!
Diogo, you also know that the ignorant countries in the southern continent also have gold, silver, and copper exchange ratios that are different from the world of God. In addition to direct plunder and occupation, our merchant ships can also exchange the difference with different precious metals.
Continuously obtain gold from the southern continent! The profits from this have been calculated in detail by the palace's financial advisor, which is enough to make the kings of various countries jealous and crazy!"
A smile finally appeared on Diogo's face. He stretched out his hand and patted his old friend's shoulder hard.
"Yes! Dias, the hope of the kingdom is in the vast and fertile southern continent, on the eastern route to wealth! God bless you! Let us set sail again to the unknown south to find the holy country and obtain the Lord.
The wealth promised..."
Hearing this familiar prayer, Diaz also pressed his old friend's shoulders and chanted loudly together.
"Under the guidance of the Lord, we will move forward bravely, spreading His glory and mercy to the ignorant countries along the way!...amen"
The two of them looked at each other, smiled, and looked towards the south together. That gaze was warm and bright, representing the world of God; that gaze was cold and austere, representing the light of judgment.
"...sail!"
The letter flag was waving, and a dozen caravel sailing ships raised their half-sails, lined up in a neat queue, and slowly sailed out of the port. The trade wind from the northeast never stopped, and the kingdom's fleet moved forward, and soon it was full of sails.
Full sail, disappearing at the end of the sky.
"Vaffanculo! Che minchione! Bullshit mathematician, bullshit palace advisor! The Pratt Palace is full of idiots with eyes on their butts!"
In the port on the shore, there was a middle-aged man in his thirties, staring at the direction in which the fleet was disappearing, chattering angrily. He was tall, with a strong build, a long face with an eagle nose, and prominent cheekbones.
He has a pair of blue eyes and auburn hair. He is wearing a set of washed white civilian black robes and a worn-out sailor's flat hat. The only valuable thing is his feet.
Pointed calfskin boots, polished with lard.
Although his clothes were shabby, the middle-aged man's figure was straight and upright, with a stubborn light like a wild boar in his eyes. He roared angrily, and until the last exploring sailboat disappeared from sight, he suddenly squatted down with his head in his hands, frustrated.
swore in a low voice.
"Diamine! Cazzo! The great businessman Marco Polo said it, and the astrologer Toscanelli also said it! The world is round, and China is at the starting point of India, directly opposite Iberia and Ireland!
Idiots...a group of idiots...Only we city-state people can see the reality of this world clearly! I want to become the commander of the fleet, become a noble, and become the governor across the sea! I want to lead the fleet from the west side of the ocean to
To the rich east!..."
The middle-aged man was still mumbling to himself, but suddenly felt his shoulders sinking. He raised his head angrily and saw two tall Slavic men with big axes on their waists, one on the left and one on the right.
He was sandwiched in the middle. And a thin Jewish businessman, wearing a small round hat on his head and a long beard on his chin, was walking slowly and leisurely in front of him.
"Columbus, you are not responsible for this Portuguese voyage of exploration! The kingdom's palace adviser has denied your calculated voyage, and the last fleet found traces of John the Elder's kingdom... Your plan, see
There is no chance for you to come here. Then it’s time to calculate the money you owe me."
Having said this, the Jewish businessman took out a paper document from his arms and read it slowly.
"Six years ago, you borrowed 20 ducats from me to pay for lobbying expenses in various countries. Calculated at an annual interest rate of 48%, the interest is accumulated into the principal, so you should pay me back today... hmm
, 210 ducats in gold coins, plus 3 silver grossos, and 16.5 copper denarius coins. Well, because we have known each other for many years, I will give you these 0.5 denarius copper coins for free!...
.”
Hearing this, Columbus stood up suddenly. He waved his arms vigorously and roared angrily.
"Vaffanculo! Merda! Eleazar, you heretic who deserves hell, you greedy dwarf like a snake, don't let these barbarians touch me! You only gave me a total of 15 ducats, but you asked me to return them
210?!..."
"It's 210 ducats in gold coins, 3 grosso silver coins, and 16.5 denarius copper coins. As for the 25% advance payment deducted, it is the industry practice."
The Jewish businessman was unmoved, waved his hand and smiled coldly.
"Columbus, my patience is running out! Do you want to pay the money now, or do you want to tie up a stone and sink to the bottom of the sea?"
When the two strong Slavic men saw the order, they roared together and exerted force with both hands at the same time. They dragged Columbus a few steps out, set him up on the trestle at the port, and let his head hang down, aiming at the deep seaport.
Columbus finally showed fear in his eyes. He struggled hard and shouted loudly.
"Eleazar, give me some more time! I will continue to lobby the monarchs of various countries, and I will definitely succeed! All the gold coins I have have been spent long ago. Even if you kill me now, you will get nothing.
Arrive! But, but! If you have a little patience to wait, as long as I wait for my voyage to succeed, you can get 210 ducats!..."
Hearing this, Eleazar squinted his eyes and carefully looked at Columbus' expression when he turned upside down. After a while, he slowly nodded.
"Okay! Columbus, considering that we have known each other for many years, I will give you a little more time. But..."
Eleazar stretched out his hand and took out a business contract that had been prepared long ago.
