Wanli Xinming

Chapter 362 Vortex
Because Matthias brought a Da Vinci manuscript as a meeting gift when he met Xu Guangqi, and Xu Guangqi gave him a catty of black tea and a set of exquisite tea sets as a gift in return.

Mathias left with excitement, and since then has become a common "sai blow" in Europa, thinking from the bottom of his heart that all people in Seris are people of high moral character.Because according to the value, Xu Guangqi's gift is a kind of relief for his shabby status quo, and it doesn't hurt his face!

With the deepening of the mission's itinerary in Europa, tea has become the most fashionable drink in Europe.A month ago, there were already clippers headed straight to Managa, to add a new commodity to the spice trade route—tea.

Promoting tea is one of the important missions of the mission.After Xu Guangqi made a pot of tea for Felipe II in Madrid, he reminded the emperor in his report back home that Europa is likely to import tea on a large scale. , there is no way to quit this thing.

Nowadays, Europa tea can only be obtained from the gifts of the mission. How many nobles want to catch up with the fashion and ask for a couple of black teas, but they can’t get it—Mathias can easily sell a catty of tea and tea sets for a hundred or so ducats, but with With this money, he can at least add a few bodyguards and followers, so that he won't be wandering around Europe with a follower.

As the younger brother of the Holy Roman Empire, Matthias can enter all kinds of social occasions. As he praised Xu Guangqi on different occasions, and intentionally or unintentionally hinted that he was likely to receive financial support from Siris, in Rome Some of the nobles in the country have re-established contact with him—after all, Europa is short of hard currency everywhere in the chaotic war.

As Xu Guangqi's reputation in Rome gradually increased, envoys and visitors from various countries flocked to the embassy station. Some of them asked about the details of the coup d'etat in the Principality of Tuscany, and some asked when the Bank of Seris would Opening, and some, like Matthias, directly borrowed money or exchanged "small gifts" for tea - Xu Guangqi was also amazed at the ability of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Matthias to use the opportunity to hype.

On the surface, there is a peaceful mission station, but there is also a torrent surging underneath.Carlo Medici, as the representative of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, has been fighting fiercely with various forces of the Holy See these days, strongly condemning the Holy See for meddling in Tuscany's inheritance affairs, and supporting Ferdinando's coup d'état.For the sake of safety, most of these exchanges were completed at the mission's residence, and Xu Guangqi and others gradually learned about the new political situation in Europa because of this:

After the murder of his younger brother, the Grand Duke of Tuscany tore off the veil of his brothers and sisters, and personally put on Ferdinando "Spanish boots" - this thing is also called "shin shredder", which is the most popular in Europa at this time. Common torture: The executioner will squeeze the prisoner's two lower legs between two curved iron plates, which are nailed with spikes, iron teeth and knobs. The violent extrusion and rotation will crush the prisoner's shin and fibula shattered.

Ferdinando's bones were not as hard as he imagined, and under torture, he began to confess in tears.As expected by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando's coup was instigated by the Medici faction of the Holy See.

After Gregory XIII got malaria, he fell ill, and all the political forces in Europe that could intervene in the selection of the Pope began to join forces.The current head of the Medici family, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, bet on the Spanish branch of the Habsburg family, while Felipe II supported Cardinal Giovanni Battista Castana, who presided over the baptism of Xu Guangqi.

Although Gregory XIII was at odds with Felipe II, he also supported Giovanni in the selection of the pope-otherwise Giovanni would not be able to preside over this significant baptism on behalf of the Pope.

But Giovanni's supremacy means that the largest political force of the Medici family - the French black queen Catherine de Medici's interests have been damaged, except for the Duke of Tuscany who has fallen to Philip II. Also, other Medici opposed Giovanni.

For the Medici, the stable expansion of territory and power is the highest interest of the family.Catherine Medici's birth and marriage contract were carefully arranged by two generations of Medici Popes—Leo X and Clement VII. Almost all Medici forces in the Holy See were loyal to Catherine and loyal Carry out Catherine's orders.

Therefore, this coup involved not only the Holy See and Spain, but also the Valois dynasty, the largest political force in Western Europe, that is, France.

France is now in turmoil. Henry III, who has triggered many religious civil wars and extravagance, has exhausted the patience of Parisians. The big nobles represented by the Duke of Guise are brewing a storm to seize power. Standing behind Henry III Catherine Medici wanted to kill the thief, but was powerless.

But as the empress dowager who has manipulated the fate of France for more than ten years, she will never put all her eggs in one basket.She once married her most beautiful youngest daughter Marguerite to Henry de Bourbon, king of Navarre, regardless of her death.This means that if Henry III, who has many male favorites, cannot produce a male heir, Henry Bourbon, who is also a descendant of King Louis IX of France, will inherit the French throne after his death.

And this Henry de Bourbon happened to be the nephew of Gregory XIII's political opponent, Cardinal Phyllis Priti de Montalto—of course, with Catherine Medici The representative Medicis intended to push Felice Montalto to the Pope.

There is a technical problem here. This Henry Bourbon is now a Huguenot, which is at odds with Catholicism. This not only caused headaches for Catherine Medici and Felice Montalto, but also caused Tosca The biggest reason why the Grand Duke of Narcissus Francisco Medici took refuge in Spain: The Medici should be on the side of Felipe II. We all believe in Catholicism, don’t we?Moreover, an alliance with the most powerful country is beneficial to the future of the Medici family.

This point of view cannot be wrong. Catherine Medici also married her daughter to Felipe II, trying to consolidate the status of the Valois court through marriage.However, Felipe II's ultimate goal was to unify Europe, which the Henrys of Valois and Catherine Medici could not tolerate.Therefore, the Valois dynasty is naturally at odds with the Habsburgs
In the already messy situation, the court of the Holy Roman Empire also came to get involved. More than 50 years ago, Pope Clement VII was rubbed on the ground by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. After the "Roman Catastrophe", Pope Clement VII was imprisoned and signed a humiliating treaty-cede land compensation, Medici The family was forced to surrender the ruling rights of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and Florence became a republic at that time.

Later, Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Medici, re-ruled Florence through the power of Charles V's son, Felipe II of Spain. , but this is not in line with the interests of the Medicis of Clement VII.

And the "orthodoxy" of the Habsburg dynasty, the emperor Rudolph II of the Holy Roman Empire hated his cousin Felipe II quite a lot-after all, Felipe II inherited the Holy Roman Empire during the Charles V period. Spain and the Netherlands, the most powerful empires, left only an empty shell for Habsburg.

Therefore, the Holy Roman Empire has the same interests as Catherine Medici in opposing Giovanni as Pope. Matthias's appearance in Rome is not only for himself, but also partly represents Rudolf II in the selection of the pope. One of the emperor's mouthpieces.Of course, when the bid is high enough, Matthias will not hesitate to betray Rudolph II and negotiate peace with the Grand Duke of Tuscany—expressing his desire for loans through Xu Guangqi is a small test ball released.

In such a complicated situation, the status of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who holds the Medici Bank, is gradually becoming more and more important-after all, no matter what the second, third, or even emperor, they need the Medici Bank to provide them with financing and turnover, otherwise they will be heavily in debt. I've been staying somewhere cool for a long time.

Children holding gold in the market, this is a vivid portrayal of the situation facing the Grand Duke of Tuscany today.Once Ferdinando succeeds in the coup d'état, the Medici, who are in control of the financial power, will be able to buy the cardinals who have the right to vote, and push Felice Montalto to the position of pope, thus ensuring Henry Bourbon's stable succession , the Medici family will still partially control France, instead of being controlled by Spain as it is now
In the original time and space, Ferdinando succeeded, and Giovanni was also defeated by Felice supported by the Medici Bank. Felice became the successor Pope Siscote V. [Note 1] But in this time and space, because the butterfly flapped its wings, Ferdinando's conspiracy was revealed, and the conflict between the two sides was completely intensified. What actions will the angry Duke of Tuscany and Felipe II take? Only God knows.

With the serious illness of Gregory XIII and Ferdinando becoming a prisoner, Rome finally completely became the abyss of crime and conspiracy, the vortex of hypocrisy and betrayal
　Note: After the pope succeeds to the throne, he generally announces his "monarch name" according to the tradition, expressing that he appreciates the policy of a certain monarch and will adopt similar policies, etc.-the so-called "Second, III" or "Benedict X" This is how "The Sixth World" comes—at the same time, it is convenient for the people to remember and call it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)