Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

As a result, King Henry IV of England, under the pressure of Parliament, began to prepare to teach the Ming Dynasty fleet a "little lesson". He ordered the recruitment of nobles and knights from all over the UK, and at the same time strengthened the defense of the coastline to prepare for this upcoming war. .

At the same time, Prince of Wales Henry Lancaster (known as Henry V), who had just put down Percy's rebellion on the front line, and his 5,000 British troops were also summoned back to London.

Henry Lancaster was the son of the usurper Henry IV. When his father was expelled and was still talking about "thirty years to the east of the river and thirty years to the west of the river, don't bully the young and poor", he was killed by his father's enemy Plantagenet. Adopted by Richard II, the last king of the dynasty.

In the first year of Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty, at the same time that Zhu Di on the other side of the world was revolting, Henry IV, the Dragon King, returned and proclaimed himself king. Henry Lancaster was immediately named Prince of Wales, and at the same time led the Duke of Cornwall and Archie. Duke of Tan, this is the standard configuration of every future king, and it also proves the ambition of the Lancaster family. To put it simply, he became the prince of England.

However, little Henry has been living on tenterhooks these past few years, because there is no telling when he, the prince, will once again carry a bucket and run away to exile in France. His half-father, Richard II, was imprisoned by his biological father, Henry IV. In the gloomy castle, not to mention that the situation may rise again at any time, Henry IV is also facing successive domestic resistances.

But in general, young Henry successfully passed through his teenage years and received higher education and the influence of court etiquette. At the same time, he frequently followed Henry IV to the battlefield, and once accompanied Henry IV to defeat Thomas in the Welsh Rebellion. ·The rebel army led by Bossi.

This later generation of famous generals in Western Europe was roughly equivalent to Zhu Zhanji's template, but he was even better militarily.

And Henry Lancaster is now very brave and good at fighting. In the counter-insurgency battle just now, his cheek was scratched by an arrow, leaving a long and terrifying blood mark, but he still commanded calmly. This also greatly boosted the morale of the British army. , successfully defeated the veteran Sir Percy who launched a rebellion in Cheshire.

At this time, the atmosphere in the gorgeous palace of the London Palace seemed extremely solemn.

Henry Lancaster's brows showed a hint of confusion as he entered, while his father, Henry IV, was sitting on a high throne with a gloomy face and an elusive light in his eyes.

"Father, why did you suddenly call me back?" Henry Lancaster asked straight to the point after saluting.

Henry IV took a deep breath. His eyes looked through the dome of the palace and seemed to see the distant horizon and the powerful Ming fleet.

He spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful: "My child, you should know that our country is facing a major challenge."

Henry Lancaster nodded and said, "Yes, I heard about the Ming fleet."

"But I don't understand, why should we go to war with them? Aren't they here to do business with us?"

The young and curious crown prince was very confused by his father's sudden decision to go to war with the Ming fleet.

Henry Lancaster said bluntly: "The Ming fleet is powerful and wealthy, and their arrival may bring us more trade opportunities and wealth."

Henry IV looked at his son's doubtful eyes and sighed deeply.

He knew very well that this issue involved Britain's internal political and economic interests, which was indeed difficult for a young man to understand, but as the heir to the throne, Henry Lancaster had to understand the truth of these things.

"My son, do you know Hanseatic merchants?" Henry IV asked slowly.

Henry Lancaster replied: "Of course they have been trading with us for a long time."

The Hanseatic League was a commercial and political alliance formed between cities in northern Germany. It was headquartered in Lübeck and was joined by more than 100 cities including Hamburg, Cologne, and Bremen. It had independent armed forces and treasury and a large navy. It also has a Supreme Council and a Supreme Court, which have the power to conduct foreign diplomacy, declare war, negotiate peace, and conclude treaties.

At its peak, the Hanseatic League was powerful enough to impose an economic blockade on any king and continental princes. In order to safeguard its economic interests, it even launched a war. More than thirty years ago, the Hanseatic League's alliance fleet defeated Denmark and forced Denmark signs the Treaty of Stralsund.

Therefore, the Hanseatic League was not a pure chamber of commerce at all. It could almost be regarded as an independent political and economic entity. The political power of the participating cities was controlled by urban nobles and big businessmen, and it was even stronger than many countries.

The most important thing about the strength of the Hanseatic League is its monopoly on trade. The Hanseatic League monopolized the intermediary trade between Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and Western Europe. The main commodities they changed hands included wool from England, beer from Hamburg, fish from Norway, and Sweden. Copper and iron, as well as Russian animal skins and furs, etc. And the Hanseatic League established trading stations in the coastal areas from London in the west to Novgorod in the east.

Of course, Hanseatic merchants also dealt in oriental products, such as spices and silk, through Italian merchants.

It can be said that more than half of the entire European maritime trade is in the hands of Hanseatic merchants, while the remaining small half is controlled by Mediterranean households such as Italians and Greeks.

At this time, King Henry IV of England did not even have as much financial power as the Shogun.

It is true that the shogun needed to borrow money from wealthy and other big businessmen in order to fight the war, but he still had the power to raise taxes. However, the current financial power of the British king was pitiful. Without the consent of Parliament, he could not raise taxes by a single gold coin.

Therefore, in order to spend military funds, the British king had to negotiate with the Parliament and constantly compromise, and at the same time, he continued to borrow money from Hanseatic merchants.

In order to suppress the rebellion, there was even a case of selling royal furniture and tableware to raise military expenses, which shows how financially distressed the King of England was.

The actual situation is that Parliament often refuses to raise taxes, and the King's credit is too poor to borrow money. Faced with this situation, Henry IV can only be forced to sell out his business interests.

"In need of money urgently? Okay, come on, give me your crown."

——This sentence is quite appropriate to describe Hanseatic merchants.

Well, in fact, in the past, when the Hanseatic League brokered the deal to redeem the king, the British king's crown was actually mortgaged.

These people in the Hanseatic League have been doing business with the British for a long time, and their tentacles have extended to the British Parliament, and sometimes they can even influence politics. Because the local British nobles and businessmen, as middlemen, have long been involved with these channels. Together, that's why the British Parliament was half pushed and half swayed by the Hanseatic League.

Everything in the world is for profit, that's all.

"Yes, they are our trading partners, but their hand has been stretched too far."

Henry IV's eyes flashed with anger and he said: "Not only do they control almost all of our import and export trade, they also manipulate our politics behind the scenes. Some nobles, and even some members of Parliament, are controlled by their money. Corrupted and became their puppet.”

Henry Lancaster couldn't help but feel shocked when he heard this. He could not imagine that foreign businessmen could control Britain's highest decision-making body.

His eyes widened in shock: "How is this possible?"

"How is it impossible?"

Henry IV asked rhetorically: "The wealth and influence of the Hanseatic merchants are far beyond your imagination."

Henry Lancaster asked: "So, what does this have to do with the Ming fleet?"

"Of course it does, my son."

"The arrival of the Ming Dynasty fleet threatened the trade interests of Hanseatic merchants throughout Europe, so they lobbied the parliament and asked us to go to war."

Henry IV explained: "The Italians and Greeks themselves have little strength. They monopolize the Mediterranean trade routes solely due to their geographical location. The Hanseatic merchants have two sources of income. One is from the Italians and Greeks. The second is to monopolize trade by manipulating shipping routes through control of the Baltic Sea and even the entire North Sea."

Henry Lancaster understood instantly when he heard this.

After the goods from the East were heavily weighted by second- and third-level dealers such as the Ottoman Turkish Empire and the Byzantine Empire along the way, they entered the European market through Italians and Greeks. If the Ming Dynasty fleet can reach Europe directly, this means that these middlemen There is not much difference to be made, and the Hanseatic League is the last middleman in this.

At the same time, the Hanseatic League's commercial monopoly relied on maritime force that could easily defeat the navy of any country. The huge scale of the Ming fleet clearly made the Hanseatic League feel highly nervous.

"Those nobles who were bound to the interests of Hanseatic merchants, in order to protect their own economic interests, began to lobby the Parliament to go to war with the Ming fleet. To put it bluntly, they hoped to drive the Ming fleet out of Britain and even the entire North Sea through war, thereby protecting their own trade monopoly."

Henry Lancaster asked inexplicably: "But our fleet is not strong, and it is difficult for us to defeat the weak. Do we really want to go to war with the Ming fleet?"

"We can only mourn the fleet."

Henry IV's words shocked Henry Lancaster.

Henry Lancaster was silent for a moment, digesting his father's words and trying to understand this complex and cruel reality.

The Hanseatic League didn't know how much money they spent and how many connections they used, just to let the British fleet fight the Ming fleet first, and then test the strength of the Ming fleet and dampen their edge.

In other words, the Hanseatic League did not expect any results from Britain's not-so-powerful fleet, but only created a good condition for its own fate. In other words, the Hanseatic League was already gathering their alliance that could destroy a country. fleet. They are buying time for the assembly and training of the alliance fleet.

Henry Lancaster finally understood his father's difficulties. He realized that this war was not a simple conflict between Britain and the Ming Dynasty, but a contest of complex political and economic interests behind it.

He felt helpless, but he also knew that as the heir to the throne, he had the responsibility to deal with these matters.

"What do you need me to do?"

"My body is too weak."

Henry IV stretched out his hand from his sleeve, and Henry Lancaster discovered to his surprise that his father's little finger had fallen off his hand, and there was only a bare patch there, which was a symptom of leprosy.

"My son, if our fleet fails, please take my place and command the army to defend London and prevent the Ming army from invading England."

——————

When the Ming fleet commanded by Zheng He met the British fleet commanded by the Earl of Worcester in the English Channel, the atmosphere on the sea was extremely tense.

The treasure ships of the Ming Dynasty fleet are majestic and majestic. The huge hulls are like floating castles. The towering masts are hung with bright flags, which rustle in the sea breeze. The tonnage of these 1,500 and 2,000 treasure ships is huge. , far exceeding any battleship in the British fleet, and they could even accommodate hundreds of soldiers and dozens of artillery pieces on their decks.

In comparison, the battleships of the British fleet appear small and flexible, and they lack sufficient artillery. In this era, Europe did not have very advanced artillery at all, and there were even fewer who could board the ships. This made them in the upcoming battle In the naval battle, they were at a huge disadvantage before the battle began.

However, the British did not know this.

They only know that although the enemy is very powerful, they have already occupied a favorable position with the wind and water. They only need to bravely rush over and rush to the fighting position to have a good chance of winning.

Zheng He had been staying in Spain before, and this time he planned to cross the English Channel and continue trading along the coastline. Therefore, he did not know the origin of these enemies, but seeing that the opponents had already taken the initiative to form a formation on the sea and rushed up, it was clear that they had been there for a long time. There is no premeditation, and there is no chance for diplomatic mediation at all.

Zheng He frowned as he looked at these fools rushing over.

——Don’t they know that times have changed?

Following Zheng He's order, the artillery of the Ming fleet began to roar.

These steel-cast cannons have an extremely long range and are powerful. The shells they fire draw arcs in the air, and then there are many shells with good luck, which accurately land on the battleships of the British fleet. The wooden hulls of the British battleships are hit by the shells. It trembled violently under the bombardment, sawdust and debris flew everywhere, and a small warship that looked like a merchant ship even had its keel broken directly, and then sank.

The soldiers of the British fleet were caught off guard by the sudden and violent artillery fire. Many of them were killed or injured before they even had time to prepare.

The commanders of the British fleet tried to organize an effective counterattack, but their warships seemed so fragile and vulnerable to the artillery of the Ming fleet.

Finally, the British fleet braved huge casualties and advanced into the range of the longbow.

But before the British could use their proud longbows and arrows, the firecrackers of the Ming fleet began to attack them with firecrackers. The Ming army's cannonballs fell like raindrops on the deck of the British warship. Caused huge casualties to British soldiers.

Some brave British soldiers tried to engage in hand-to-hand combat by throwing hooks and ropes, but they were quickly repelled by Ming soldiers with spears and swords.

When night falls, the surface of the English Channel shines with the gleam of the embers of war. British battleships that are damaged and smoking are struggling to float in the waves. Many battleships have dead and wounded soldiers lying on their decks. , their blood dyed the wooden board red and mixed with the sea water.

The British fleet suffered heavy losses under the fierce attack of the Ming fleet. Many warships were sunk or captured, and a large number of soldiers were killed, injured or captured. However, the Ming fleet won the naval battle with its huge treasure ships and sharp artillery.

The commander of the British fleet, the Earl of Worcester, knew that the defeat was irreversible and they had to order a retreat.

However, retreat is not an easy task for this fleet that has suffered heavy losses. Some warships have lost the power brought by their sails due to serious damage, and can only rely on the towing of other warships or their own desperate rowing. Only the oars can move, but at this time, these remaining warships can't even run away on their own. How many of them can drag friendly ships?

At the same time, the pursuers of the Ming fleet were also constantly approaching, making these frightened birds feel tremendous pressure.

During the retreat, the British fleet was constantly bombarded by the artillery of the Ming fleet. Every shell made them frightened, and every explosion made them feel one step closer to death. In fear and despair, some British soldiers even chose They jumped into the sea to escape, but the cold water and fierce waves soon swallowed their lives.

After a night of difficult retreat, the British fleet finally escaped the pursuit range of the Ming fleet and returned to Portsmouth Harbor.

This naval battle was a heavy blow to Britain, and the Ming fleet demonstrated its powerful strength with this victory.

But things didn't end there.

After interrogating the prisoners, the Ming army was furious at the British's despicable sneak attacks. When they heard that the British initially planned to teach the Ming fleet a "little lesson," Zheng He decided to also teach the British a "little lesson." The little Ming Dynasty was shocked."

——————

London Palace.

The atmosphere in the London court was extremely tense. The commander of the British fleet, the Earl of Worcester, returned from the defeat. His face was pale and his eyes were full of panic and uneasiness.

The Earl of Worcester hurried into the hall, knelt down in front of King Henry IV, and reported the news of the defeat to the king with a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty, our fleet...has been completely wiped out."

The Earl of Worcester's voice was low and weak, as if every word cost him a lot of energy. He used a vague tone to express some intention of blaming the blame: "The power of the Ming fleet is too powerful. Their The artillery and tactics completely surpassed us. Our warships were as fragile as paper under their attack. Even if we retreated to Portsmouth Harbor, we were still destroyed by the Ming army. I tried my best, but I couldn't resist their attack. .”

Henry IV's face instantly turned livid, and his eyes flashed with anger. This anger was not the anger at the defeat of the British fleet, which he had expected.

Henry IV stood up suddenly, clenching his hands into fists, as if he wanted to crush the bad news in front of him, but in fact, he wanted to kill all those despicable Hanseatic merchants.

The fleet wealth that Britain had worked so hard to save was wasted by this group of foreign businessmen and insects who controlled the parliament.

As the King of England, how could he not be angry with the current abnormal political situation in Britain?

But soon, Henry IV, who was good at forbearance, gave up the impossible idea of ​​"killing all the Hanseatic merchants".

"So what is the situation of the Ming fleet now? How much did they lose?" Henry IV tried to make his voice sound calmer.

"I don't know, I just know that they... have landed."

The Earl of Worcester said hesitantly: "The Ming army that is marching towards London and landing is also quite large. There are thousands of people and they are well-equipped. We may not be able to compete with them."

Well, there is no need to be surprised when the Earl of Worcester said "thousands of people". I have said before that if the world is divided according to actual combat records, the combat effectiveness and army size of various countries can probably be sorted.

Ming Dynasty\u003e Timurid Khanate\u003e Ottoman Turkish Empire\u003e Crusaders composed of European countries.

To be honest, in European countries, the scale of war is really not as large as the Japanese "village fighting" that was ridiculed by the Ming Dynasty.

Japan now has a population of tens of millions. How many people does the UK have now? After the plague, there were only about two to three million people.

Intuitively speaking, the total population of Britain is not as large as the number of military households in the Ming Dynasty.

To give you a recorded example, after Henry V restarted the Hundred Years' War between England and France, the total number of troops invested was more than 10,000, including mercenaries who were pawned with their pants off. At that time, after the British troops landed in Normandy First, he captured Harfleur, then crossed the Somme River and marched towards Calais. He encountered 30,000 French troops "who came from all over the country" at Agencourt. Henry V defeated the strong with the weak, so he became famous. Known as a famous general in Europe.

In the Ming Dynasty at the same time, let alone 10,000 people, there were 30,000 people. Whether you could be a general or not was a question.

However, the Battle of Agencourt, with a total of only 40,000 men from both sides, was already one of the largest large-scale battles in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Of course, the scale is small, but the quality is still online, and it is really not objective to talk about scale regardless of the military system. The size of the armies of European countries is actually limited by the chivalry system. The nature of the 200,000-strong army is completely different.

But in any case, the current British army has a total of several thousand people, and the Ming Dynasty's landing force seems to be quite terrifying in number.

Upon hearing the news, there was an exclamation of surprise in the palace. The ministers were whispering and discussing, and fear spread rapidly in the air.

Henry IV felt dizzy, but he knew that he could not fall at this time. He had to stay calm and make decisions.

Henry IV took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Then, he turned to his son Henry Lancaster, who was standing beside him.

"You heard what the count said."

His voice was firm and decisive: "Now, I order you to lead seven thousand people to fight the Ming army. I grant you the authority to command all nobles and knights."

Hearing this, Henry Lancaster straightened his body, his eyes shining with determination.

"Yes, Father."

He accepted the order without hesitation: "I will do my best to defend our country and people."

Henry IV looked at his son's back, and a complex emotion surged in his heart. He knew what this war meant to Britain, which was experiencing constant civil strife, and he also knew how dangerous it was for his son to fight against the powerful Ming army.

But he had no choice.

The seven thousand British troops included not only the King's Guards, but also a considerable number of nobles and the knights they recruited.

Under the leadership of Henry Lancaster, these nobles who had been prepared because of the king's order quickly assembled and they embarked on a journey to face the Ming army.

——————

Greenwich, located southeast of London, this once peaceful land has now become a battlefield for a decisive battle between the two armies.

The British army and the Ming army faced off here, and both sides were ready.

Henry Lancaster stood in front of the British army, wearing a gorgeous knight's armor. The sun shone on his armor, reflecting dazzling light.

The Prince of Wales has a firm gaze and a serious expression, and is ready to meet all challenges.

Behind him, seven thousand British troops lined up in a neat formation, a large proportion of which were heavy cavalry. They were holding spears and shields, and the sound of their armor clashing was like the prelude to a war.

The advantage of the British army lies in their iron can-like knights. These knights are wearing heavy armor and are almost invulnerable. Their horses are also covered in iron armor, making their charge unstoppable.

Henry Lancaster knew that because the Ming army came by sea, there were not many horses on board the ship. The Ming army that landed only had a few hundred horsemen. Therefore, if you want to win this battle, well-trained knights will It is the key. As long as the Ming army's line can be broken through, the victory of strangling the enemy's infantry is at hand.

However, the Ming army on the opposite side was obviously not an easy opponent to deal with.

Zhu Youxuan, the king of Runan County, who had quickly gone to sea with Zheng He after visiting relatives in Kaifeng, stood in front of the Ming army's formation. Under his command, the infantry, cavalry and firearms troops of the Ming army performed their duties in an orderly manner.

In addition to two dense infantry phalanxes holding down the left and right wings, the Ming army also placed a hollow phalanx in the middle that the British army could not understand.

But whether you understand it or not, the British don’t have a good choice.

Let him show off, and I will run amok.

The battle finally started, and the British knights took the lead in launching the charge. These iron cans rushed towards the Ming army's line like a torrent of steel. The sound of horse hooves was deafening, as if even the earth was shaking, and the armors collided with each other while running. The sound is even more heart-stopping.

These knights held lances and aimed at the target as they did during training. However, many of them were too nervous, and the muscles in their whole bodies were tense like springs.

However, not long after they started, the Ming Army's firearms troops opened fire.

The artillery behind the Ming army's formation began to fire, and explosive shells poured towards the British army like a storm. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. For a time, the battlefield was filled with flames and smoke.

Many British knights were hit and fell off their horses. The armor that once made them proud was now as vulnerable as paper.

The blood of the British knights dyed the green grass of Greenwich red, and the painful groans echoed on the battlefield.

Despite this, these British knights, who had been trained as the main force on the battlefield since childhood, did not back down. They still charged forward bravely, trying to use their long lances to break through the Ming army's seemingly extremely fragile defense line.

However, the Ming army's gunners did not give them this chance, because the left and right wings were protected by a mixed phalanx of light and heavy infantry. The troops in the Ming army's hollow phalanx were mainly concentrated in the front, forming a continuous "three-section" hit".

This tactic, which had been used since Mu Ying, made the Ming army's firepower more intensive and continuous, enough to form a non-stop fire net, making it impossible for the British knights to find a breakthrough.

The Ming army's gunners calmly loaded ammunition and adjusted the shooting angle. Their movements were skillful and rapid. Each volley made the British charge more difficult.

The battle entered a fierce stage. Although the charge of the British knights was fierce, under the continuous attack of the Ming army's firearms, their formation began to appear chaotic. Some knights were injured and fell off their horses, while their companions had to bypass these obstacles. The charge continued, which greatly slowed down the British charge.

The British knights faced the Ming army's weapons and tactics across the ages. There was no essential difference from the Mongolian cavalry led by Seng Gelinqin in the Battle of Bali Bridge. They were both destined to be slaughtered.

At the same time, a small number of Ming army cavalry also began to launch a counterattack. They took advantage of the gaps in the British army's charge to quickly cross the battlefield and attack the British army's flanks and rear.

The British army began to fall into trouble. Their charge was blocked by the Ming army's firearms and infantry defense lines, and their rear was attacked by the Ming army's cavalry. Under this situation, the morale of the British army began to waver, and some The soldiers began to feel fear and withdrawal.

Henry Lancaster looked at the situation on the battlefield with helplessness and despair in his heart.

This future famous European general knew very well that this battle was irreversible.

Although the British knights were brave and fearless, they seemed so powerless in the face of the Ming army's coordinated combat with firearms and infantry.

At this moment, another round of firearms volley from the Ming army started. The artillery shells and musket projectiles were like death's scythes, cutting holes in the British army's formation.

The British knights fell one after another, their blood stained the ground red, and the heart-wrenching cries of pain echoed on the Greenwich battlefield.

The pride and self-confidence of the knights were completely shattered by the Ming army's firearms. These knights looked at the beginning of the massive collapse of the Ming army with devilish eyes.

The army was defeated like a mountain.

Henry Lancaster took a deep breath and ordered the entire army to retreat to avoid greater losses.

The British army fled in panic under the pursuit of the Ming army, and fled all the way back to London before the Ming army stopped the pursuit.

——————

"Something bad has happened. A foreign warship has entered the Thames River!"

The news spread like wildfire among the citizens of London.

With the Ming army's two-pronged waterway attack, the originally prosperous and peaceful city suddenly fell into chaos and panic. Crowds of people crowded in the streets and discussed, and everyone's face was full of panic and uneasiness.

King Henry IV of England was also in an unprecedented predicament at this moment. He stood in front of the window and looked solemnly in the direction of the Thames River in the distance. The huge Ming warships were lying across the river like monsters. The muzzle of the gun is pointed at London.

Henry IV knew that his kingdom was facing an unprecedented crisis.

Under this circumstance, Henry IV had to make a difficult decision after discussing with Parliament. He ordered negotiations with the Ming army in an attempt to resolve the crisis through peaceful means.

Objectively speaking, Zheng He has no intention of destroying Britain. The troops he has are unable to completely rule Britain. With the lengthening of the front line and the shortage of supplies, it is very likely that he will fall into a quagmire if he continues to fight.

Therefore, Zheng He chose to negotiate with the British.

Under the strong military pressure of the Ming army, King Henry IV of England was forced to sign a humiliating alliance under the city.

——"Mingying London Contract".

The main contents of the contract include: ceding Portsmouth Port, compensating huge military expenses to the Ming army, opening six coastal ports to establish demilitarized zones for free trade, and requiring the Ming Dynasty to set up branch offices and official factories in the ports, as well as any The situation is that the British king has no right to judge the people of the Ming Dynasty, and can only hand it over to the embassy of the Ming Dynasty for processing.

This contract was undoubtedly a huge blow and an unparalleled humiliation to Britain.

Not only did they acknowledge the strength and invincibility of the Ming army, they were also forced to accept a series of harsh conditions and restrictions.

At the same time, the Ming army also obtained the right to freely navigate the Thames River and the right to garrison troops on British soil.

After the news came out, the citizens of London felt even heavier and more indignant. They could not accept that their king would sign such a humiliating contract and give up British dignity.

However, facing the powerful military power of the Ming army, they were powerless and could only bear the pain silently.

King Henry IV of England, himself a usurper, also felt deeply remorseful and helpless.

Obviously, this contract will forever nail him to the pillar of shame in history and become a stain that he can never erase.

Well, it’s true that I brought Yingshi Jingtang.

However, Henry IV also understood that under the current situation this was the only option to avoid greater losses.

He hoped that through this "Contract of London," he could exchange for temporary peace and win a breather for the future of the Lancastrian dynasty.

——————

In the solemn and ancient Hanseatic League Parliament Hall in Lübeck, representatives of the Hanseatic League and the Teutonic Knights gathered together to hold a joint meeting to discuss how to deal with the approaching Ming army threat.

For the Hanseatic League to be able to get together with the Teutonic Knights, we have to start with the history of the Teutonic Knights.

The Teutonic Knights were a group of German businessmen from Lübeck, Bremen and other places who formed a mutual aid society during the Third Crusade to provide treatment specifically for the German Crusaders. They formed a medical institution to take care of their own soldiers. , calling themselves the "Knights of the German Hospitaller of St. Mary of Jerusalem."

Later, the Teutonic Knights were officially established in Acre, whose full name is: Knights of the German Brethren of Jerusalem.

This knighthood was recognized by the Holy See in the second year. Their emblem is a black cross on a white background. Their rules are the same as those of the Knights Hospitaller. Together with the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar, they are also known as the three major knights.

After some twists and turns, the Teutonic Knights conquered Prussia and finally established the Teutonic Knights State in Prussia.

During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the territory of the Teutonic Knights had covered the entire east and south coast of the Baltic Sea, becoming the hegemony of Northeast Europe, and most of its cities were major economies of the Hanseatic League.

To put it bluntly, the Hanseatic League held the purse strings, while the Teutonic Knights held the knife handle.

Ulrich von Jungingen, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, the leader of the Teutonic Knights, looked at the panicked expressions of the businessmen and knew that everyone here was not sure about the Ming army's attack on Britain. Rong Jingen is worried about the strong strength shown in the game. But Rong Jingen also understands that what is needed at this time is courage, not panic.

He broke the silence with a firm and confident voice.

"Everyone."

Grand Commander Rong Jingen began to state his point of view: "There is no doubt about the naval strength of the Hanseatic League, and we also have terrain advantages. We do not need to fear the Ming army at sea."

Rong Jingen paused, looked around, and saw some approval on everyone's faces. He continued: "And don't forget, our knights of the Teutonic Knights are the most powerful warriors in the world. They are brave, fearless and well-trained, far superior to those British guys. As long as the Ming army dares to land, the Teutonic Knights will never come back!"

After Rong Jingen finished speaking, whispers arose in the council hall. Some nodded in agreement, while others frowned and thought, but no one spoke to refute. They all knew that although the Grand Leader's words were a bit overconfident, they were not unreasonable.

After all, the Hanseatic League's naval strength was indeed powerful, and the combat effectiveness of the Teutonic Knights was universally recognized.

"so."

Rong Jingen concluded: "We cannot wait for the Ming army to land, which will only allow them to take the initiative. I think we should concentrate our naval power, attack decisively, disrupt their deployment by taking the initiative, and let them pay at sea. A heavy price to pay.”

At this time, a weak voice sounded: "How about we negotiate first?"

But the proposal was quickly rejected.

The Ming fleet came to Europe for trade, but this time they relented. In the future, there will be a steady stream of fleets coming, digging up the roots of the Hanseatic League, which relied on monopolizing trade for a living, and there is no need to talk about it.

The Hanseatic League, which had the strongest navy in Europe, could be disbanded if the Ming Dynasty took away the commercial interests they relied on without a fight to see the results.

However, the naval battle process between the two sides was quite lackluster.

The navy of the Hanseatic League completed its assembly in the Baltic Sea, and then in the North Sea near the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark, the powerful navy of the Hanseatic League and the Ming fleet commanded by Zheng He unexpectedly encountered each other in this sea area. It was not a coincidence, because This is the only way to enter the Baltic Sea from the North Sea.

The Hanseatic League had a large number of naval warships, thousands of them, densely covering the sea.

In comparison, the number of warships in the Ming fleet was relatively small, only 200, but many of them were giant-level ships. The treasure ships with 1,500 materials and 2,000 materials had tall and wide hulls, as if they were built on top of each other. Floating hills, densely packed artillery installed on the ship, every artillery piece is quite frightening.

As the sound of a cannon shot across the sky, a naval battle broke out.

Relying on their numerical advantage, the Hanseatic League's navy launched a swarm-like attack on the Ming fleet.

The Ming warships fired a salvo of artillery, and the shells hit the Hanseatic League warships like raindrops, and the sea suddenly filled with smoke.

In this fierce naval battle, both sides showed amazing courage and contributed to the largest and highest-level naval battle in this era.

Warships collided with each other on the sea, making deafening noises. The shouts of sailors and the roar of artillery were intertwined. These sounds together formed a magnificent symphony of war.

After a long period of fierce fighting, both sides paid a considerable price.

Although the Hanseatic League's navy was large in number, it seemed somewhat powerless in the face of the powerful artillery of the Ming fleet. Battleships were sunk one after another, and sailors jumped into the sea to escape.

The Ming army also suffered the damage of more than 20 warships one after another.

However, in this desperate struggle, the Ming fleet gradually gained the upper hand. With their huge hulls and powerful artillery, they forced the Hanseatic League's navy into a desperate situation.

In the end, the navy of the Hanseatic League was defeated by the fierce attack of the Ming fleet. The navy they were proud of was ultimately a patchwork of coalition forces. At this time, disaster was approaching, and each of them flew away, and the entire Jutland Sea was burned with ships. It turned into a sea of ​​fire.

The Hanseatic merchants were defeated by the Ming fleet. After being attacked at many ports, the commercial and trade network tended to collapse, and they finally had to go to the negotiation table.

However, they don't have many chips in their hands now.

Soon, the Hanseatic League signed a new trade contract with the Ming Dynasty, fully opening all Hanseatic League ports to free trade with the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, there are quite a few provisions that should be included.

"In that gloomy era, the behemoths from the East were like storms on the sea, sweeping across every sea area from the English Channel to the Baltic Sea. These giant ships from the East, with their majestic hulls and frightening cannons, displayed An unprecedented maritime hegemony.

And we, as aborigines, can only watch with humiliating eyes these Orientals showing off their power at our doorstep. The shock and fear can hardly be described in words. The roar of artillery on the Thames River seems to be announcing to us a new era. The coming of an era, an era dominated by them. "