Chapter 341： Sweet dates after the stick

"I ... I'm not convinced ... We are Portugal's overlord at sea ..." Manuel I said with self-reliance.

However, Ferdinand II had the unethical idea given by Marin a few years ago. So he said leisurely:

"I admit that Portugal is the overlord of the sea. But what about it? We Spain, but the overlord of the Iberian Peninsula. If you want to be on the Iberian Peninsula, you have to be honest. You can sink all the ships of Spain. But I Don't care, I can send a large army to capture Lisbon and grab all of you to work hard ... "

"Even France, the largest land power in Europe, was driven out of Italy by us. Now, Spain is the overlord on the land of Europe. Little Portugal, if you are not convinced, just give it a try ..." After that, Ferdinand II raised his head Looking at the ceiling, a master looks lonely.

Manuel I did not expect it before, but now it really is. The Spanish Army is indeed too strong. At least, a few streets in Portugal. Now, they have defeated the French team again, claiming to be the overlord of Europe, not a bragging ... At least, there is no pressure to hang Portugal ...

No matter how unwilling, the Portuguese have to admit that even if they wiped out the Spanish ships, they would not shake Spain ’s national capital. However, as long as the Spaniards occupied Lisbon, they would destroy the foundations of Portugal. Therefore, Portugal has no choice but to admit its despicable threat of Spain.

Manuel I knew that Portugal wanted to monopolize India ’s interests, that was impossible. However, thinking of the division of Africa in the plan, he became more popular:

"Okay, let's not talk about India's interests. But what do you want from Africa's interests? Don't you have a wild continent?" Manuel I, who has regarded Africa as a Portuguese reserve, can tolerate Spain's robbing. What about food?

"This is the case. Spain feels that it can't control so much land. Therefore, it was decided to give up the colonial power of the wild continent. Moreover, the Holy See also felt that Spain was not worthy of having such a large colony ..." Ferdinand II shrugged and began to shirk Responsible Road.

"Not worthy?" Manuel I was puzzled.

"Yes, it is not worthy. Spain has only achieved the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada. Therefore, it is too exaggerated to have such a large land as the wild continent. Therefore, the Holy See intends to regain ownership of the wild continent and redistribute the colonies ..."

"So assign Spain to Africa? Is it so stealing Portugal's interests?" Manuel I said angrily.

"Aha, Spain doesn't deserve to have a wild continent. But anyway, Spain has also expelled the heretics of the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal? A group of greedy businessmen, it is not worthy to have so many colonies. Anyway, so big colonies , Is Portugal capable of occupation? "

"It has nothing to do with you! Also, you give up the wild continent, probably because of the terrible diseases and monsters there? Don't think I don't know!" Manuel I said angrily.

Ferdinand II smiled pretendingly. Indeed, he read Columbus's "Diary of the Barren Terror" and added Marin's persuasion before he made up his mind to abandon the barren continent.

"That wild continent has no owner?" Manuel I asked curiously.

"Not the ownerless, but waiting for those who have made great contributions to the Holy See to receive it. For example, if Portugal can convert all the black people in the areas currently controlled into Christians, the Holy See will reward you with a large area of ​​land on the wild continent. , The same is true in Spain, as long as the Kingdom of Naples is handed over to the Holy See ... "

Ferdinand II immediately digressed, and he was not happy to give away the kingdom of Naples as a treasure.

"In addition, if any of you can conquer Jerusalem and hold it, the entire wild continent is yours ..." Julius II tempted. Ferdinand II and Manuel I rolled their eyes together-this is too difficult ...

To be honest, it is not difficult to take down Jerusalem. You can always fight down with tens of thousands of troops. However, it is difficult to keep it. After all, there are many white robe brothers in West Asia and North Africa, so many Arab scimitar cavalry came over, who can guarantee to hold it?

...

After the baton was over, Julius II decided to give Portugal a sweet date so that Portugal would not rebound so violently that the Holy See would lose its majesty.

So he waved, and Marin, who was waiting on the side, waved:

"Marin comes over and tells His Majesty Manuel about the golden country of Africa!"

"Golden country?" Manuel I was suddenly interested. The Portuguese are exploring the African coast, not just looking for this thing ...

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Marin said, spreading out a map of Africa in front of Manuel I, and then said:

"Your Majesty, have you heard of the deed of" Golden Sultan "Mansa Musa?"

Manuel I had heard of it. After all, on the coast of Guinea in West Africa, Portuguese merchants had contact with the now declining Malian empire, and naturally heard of the most luxurious monarch in the history of the Mali empire.

Of course, Manuel I had only heard of some distorted legends and was not sure. However, Marin told him that while his teacher "Einstein" was traveling in Egypt, he had seen detailed records about the "Golden Sultan" Mansa Musa.

Then, Marin again told the news that Ferdinand II had told Manuel I ...

"What? Mansa Moussa really brought 33,000 pounds of gold to the pilgrimage?" Manuel I was also surprised. Previously, although he knew a little about the legend of "Golden Sultan", he was also doubtful. However, Marin assured him that it was true, how to not surprise him ...

"It is true that according to records, when Mansa Musa passed through Cairo, he squandered gold and caused Cairo's gold price to plummet, which failed to recover within 20 years. For this, you can send someone to Egypt to check relevant historical materials. , The specific year is from 1324 to 1325. "

Judging by Marin's assertion, Manuel I had to believe it. Moreover, the Portuguese also heard some deeds in contact with the weak Mali empire. Only, there is no confirmation. After all, the Portuguese do not believe in the words of black Africans. However, the Egyptian records should be credible.

"Your Majesty, please see, this is Timbuktu on the Niger ..." Marin pointed to a location on the map.

"Wait ... is this Timbuktu the legendary Mali Empire Gold Trade Center?" Manuel I obviously knew a lot about the history of the Mali Empire, not as white as Ferdinand II.

"Yes, that is Timbuktu. The 33,000 pounds of gold brought to Mecca by the 'Gold Sultan' Mansa Musa was actually collected from the taxes collected on Timbuktu's trade market. Taxes can get so much gold, if the city is occupied ... "

Marin hasn't finished talking yet, both Manuel I and Ferdinand II have their eyes lit up ...

However, thinking of the 66.1 billion pounds of copper in Zambia, Ferdinand II forced to suppress the desire for Timbuktu.

"Are you sure in this position?" Portuguese King Manuel I swallowed and asked excitedly.

In fact, in Europe, the legend of Timbuktu has long been circulating. However, it was a city in the desert, far inland. Europeans have only heard its legends, but they do not know the specific location. As a result, Timbuktu could not be found for hundreds of years. The Europeans first occupied Timbuktu in 1894. At that time, Timbuktu ’s gold trade had long since declined. There are two main factors-one is that the gold mining in the Mandinga Plateau is almost done. The gold on the coastal Gold Coast (Ghana) and Guinea was looted directly from the coastal areas by Western colonists. In this way, gold flowing into Timbuktu naturally decreased.

"Oh by the way, Your Majesty Manuel, I heard the teacher say that in 1496, the emperor Muhammad Dur of the Aschia dynasty of the Songhai Empire carried 300,000 gold coins and made the second gold Pilgrimage ', although not as large as that of Mansa Mussa this time. However, the Aschia dynasty was only established in 1493, and the gold reserves are naturally not much. But if Portugal gets Timbuktu, I believe ... "

Manuel I nodded to let nature know what Marin said. Moreover, he plans to send someone to Cairo to check if there are two golden pilgrimages. If the pilgrimage in 1496 was true, then Timbuktu is clearly a strategic place with a very high gold content and is worthy of Portuguese occupation.

However, he frowned and looked at Zimbabwe and other places marked on the map to Spain, and asked:

"Is that over there?"

"The place allocated to Spain, Zimbabwe, also has gold. But it is not as much as West Africa. It must be calculated, it is much less than West Africa. So, the Pope intends to hand over Morocco to Spain to conquer. Its ultimate purpose That is to turn Morocco into a Christian area ... "Marin explained.

"The Portuguese trade point in Morocco ..."

"When Spain takes control of Morocco, Portuguese businessmen must not be able to run ..."

Manuel I nodded and naturally understood the truth. If the Spanish occupied Morocco, it would never be possible to give back the trade benefits to the Portuguese. Moreover, Portugal does not have the confidence to fight so many cavalry in Morocco. It's okay to get a few bunkers along the coast, to enter the inland, that is not what the Portuguese army can do ...

It's just that Manuel I was unwilling to let Spain occupy the golden country called Zimbabwe ...

At this time, Julius II spoke:

"If Portugal accepts this suggestion, then, I will take the lead and award China's colonial power to Portuguese monopoly!" Julius II gave another big sweet date ...

Manuel I was short of breath immediately—Hua Xia, but the place where the legend is richer than India seems to be worth it ... He originally did not switch, and with this compensation, he had already flew out of the sky. Even Manuel I was a bit happy ...

Of course, he didn't know the trap in this sentence-Hua Xia's colonial power was simply a pit ...

Ferdinand II naturally knew Daming's power-Marin had told him before. So, he has no objections ...

At this time, the Daming Empire, such as the sun and the sky, is in a period of prosperity. How can the Portuguese who coveted the five slags of land warfare covet? Giving the colonial power of the Daming Empire to Portugal is no different from not saying ... but, Portugal does not yet know the power of the Daming Empire ...

From the first time he came to the East, until the demise of Daming, the Portuguese failed to complete the colonization of Daming. The only Macao is still a foothold obtained through bribery, not a colony. Because, until the end of the Qing dynasty, Macao was under the management of the Chinese magistrate. The Portuguese are here, and there is no consular jurisdiction ~ www.novelhall.com ~ Until 1887, Portugal took advantage of the robbery and signed with the declining Manqing Only the "China-Portugal Treaty on Good Trade" was granted the management power of Macau.

Therefore, the five slags of land warfare and giving him the colonial power of China are useless. The Portuguese do not have such a big appetite for this sweet date.

Of course, Manuel I did n’t know it, but he still enjoyed himself ...

Then, the two countries of Western Portugal and Portugal finally signed a treaty in harmony, agreeing to share Africa and share India's spice trade.

Even the sly Julius II, in order to pit Venice, privately suggested that the two countries organize a joint fleet to intercept the Arab spice transport ships that supply the Venetians. And this is exactly what the two countries mean. After all, if there is one less competitor, they will get more shares. So, despite the appearance of separation, the two countries agreed to form a joint fleet to combat the Venetian's interests.

But where the treaty is not obvious, Julius II added such a paragraph-in view of the credit for the mediation of Marin, the Count of East Friesland in the negotiations between the two countries, the Japanese archipelago, the large and small Ryukyu Islands (including the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan ) 'S colonial power, granted to Marin von Hoffman ...

To this end, Marin also specifically assured the two kings that Japan is a barren country with far fewer Chinese wealth. Then, Manuel I agreed ...

It was because of this treaty that Spain and Portugal later became jealous of Marin's massive mining of gold and silver in Japan. But at that time, Marin's wings were already full, not that they could easily offend ... 8)