Chapter 1425： Persuade the pope to let go

Unlike the Spaniards, Portugal at this time is still struggling to get its way to Timbuktu. Although Timbuktu, the gold capital, is closer to Europe, the Portuguese seem to take advantage, but in fact, it is more difficult to obtain Timbuktu than it is to Zimbabwe.

In this era, Zimbabwe ’s national strength was not strong, and there was little contact with the outside world. As long as the Spaniards pass through the coastal Mozambique and travel inland along the Save River, they can reach Zimbabwe. As for the capture of Zimbabwe, as long as the Spaniards clear the way, it is not a problem. Because the military level in southern Africa is very backward at this time.

Marin has read the history book in his last life and introduced the rise of the Zulu Kingdom. It is said that the black combatants in southern Africa, the early combat weapons are mainly javelins. After a war starts, black soldiers from both sides will throw javelins at each other. Whoever hits more enemies will win. Moreover, if the defeated side drops its weapon when retreating, it means surrender, and the winning side will not chase after it. Then, the losing tribe will leave the original station and move to a farther place. Often, after a battle is over, there are not many deaths and injuries at all.

Later, in the early 19th century, the Zulu leader Chaka reformed this very 2 tactics, allowing the soldiers to use short spears and shields. The shield is covered with cowhide on the wooden shelf, and the defense is very weak, whether it is a bow or an arrow or a bullet. However, it is mainly used to resist the wooden javelin of the weak chicken opponent, and it is definitely enough.

When fighting, Chaka let his men use a cowhide shield to resist the throwing of the enemy's wooden javelin, and then rushed to the opponent and stabbed the enemy with a short spear. In this way, the casualties of the enemy increased violently ... With this move, Chaka founded the Zulu Kingdom and became the king in eastern South Africa.

Of course, the Zulu Kingdom was born out of time. Because they met the British Empire that had already used a post-rifled rifle. Faced with a modern rifle that is extremely powerful and powerful, the Zulu people have to kneel even if there are many people ...

At this time, the Zimbabwe Empire, like the old black tribe before the King Chaka, the army also mainly used javelin throwing tactics. At most, because of trade with Arab merchants, there are a little more metal spearheads. However, once there are more casualties, it is easy to collapse.

If the Spanish army is encountered, the defeat of the Zimbabwean army is almost inevitable. Therefore, Marin believes that as long as the Spanish army enters the Zimbabwe area, it can control it. Of course, the premise is that the Spaniards have energy. The Italian war is about to start, which will definitely affect the Spanish conquest of Zimbabwe ...

……

On the Portuguese side, it is much more difficult to conquer Timbuktu. Because the Songhai Empire, which currently controls Timbuktu, is very powerful.

The Songhai Empire traded through Timbuktu and exchanged many horses from the Arabs in North Africa. To this end, the Songhai Empire has a cavalry force of thousands of men. In many cases, more than ten thousand people. In addition, there are infantry soldiers who use spears and joint construction, and their military strength generally exceeds 10,000.

Furthermore, the current emperor of the Songhai Empire is the Ming monarch Muhammad Dur, not a faint monarch. It is very difficult for the Portuguese to overcome this Songhai Empire.

If you change to Spain, you may use elite Spanish infantry to destroy Songhai. Can be replaced by the land dregs of Portugal ...

Not to mention, Portugal now wants to enter Timbuktu, the first thing to face is not the Songhai Empire, but the Mali Empire that lost Timbuktu.

Although the Malian Empire was defeated by the Songhai Empire, it did not perish, but retreated to the southwestern region of Mali in later generations. It also ruled the southwestern Republic of Mali, most of Senegal, and Guinea. If it is a war, the declining Malian empire can also gather tens of thousands of troops.

The Portuguese currently occupy only the coastal area of ​​Guinea, although on the coastal plain, the Portuguese repelled the troops of the Malian Empire. However, after going deep inland, the Portuguese were suddenly stunned ...

Inland Guinea is a vast tropical rain forest. In the tropical rain forest, the combat effectiveness of Portuguese soldiers is greatly reduced, and it is also plagued by poisonous insects and hot and humid climates. On the contrary, the soldiers of the Malian empire were very adaptable in such an environment.

Therefore, when the Spanish successfully reached the Zimbabwe empire, the Portuguese were still in the tropical rain forest of Guinea and the soldiers of the Malian empire were hiding. Not to mention that the Songhai Empire has just faced up, and the Malian Empire has not been cleared up yet ...

In short, the Portuguese are infinitely sad. Although Timbuktu has more gold, Portugal, the army's garbage, needs to defeat the two West African empires, Songhai and Mali, in order to seize it. Anyway, in Marin's opinion, this difficulty is a bit against the sky. Even, when he originally proposed to return Timbuktu to Portugal, he did not feel well. Because, he counted the Portuguese army weak. If you want to seize Timbuktu, even Portugal will not be able to do it by consuming the power of the whole country. Conversely, the much stronger Army of Spain is easier to do. To this end, Marin deliberately gave Portugal the difficult task of conquering Timbuktu, and let Spain look for the Zimbabwe Empire, which has much less gold.

……

Information about the contact between the Spanish and the Zimbabwe Empire quickly passed back to Aurich through the spies inserted in Spain by the North Sea State. Marin was very upset to learn that the Spaniards had traversed the tropical rainforest of Mozambique with an elephant transport team.

Originally, Marin hoped that the very harsh environment of the African tropical rain forest could stop Spain for longer. Unexpectedly, the other party's magical power actually came up with a way of elephant transportation.

The benefits of elephant transportation are very many. In addition to the large cargo volume, there is also sufficient deterrent. In the face of the elephant transport team, the old men in the jungle are all ill.

Although those old blacks did not hunt elephants. However, under normal circumstances, they dare not provoke groups of elephants. Moreover, the elephant skin is very thick, ordinary wood-pointed javelins and stone javelins have no effect at all, only iron javelins can hunt elephants. The elephants that were difficult to deal with together with the Spanish colonists are even more difficult to deal with. Therefore, the Spanish talents deterred the black men who were messing up in Mozambique and succeeded in catching up with the Zimbabweans.

Marin can already predict that once the Spaniard fully developed this route, it is time for Spain to destroy the Zimbabwe Empire ...

But unfortunately, now the Spaniards are estimated to have little energy. Because the French have already dealt with them ...

In order to facilitate the French to conquer the Kingdom of Naples, Malinte sent a secret letter to the pope's father-in-law. In the secret letter, Marin asked the pope ’s father-in-law not to block the French ’s actions.

As for the Spaniards to hold the Holy See? nonexistent. After all, the Holy See is now the spiritual backbone of Europe, and no one dares to offend easily. In addition, in the face of 60,000 French troops, it is natural for the Holy See not to dare to block ...

The Papal State is now of great strength, and it has won two wealthy republics, Florence and Siena. If the Papal State sends troops to stop the French army, although it cannot stop it, it can stop the French army for a long time. Once the French army was dragged by the Papal forces, the Spaniards had enough time to prepare ammunition. In this way, the difficulty for the French to occupy the Kingdom of Naples has greatly increased ...

Marin's secret letter was sent to Rome, and soon, a letter came back from Rome. Pope Julius II used the express communication method of carrier pigeons to ask Marin why he preferred France. In Julius II's opinion, neither France nor Spain is a good thing. Adding plugs to both sides is the best choice.

Marin wrote back and explained that if the Spaniards were prepared, the French would have a hard time conquering Naples. Without Naples, the French cannot fall into the quagmire of war ...

After receiving Marin's reply, Julius II hesitated for a long time, and finally agreed with Marin's view. At that time, he decided to declare neutrality and release the French army without interference. Naples ...

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