living in 16th century england

Chapter 22 This King Has a Thick Skin

A serious knight needs at least one fief.That is, a manor.

Robert straightened his upper body: "M... Honorable Baron, I don't need a fief..."

"As long as there is an honor, I beg you to fulfill my wish!"

What is this...free labor!

Matthew smiled and said, "Stand up first and say, I'm not used to you like this."

Robert said: "Please arrange some specific tasks for me, I am willing to accept any test."

"Eat first, then talk after eating."

Of course Robert and the others knew about the king's investment. Although they didn't know the amount, it must be a huge sum of money.

Matthew now has status and money, even the king appreciates it.Of course, the charm value is off the charts.

Charm and appearance are the least important parts, power and money are the big ones.Now Robert has thrown away the original idea of ​​partnering in business.

What Matthew didn't know was that at this time, the number of nobles with sealed territories in England had only double digits left.

Henry VII killed three princes, four dukes, more than 20 earls and an unknown number of small and medium nobles in 40 years.The fate of these landlords, big and small, can be described as a tragic one.

Reducing the number of nobles is an undisclosed basic national policy of the Tudor dynasty.

Ironically, such a major social change is rarely mentioned in later generations.It is conceivable how those poor nobles trembling in the stormy sea.

What's even more ridiculous is that such Henry VII is actually called the merchant king?Obviously, this is a ruthless "master" who is both internal and external~ His diplomatic achievements are often mentioned by historians.The only thing is that I don't like to fight, because fighting is too expensive.

Now you see the reason why there are so many yeomen and public farmers in England?Do you also know why there are so many merchant cities?
Andrew once worried that the old king died, who knows what will happen in the future?In essence, this is public opinion.There are as many ordinary people who have benefited from Henry VII as crucian carp crossing the river, and the supporters of the royal family are all over the country.

The era of Henry and his son was not only the starting point of an empire, but also the birth of a nation.

It is true that the origin of the British race is complicated, but they began as the British, the Tudor dynasty.

In Henry VIII's view, the yeoman was the cornerstone of the royal family.Matthew happened to be the son of a yeoman.

The house has just got a foundation, and a group of people are here... camping every day.Such a strange behavior has attracted the attention of the locals, and even a gentleman came here to find out the truth.

A gentleman is actually the lowest title of nobility, and there are knights, knights, barons, and then Matthew's baron.

How many gentlemen were there in the Tudor dynasty?There are records, but the year is unknown, at most 5000.From the analysis of income, it should be the middle and late sixteenth century when prices rose sharply.So don't just say British gentlemen when you see British people, they can't afford it.

Baron is a real nobleman. According to information, Henry VII only granted nine titles in his life.All others are false names.Henry VIII didn't have much, and he didn't plan to add 10 barons and promote 6 titles until he was about to die.By the time of Elizabeth I, it is said that England did not even have a duke.

In the Middle Ages, a baron in Europe could have 30-50 knights.In other words, the baron has at least so many manor farms or corresponding financial resources to support them.

How big is an estate?Readers should remember that Dredge often writes about 200 acres.Because there is information that this is a common manor area.But there are bigger ones, ranging from one to two thousand acres.There is no set number.Don't think of a manor as a village or town in a large oriental country. This kind of unit belonged to cities in Europe in the 16th century.

Take the "manor" as the unit and count as 30 knights.One knight, one manor, and the baron himself gets another third.There are 45 "manors" with an area of ​​about 9000 acres.So, a baron's territory, about, about ha... 36 square kilometers.Of course, there are always some discrepancies. Some barons are called grand barons because they have a lot of land.

Is it big?It's actually okay.To change the way of description, many people have the concept of a 6-kilometer square.

However, the Tudor Dynasty restricted the military power of the nobles, so no one dared to recruit so many knights.

The reason why there are so many questions about the size of the fief is entirely because after returning to Plymouth, Matthew got the detailed information of the Scilly Islands.Without making it clear, everyone can't understand Matthew's mood at all.

Uncle Jack told him affirmatively: "That place is fragmented, and there are more than [-] large and small islands. The total area may be... two or three miles around. But if you have to talk about farming... there are too many stones, so say no." Quite . . . maybe two thousand acres."

Matthew was shocked, Henry VIII's face is so thick?This is also called a real baron?A lot of merchants have much better arable land than this, don't they?

Still not giving up, he asked, "Where is this island in Devon? To the south or to the north?"

Devon has the sea on both sides and is part of a peninsula.

Uncle Jack: "Who told you that you are in Devon? This place is in the Atlantic Ocean, at least 30 miles away from Cornwall."

To the west of Devon is Cornwall, which belongs to the tip of the peninsula, and this broken archipelago is still in the west... in the Atlantic Ocean?
Matthew immediately went crazy: "... Is there a map?"

Jack smiled and said, "No, but I can draw one for you to see."

Matthew Daqi, this part-time pirate also has the ability to draw maps?

Jack grabbed the quill pen on the table, dipped it in ink, and drew an acute angle on the parchment paper. Outside the acute angle, he tapped a few more points.

"Luke, this is the Isles of Scilly... this is... Plymouth. I estimate 200 kilometers away."

Looking at this astonishing "masterpiece" and thinking of the dilapidated fiefdom, Matthew didn't know what to say.

These islands have not been developed at all, and any supplies have to be transported there, not to mention there are pirate lairs.It's simply losing money.

At the same time as the fiefdom, it should also have a population.Under normal circumstances, it should be more than 3000 at least.Not to mention that the area is less than half, what are you doing now that you don't even have a population?

Is it okay if I don’t farm the land?Didn't you say you have to go to land reclamation?

Matthew changed his mind: "I heard that there is a group of pirates entrenched, do you know?"

Jack rubbed his hands together and said with a smile, "This...cough...my nephew...no, my honorable baron..."

This appearance made Matthew a little confused: "My good uncle...couldn't it be you?"

Jack immediately denied: "No, it's not me, it's just acquaintance."

Matthew: "That's good...no matter what method you use...to kill them or to incorporate them, it doesn't matter. As long as you succeed, those islands will give you one. It will be your... um... fief. How about it? "

This is called making the best use of everything. Since the pirates like this kind of broken island, give it to the pirates.At least there is some income to pay taxes.

Jack was overjoyed, this was his purpose.Unexpectedly, this nephew made arrangements for him before he even spoke.With fiefs, that is the knight class, the ranks of nobles!

"Lord Baron of the Isles of Scilly, I must..."

Matthew stared: "Stop...why is this name so awkward? Remove the archipelago...by the way, keep the largest island for me, maybe I'll be useful."

Jack softened immediately: "Yes, Lord Baron Sealy."

Matthew scratched his scalp: "Is there a map of this archipelago?"

Jack picked up the quill again, with a friendly expression on his face: "My baron, let me draw you another one."

Matthew: "..."

Jack draws a circle, then draws another circle, then draws another circle...

Matthew: "..."

After 1 minute, Matthew looked at more than 20 large and small circles, and his scalp felt numb.He said weakly: "When you leave, let me know, I'll go and have a look."

Jack smiled and said, "No problem, let's do it tomorrow."

Matthew: "Tomorrow?...Are you sure?"

Jack quacked: "Of course, I have two boats, more people, and artillery."

Matthew: "Three, have you seen that Captain Mike? He happens to be there too."

Jack was stunned: "Is he also a pirate?"

Matthew was so angry that he knocked on the table: "Are we pirates? We are going to suppress bandits... Do you understand?"

Jack immediately said: "Yes, yes, we are the militia."

Matthew: "Uncle Jack, then you go back first, I have something to do."

After Jack left, another person came in, it was Andrew, and Matthew immediately stood up: "Father, are your legs better?"

Andrew asked in a low voice, "What did Jack say?"

Matthew smiled and said: "Don't worry, Uncle Jack is still reasonable, I just asked him about the situation."

"However, he is very concerned about having the status of a knight, so... I am going to fulfill him."

Andrew stared: "...how can this work?"

Matthew: "...huh?"

Andrew put his arms around Matthew's shoulders: "Son...he became a knight, but I didn't. It would be very embarrassing. Is there any way...just give me one too?"

Matthew rolled his eyes: "You are the baron's father, you have all the face."

After another waste of tongue and dismissing his father, Matthew took out the smoke pot, filled it with shredded tobacco, and lit it.

The smoke of this era is not handled well, and it is pungent and choking.Matthew made this himself, of course it is much better.

All the well-known shipwrights in Plymouth were taken in by Andrew.This is Matthew's idea. He believes that in the handicraft era, skilled workers are the most valuable. As for the shipyard, it is worthless.

This of course led to some tension, but the Hawkins family was more than capable of sheltering anyone who would come forward willingly for a higher salary.The price offered by Matthew is ~ one gold coin per month.In this era, silver shillings are the mainstream currency, and ordinary people can't see gold coins at all.

Two or three shipwrights can make a small fishing boat in six months. It is too small, and without the king's tonnage subsidy, it hardly makes much money.

But if the scale is formed, the construction period can be shortened, and the same material can be made more than one at a time.It also saves all kinds of unnecessary waste of time.Three or four people can build three small fishing boats in six to seven months.

When building a boat, it often needs to sit still, allowing sunlight, gravity and time to work.Usually just wait stupidly.Now that multiple ships are being built at the same time, the shipwrights have less time to spare.As long as everything has a scale, it will inevitably reduce costs. This is an iron law.

The blacksmith is still working on construction, and the foundry house has not yet been built, so there is nothing to say, just invest money.

Although the winery has raised the price, the sales volume is still stable.This thing is mainly sold to passing ships.Captains and sailors are all rich in their pockets in this era, and they don't care about such a few pennies.They wanted good Hawkins from Plymouth.

When the steward of the winery says the word signboard, it is brand awareness.

The only consequence is that there are fewer resells.This usually refers to him as Uncle Jack.

There is also something like salt that is bound to make money.

Salt can be used not only for food, but also for tanning leather and distilling wine. It is used by religions as holy salt, and doctors use it as medicine. Even cheese uses salt.

Due to poor food, people in this era use twice as much salt per capita than modern people.

Most importantly, is the planned abundance of salted fish coming soon.The cost about the salt is also too high.

However, after Matthew collected the status of salt production, he did not plan to do this for the time being.Because this thing needs the cooperation of the weather, but England's latitude and weather are not suitable for drying salt.Except for summer, the efficiency in other seasons is too poor.In fact, at this time, the mainstream of salt making in the east and south of England was to cook in large pots under the sun.

The point is that this production method takes up too much manpower.

Here's the problem, England's free labor force was not rich during this period.The enclosure movement also has advantages from certain perspectives—that is, it has created a large number of proletarians who can only become workers.

If buying, encourage farmers to cook salt at home?Can't play, the effect is too slow, not everyone lives by the sea.There is another problem with cooking salt day and night: waste pot.It takes six months to break one.

Matthew thought in the smog: What if the kingship was used to protect the workers' bottom line of survival from the very beginning, so as not to become a flesh and blood machine?
But this seems even more unrealistic, no one can guarantee that in 200 years.Even the royal power is difficult to protect itself.This is no different from the fantasy of eternal life, a bucket of paste.

(End of this chapter)