The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 125 England’s Military Adventure
On January 1, a short pursuit battle just ended in the waters 20 kilometers northwest of the Portuguese Azores Islands.The Third Squadron of the Qi Expeditionary Fleet successfully captured a merchant ship sailing from the west coast of England. After moving the gold and silver currency and some valuable supplies on board to its own warship, it was scuttled.

The Third Squadron has been operating in the southeastern waters of the North Atlantic for more than four months. During this period, it intercepted 26 large and small merchant ships belonging to England and Portugal, and sank five English cruise warships and three Portuguese warships. The harvest can only be regarded as small. So-so.

More than a month earlier, the squadron had discovered a convoy of seven galleons, which they believed to be one of several English fleets searching for them.According to the report of the reconnaissance ship, the enemy's strength was at an absolute disadvantage, so the fleet formed a battle formation and pursued it.However, the fleet successfully escaped at night and disappeared into the depths of the ocean, leaving the fleet without success.

As the Third Squadron frequently appears in the waters, it has violated the security of the Portuguese Azores territory and posed a fatal threat to merchant ships traveling between Europe and the Americas.Therefore, the Portuguese organized a fleet to come from the mainland, preparing to expel the Qi people and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the Kingdom of Portugal.

As a result, the dilapidated Portuguese navy was defeated by Qi's new warships. Three warships were sunk, two were captured, and the remaining seven warships were damaged and fled back to Portugal in embarrassment.

If it had not been taken into account that the Portuguese defense force on the Azov Islands was not weak, and the Qi people did not bring a landing force, they might have taken advantage of the situation to seize this territory that had belonged to Portugal for more than 200 years.

"After the second batch of support fleets from the mainland arrive, I think we can consider capturing the Azores." Ran Tongshan, deputy commander of the expedition fleet and commander of the third squadron, Zhenguo general (lieutenant general), looked at the sea on the table. Pictured, holding his chin with his right hand, eyes burning, "This archipelago is located in the middle of the North Atlantic. It is a maritime relay station between Europe, America and Africa. It can be said to be a strategic location. Once we establish a stable naval base here, we will be able to Control of the Atlantic Ocean will have a positive catalytic effect.”

"What the commander said is absolutely true!" Lieutenant Colonel Qi Deyi, captain of the Third Squadron flagship "Danshan", nodded and said: "In addition to seizing the Azores Islands, the Portuguese Madeira Islands should also take the opportunity Capture it. In this way, we extend from north to south, all the way to the Tuoshan Islands (today's Canary Islands), then to Morocco, West Africa, and even Qianzhou (today's South Africa), forming a defensive island chain against European countries. Forming the initial strategic advantage of our Qi Navy."

"If you want to take away the Azores and Madeira Islands from Portugal, I'm afraid you have to put more effort into Brazil. Otherwise, the Portuguese may not be willing to lose these two territories to us." Ran Tongshan laughed. He said: "Unless Brazil, which they rely on as a source of wealth, is controlled by us and forces the Portuguese to submit. Otherwise, they will keep fighting with us."

"A few days ago, news came from Taihua Island (today's Tenerife in the Canary Islands) that Qing's attack on Brazil from the land direction seemed to have suffered a setback and lost a lot of people and materials. King Qing asked us to come together The country sent its main fleet to the coast of Brazil to cooperate with them in launching an attack on Brazil’s southeastern ports.”

"Don't the Qing Kingdom have more than ten warships? Can't they deal with the Portuguese navy?"

"Qingguo was worried about being stolen by the Spaniards, so almost half of its warships were deployed in the waters near the mouth of the Rio de la Plata for defense. As for the five or six ships deployed to the coastal areas of Brazil, they did not dare to attack the tightly defended ships. At the Brazilian port, we just went to rob the Portuguese transport ships!" Qi Deyi said with a smile: "However, I think the Qing Kingdom wants us to send a fleet to support, and it should be because it wants to preserve its strength and is not willing to spend too much. Their own battleships. After all, after the war, our Qi country walked away, and they still had to face the hostile Spaniards and Portuguese alone. Oh, by the way, there is also England."

"Also, before the gold mine in Qianzhou (now South Africa) was discovered, Brazil's gold production definitely ranked first in the world. And according to the regulations of the Kingdom of Portugal, all gold mined in Brazil, even if it was just a scattered discovery by gold prospectors, must 20% of the gold produced was handed over to the royal family. The gold ships transported to the Portuguese mainland every year are comparable to the Spanish treasure ships of the year, and they must have dazzled the eyes of the people of Qing. However, it is unrealistic to expect the power of Qing to defeat Brazil. , but being able to attack their wealth import channels by attacking their treasure ships would make the Portuguese miserable. Humph, I don’t know why the weak Portuguese are so unable to recognize the situation and follow England’s lead Has the path reached darkness?"

"In addition to the traditional alliance between the two countries, they are probably also worried that if they don't obey England, they will suffer retaliation from the other side. After all, Portugal is not too far away from England, and it has a bad relationship with Spain, so it can only be tough. The scalp followed England in the hope of gaining their protection.”

"Then, this war will inevitably cause the Portuguese to suffer heavy losses and become a victim of the game between great powers." Ran Tongshan said with disdain: "Not to mention Portugal's several overseas territories such as India, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea, and Cape Verde. If we capture them all, even Brazil, which they value most, will be attacked. If so, Portugal may never be able to get up again."

"Portugal is a small and weak country with short-sightedness, and it is easily involved in the disputes between major powers. It is a fluke that it was not crushed into powder. How can it have another chance to recover?" Qi Deyi echoed: "However, General, we have passed this. How much would a war weaken England?"

"For England, according to the strategy of the cabinet and the general staff, it is not to weaken the English too much to prevent the situation in Europe from losing its due balance." Ran Tongshan took a cup of hot tea from the adjutant's hand, took a sip gently, and then continued Said: "Our Qi State's strategic positioning for Europe is to maintain the balance of power among the European countries as much as possible, support Prussia and Sweden, befriend Spain, and blackmail France from dominating the continent; beat England and make them turn their attention to the sea. Come back and focus more on the European continent; threaten and restrict England by supporting Irish independence. Such a layout will ensure that our country can exert a more far-reaching influence in Europe and the North Atlantic waters, and ultimately achieve our global maritime hegemony."

"Report to the general!" The two were talking, and a naval officer hurriedly came to the side to report on the interrogation of the captured English captain, "We learned two important pieces of information from the captured English captain. "

"What information?"

"Spain has officially declared war on England. In order to deal with the Spanish massive attack, England is mobilizing troops to be shipped to Gibraltar to strengthen the defense capabilities of the place."

"What's the other message?"

"England formed a large expeditionary fleet to unite with the Venetians and prepare to launch a surprise attack on Egypt."

"Oh? Unexpectedly, the English have actually found the core strategic point of our Qi country and are preparing to deliver a fatal blow to us."

"General, will our Third Squadron enter the Mediterranean to block the British Navy's military operations?" Qi Deyi asked solemnly.

"No, let's go to Gibraltar." Ran Tongshan said: "We will cut off their escape route. After the support fleet arrives, we will try to catch the English expeditionary fleet in a jar."
-
February 2, Island of Malta.

In 1530, on the orders of Pope Clement VII and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, the Knights Hospitaller came to the island of Malta and paid a symbolic rent of 1 Maltese eagle to the Kingdom of Sicily every year. Founded the Order of Malta.

The Ottomans were obviously uneasy about the Knights' comeback, and in 1565, Suleiman I sent a large army to attack Malta.The beginning of this war was very similar to the last war in Rhodes: the Knights struggled to support themselves, most of the cities were destroyed, and half of the Knights' members died in the battle.Just when the Knights seemed to be unable to hold on any longer, a supporting force came from Spain, and the situation on the battlefield suddenly reversed. The Ottoman army retreated in panic, with losses reaching more than 3 people.This victory gave the Knights of Malta a rare period of peace.

In 1571, the Ottoman Empire once again raised troops in an attempt to completely eliminate the Knights.But this time they failed even more miserably. Before the fleet reached Malta, they encountered the Holy Alliance fleet at sea, which was dominated by the Spanish Armada. The two sides launched a sea battle in the waters of Lepanto. Almost all the Ottoman fleet Sunk or captured.

After that, the Kingdom of the Knights of Malta entered its heyday, and warships with the Maltese octagonal cross on their sails sailed unimpeded in the Mediterranean.Relying on its reputation for resisting the Ottomans, the Knights Hospitallers also purchased countless properties in various European countries. The income from these movable or immovable properties will also be continuously transferred to Malta, making it a shining pearl in the Mediterranean and one of the richest.

However, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of various European countries, those secular powers that had long ignored Rome could not tolerate the blood-sucking way of life of the Knights Hospitallers. The French were especially uncomfortable with it. Knights of Malta.

Many knowledgeable people believe that the Knights Hospitallers are simply remnants of ancient feudalism, religious maniacs, and incompatible with modern society. It is best to end their lives like other long-dead knights.

The outside world is changing with each passing day, and the Knights Hospitallers, who are kings of the mountain on the island, cannot stay alone.Facing an existential crisis, they tried every means to find a way out, trying to get rid of the church and become an independent elite secular government.

In view of the fact that there was no room for development in Malta, Grand Master Lascaris took precautions as early as 1651 and sent knights across the ocean to the Americas to buy several Caribbean islands from France in an attempt to run a colony.Unfortunately, in 1665, eight years after Lascaris' death, the Knights sold the island to France, ending the short-lived colonial plan.In the past few decades, one European war after another broke out. The Knights Hospitaller's properties in various countries were either destroyed in the war or confiscated by the poor and crazy monarchs. This caused the Knights' income to drop sharply. Debts are mounting.

Putting aside the lack of money, the Knights occupying the island of Malta is guilty of harboring a treasure.All major powers, including the Ottoman Empire, coveted this transportation artery and were wary of other countries taking over it first.

The Knights Hospitallers are cautious about this, adhering to neutrality as much as possible and maintaining a delicate balance. Otherwise, the slightest carelessness will lead to disaster.

However, just three days ago in the evening, a huge English fleet consisting of more than [-] warships and more than [-] transport ships arrived in the waters off Valletta, Malta.Early the next morning, the English fleet requested that the entire fleet enter the harbor to replenish fresh water.

The then Grand Master Antonio Manuel de Vigena told the English that in accordance with the principle of neutrality, only a maximum of four English ships could be allowed to enter the port at a time.

This was not because Wehenner deliberately made things difficult for the English, but because he did not have the guts.The English fleet is approaching with great force and its intentions are unclear. If the entire fleet enters the port, it will be equivalent to giving up the city of Valletta. It is simply surrendering without a fight and giving up the territory on which the Knights rely.

At 9 a.m., Admiral Nicholas Haddock, commander of the English fleet, issued an ultimatum to Wegener, requiring that the English fleet must be allowed to enter the port before 10:30 a.m. to replenish fresh water and other supplies, otherwise it would be forced to Occupy Malta.

If only a few ships enter the port at a time to replenish supplies, God knows how long it will take. If the people of Qi are informed in advance, the strategic surprise of the English fleet's expedition to Egypt will be lost.Moreover, by using this as an excuse to obtain the best military port and supply base in the Mediterranean, they will also have an advantage in future battles with the Qi Navy.

At this time, Malta's military strength consisted of 245 knights and about 400 soldiers. In addition, about 2000 militiamen could be temporarily recruited.What's more, the strength of the fortress today is not the same as in the past, and the reserves are quite abundant. If you insist on holding on, it should not be a problem to sustain it for 3-5 months.

However, when faced with the threat of force from the English, the leaders of the Knights such as Wehener gave in.

On the one hand, both sides are civilized people in the Christian world - of course, the English are Protestants, while the Knights are devout Catholics. They also received support from the English when they resisted the invasion of the Ottomans in the past, so they are considered to be in the same camp; Secondly, England is in a state of war with the Qi State in the east, so they should not cause any trouble, occupy Malta, and establish a new enemy for nothing - well, even though this enemy is very weak.

In addition, most of the local residents are obviously unwilling to fight against the powerful Kingdom of England for the benefit of the Knights. It doesn't matter even if the owner changes, as long as their belongings are safe. Besides, they don't like the rule of the Knights and are tired of it. Strict religious atmosphere.

The English fleet sailed into the Port of Valletta one after another. As soon as it docked, more than [-] fully armed British soldiers swarmed into several forts near the port, and quickly took control of the dock forts and armories, and then moved into Valletta. Leta City disarmed all knights and soldiers.

The English fleet also detached a force and occupied the nearby island of Gozo.

In less than two days, the Maltese Regiment, which had maintained its independence for nearly 200 years, was completely occupied by England and became their most critical maritime port in the Mediterranean.The British army captured a total of more than 500 artillery pieces, more than [-] muskets, [-] pounds of gunpowder, and six armed merchant ships.In addition, countless wealth and holy relics from all ages belonging to the Knights were also captured by the British army.

"General, it must have been the soldiers of the Scottish Highland Regiment who set the fire in the city." Seeing Admiral Haddock turning his head to look at the billowing smoke rising over Valletta, an English naval officer whispered: "They may also be robbing local residents of their property, and it is not ruled out that some horrific atrocities may occur."

Admiral Haddock shook his head and did not issue a prohibitive order on this matter.

Since the union with England in 1707, Scotland has been complaining, complaining that the English implemented extremely oppressive policies against them and plundered their Scottish wealth.In the Scottish Highlands, where the mountains are high and the roads are dangerous, and the sky is high and the emperor is far away, the subjects generally have a sympathetic and supportive attitude towards the Stuart dynasty and the Jacobites.

The Scots have lived in the mountains like indigenous people for generations. They go their own way and have a long-standing desire to rob houses in various villages and towns. The merger of the two kingdoms did not relieve them of poverty.

Some gentlemen commented mockingly on the barbarism and ignorance of the Scots, "The vulgar Scots would often kidnap boys or men and sell them to plantations in the Americas to increase their meager income. Generations of lazy and robbing people The life of the Scottish Highlanders has created the barbaric vices of the Scottish Highlanders. If they disagree with each other, they will fight and fight with blood. The struggle between tribes and tribes and families is passed down from generation to generation, and every Scottish Highlander falls. The stones piled up in the place reminded them of their feud for generations. Their savagery and brutality have long made their neighbors tremble."

However, it is this brave and fierce character of the Scots that has been perfectly exploited by the royal government and turned into a sharp sword.The military conscripted them into the army in large numbers and became part of the kingdom's army to fight for the interests of England.

A large-scale armed rebellion broke out in Ireland. The royal government recruited more than [-] soldiers from Scotland and went to Ireland to suppress local resistance forces.

For this expedition to Egypt, the royal government recruited another [-] soldiers from Scotland, plus [-] English soldiers, who will accompany the expedition fleet to seize several Egyptian ports indirectly controlled by the Qi people, in order to combat their Mediterranean trade, and at the same time also Cut off the channel for the Qi expedition fleet to obtain supplies.

"This expedition may be an extremely blind military adventure." Admiral Haddock murmured as he looked at the sea in the distance.

Yes, he was opposed to the plans for the expedition drawn up by the Cabinet and the Naval Council.However, the cabinet leader Lord Walpole, who had been criticized by political opponents and opponents, firmly supported the plan, trying to gain a dazzling performance on the battlefield to restore his declining reputation and status.

However, the Qi people have been running Egypt for decades and have almost controlled the Ottoman province in terms of economy and trade. Although the Qi people have not maintained military power there due to the relationship with the Ottoman Empire, the local garrison may have been bribed by them. and infiltration, becoming vassals of the Qi people, and the armed escorts hired by their merchants were enough to ensure their safety in Egypt.

With an expeditionary fleet of less than [-] people, if the army attempts to capture the Egyptian ports controlled by the Qi people, it is very likely that they will suffer a bloody blow and eventually return without success.

However, as a dedicated admiral, Haddock had no choice but to do his best to achieve the above goals.

Five days later, Haddock left less than [-] British troops stationed in Malta, and then led the fleet to continue sailing to Egypt.

(End of this chapter)