Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 1942 Overseas Interests ([-])

Hugo Cornelis left the East Coast capital disappointed.

Before leaving, he met Hieronymus at the Dutch embassy on the east coast.This gentleman has also lived in the East Bank for many years. Although he often goes to and from the circle of Dutch expatriates, his lifestyle and behavior patterns still inevitably bear many imprints of the East Bank.For example, he now likes to listen to operas on the East Bank, likes to ride horses and hunt on the grasslands, and likes to eat at Penglai restaurants in Qingdao, etc. In addition, he also has some ways of thinking about problems, perspectives on things, etc., Hieronymus The Dutch taste on the ambassador's body is getting weaker and weaker, so that even Hugo can see it.

Ambassador Hieronymus talked with Hugo for a long time. He said that he has also received a diplomatic order from his home country and will try his best to negotiate with the high-level East Bank government in the next period of time to see if he can change the mind of the East Bank government. , let them join the Dutch side.Of course, he also made it clear that the French ambassador is also walking around every day, and the special geographical location of the east coast makes everyone dare not ignore it. The matter of who the Cape Town Freeport is open to and who it is not open to is already very serious. - so the pressure of competition is extremely high, and many things may not be possible.

Hugo Cornelis understands this.As a prominent descendant of a famous business family in Zeeland Province, he naturally has some understanding of the current situation in Europe.There are fundamental differences in "values" between France and the Netherlands. For example, in order to stabilize the United Provinces in the previous series of actions to encroach on border territories, this country actually agreed to a very favorable tariff rate; After improving relations with the East Bank, the tariff rates of dozens of commodities were reduced in one go, and in the end, the East Bank, a major exporting country, was given the average tariff level of other countries.

To be honest, the Dutch cannot make these trade concessions, let alone their style.These businessmen, they don't know how to grow their brains, they value small money more than anything else, and the French will pounce on it as soon as they throw out some profit.Even though the Prince of Orange has always been displeased with the French, he cannot disobey the desire of the majority of businessmen in the country.To put it bluntly, the Dutch would rather not expand their territory, but also protect the continuation of commercial interests. This is the nature of being kind and hard to give up.

Compared with them, although the French also love money, they seem to love land more.Especially their king, Louis XIV, has devoted himself to two things for many years, that is, spreading his fame and expanding the country's territory.Take a look at his achievements after his own conquest. In the northeast, he occupied a large area of ​​southern Netherlands, and also annexed Luxembourg and part of German territory; in the east, he annexed Franche-Comté, Alsace and Lorraine, and Strasbourg. Liberty City; the southeast annexed some small castles and small towns on the border with Italy; This mountain range became the natural dividing line between the two countries.

All in all, the hexagonal large land area of ​​France's later generations (compared to other countries in Central and Western Europe) laid the foundation at this time.This country's obsession with the land is quite terrifying, so it caused unanimous panic in the surrounding countries, and tried every means to contain them.But in any case, the French finally succeeded in digesting most of the land they ate and turned it into their own core country.From this point of view, the Dutch, who value money and interests, fell into the lower class, because they are not as good as France in terms of land area and population. After the advent of the industrial age, they are destined not to become a big country.

After Hugo Cornelis left Dongfang County, he took a boat to the coast of Eastern Brazil to inspect places and see where it was suitable for investment and construction of plantations.It is said that after coming to the east bank for so long, he finally has time to do his own work. After seeing others throwing a lot of money, the West India Company really couldn't hold back, so they built a new enclosure on the east bank. Plantations are inevitable.

While Hugo Cornelis was carefully inspecting the coast of Brazil, Ma Wenqiang, chairman of the East Bank Executive Committee, also found Major General Li Zemin, the chief of staff of the military department, who had just inspected the "bandit suppression" work in the southern cone. , Discuss with him the current situation in Europe and how the people on the east coast should fish in this muddy water.

"The situation? In fact, there is nothing to talk about. Europe is bound to fight. There is no need to have any doubts about this." Major General Li Zemin in military uniform lit a cigarette and said with a serious face: "It just so happens that I just read a document about The French intelligence, which was written by an intelligence officer of the Gendarmerie Command who has been paying attention to the military forces of European countries, mentioned the French dragoon movement, which killed many Protestants, and there is a risk of religious wars breaking out. if."

The so-called dragoon movement, in fact, is nothing more than the persecution and oppression of Protestants by French soldiers.According to the French tradition, the army can stay in the homes of ordinary people, and all meals are provided by the homes.Louis XIV's favorite, Loire, suggested to him that if a Huguenot declared his conversion to Catholicism, his family would be spared the garrison.At the same time, with the acquiescence of the upper class, the middle and lower ranks instigated the soldiers living in the Huguenots’ homes to make troubles. They began to behave recklessly, and then developed into rape and robbery, and the Huguenots suffered unspeakably.

And when the matter was reported to Louis XIV, he just lightly reprimanded the generals of the two dragoon troops who made the most trouble, that's all, he didn't even dismiss him from his post. What kind of punishment is this?As a result, more and more army generals joined in this political speculation, and the Huguenots were troubled by the scourge. Many people were forced to pretend to declare their conversion, and of course they chose to flee to other countries. There are too many of them.

Seeing this situation, Louis XIV felt that the Kingdom of France today is almost entirely dominated by Catholics (only 2000 million Huguenots out of a population of more than 150 million), which is very different from the situation in 1598 when Protestants were everywhere. , so there is no need to be tolerant to those Protestants, so he publicly announced the abolition of the "Nantes Edict" a few months ago, and the Huguenots in France suddenly fell into a catastrophe.

The above-mentioned news has only just spread to the mainland on the east coast. Cornelis and other Dutch people may not know it, and Ma Wenqiang certainly does not know it.After listening to Li Zemin's retelling of this, I suddenly felt that the French really lost their minds and went crazy. What's the benefit of messing up their own country like this?You must know that although the number of Huguenots is relatively small, many of them are businessmen, craftsmen, artists and other occupations, and their social wealth and influence cannot be underestimated.Back then, Colbert worried that the excessive persecution of Huguenots might cause a sharp drop in France’s foreign trade income, because these people accounted for a high proportion in the trade and business system.

Therefore, these people actually belong to the French elite.What is the difference between persecuting them and the expulsion of the Moors by the Spaniards?Although France has a big family and a great business, it can't stand such repeated tossing. If these Huguenots all slip away to the United Provinces or France, the French will be in real trouble.

"So, the war between France and the Netherlands is inevitable?" Ma Wenqiang also lit a cigarette and said in a muffled voice.

"It's more than [-]% likely." Li Zemin shook his head and said, "As long as the French don't stop their expansion, I don't think this war will stop. The Dutch government is actually quite clear about this. I know you, look, they have all gone to the southern New World to recruit people, doesn't that explain their determination?"

"Then the Dutch's calculations are wrong. If we really join their camp, the French East India Company will not be able to freely use Cape Town Port, and the business in the Far East will drop by half. Does this hurt the French very much? No, don’t be funny, the French don’t even frown, their main source of wealth is the vast farmland suitable for cultivation, and the country’s population of more than 2000 million, that’s all, it’s not overseas trade at all.” Ma Wenqiang spit out eye circles , said worriedly.

"So, Chairman Ma, my suggestion is that our country wait and see for the time being, and not join any party in a hurry. Wait until the situation is a little clearer, and then make a decision based on the situation." Li Ze*min said.What he said was actually the tone of a scheming politician, not a military general who likes to fight—of course, strictly speaking, the Chief of the General Staff of the Military Department is indeed not a pure soldier, and the attributes of a politician are indeed much more.

"It's right not to rush to express your attitude." After thinking for a while, Ma Wenqiang nodded lightly and said, "Now that the trade volume between the Kingdom of France and us continues to rise, this country with the second largest population in continental Europe has already It is an important customer of East Coast goods. I think everyone is very clear about the benefits. It is ridiculous that the Dutchman does not give any substantive benefits, and wants us to be cannon fodder for them. It's ridiculous to think about it. Aren't they afraid that we will directly form an alliance with the French? That would be an unspeakable disaster for their overseas trade. The French East India Company and the United Provinces East India Company are basically the same Not the same thing. The French can afford to lose, but the Dutch can't!"

Li Zemin nodded with a smile, and then added: "In the future, we have a lot of options and conditions. For the sake of our country's overseas interests, we must choose a suitable time to intervene in the war. It is very important. We will join whoever offers good conditions. Of course, the best partner for this alliance is the Dutch."

Coughing and coughing is heart-piercing and unbearable.After taking the cold medicine, my eyelids were shaking, my head was empty, and my hands didn't know what words were being typed.This one is kind of short and weak, I'm going to bed first, I'm really sleepy, I'll make it up in the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)