Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 197 The dawn of the end of the war ([-])

Throughout November, the East Coasters conducted a large-scale food collection operation in the Berg River valley.By the end of the month, they had destroyed or smashed three Hottentot tribes, seized nearly [-] catties of grain and nearly [-] heads of livestock. In addition to the previous stocks and some grain seized from the Xhosa, they were shrouded in the river The food crisis over the fort was finally successfully resolved.

If nothing else, they will just last until next summer's harvest.But maybe the "martial bravery" of the people on the east coast really exceeded the imagination of the surrounding barbarian tribes, large and small. Several weak and sparsely populated Khoisan and even Xhosa tribes took the initiative to send people to the river castle to send He ordered a batch of gifts and asked for surrender for protection.

Faced with these barbarians who came to his door, Mo Ming naturally would not "break their hearts". After accepting the meeting gift of hundreds of cattle and sheep, he "magnanimously" allowed these barbarians to move to the east of Hezhongbao. Farming and grazing on the land to the south and south, so that the people on the east coast can rescue them in time after they are attacked.

Of course, there is never a free lunch in the world.After these weak barbarian tribes seek asylum, they naturally have to bear corresponding obligations.For example, based on the population and economic strength of these tribes, Hezhongbao regularly collects a certain amount of food, cattle and sheep as "protection fees"; Adult men should also be recruited by the East Coasters to fight at any time.

Faced with such conditions, these barbarian tribes who came to seek refuge now have to agree if they don't agree.If they don't agree, they will probably be immediately killed by the people from the east coast who turned their faces. Even if the people from the east coast don't kill them, they will be annexed by other tribes in the cruel tribe annexation battle and then perish; Although they don't know what the future will hold if they agree, at least for now they seem to be able to survive for a while.

This way, the choice is easy to make.

The total number of these barbarian tribes is no more than 2000, including more than 500 Khoisan and more than 800 Xhosa.They established a tribal camp in the temporarily designated area east of the Fort in the River and south bank of the river, and then started a life of farming and grazing.Their arrival also gave the Fort in the River a big strategic buffer zone. Once the enemy suddenly attacked, these barbarians could buy some time for the people on the east bank of the Fort in the River for the dead ghosts, so that they could respond in time. As for being caught off guard.

The Hezhong Fort has ended its food requisition operation, which means that the last place where the war was ignited in the territory of the Eastern China Republic this year has also fallen into peace.But in London at this time, the smell of gunpowder has just entered its strongest period.

In June, the king's favorite, Archbishop Lauder, charged religious critic William Prine, doctor and writer Henry Burton, and theologian John Barton for defaming the government and bishops by using books and pamphlets. Sterwick was thrown into the famous Star Chamber Court in Westminster, where he was flogged, his ears were cut off, and he was put in the stocks for public display.

At the same time, Archbishop William Lauder also implemented an extremely strict book censorship system, strictly prohibited all dissatisfaction with the government, and persecuted Puritans who were dissatisfied with him and the king.This led to a large number of dissident Puritans in the United Kingdom fleeing to the American colonies to seek the place of freedom of belief in their hearts.

In addition, the biggest movement of Archbishop Lauder is naturally to impose the Arminian ideology, which represents religious unity, on the Scots.He attempted to replace the Scottish Presbyterian system with the Episcopal Anglican system in order to achieve the religious unification of Scotland and England, and gradually realize the "Union of Great Britain" plan during the reign of Charles I's father, James I.

This plan aimed at clearing up the complicated religious thoughts in the UK, strengthening the royal power, and maintaining national unity naturally won the support of King Charles I.The British king who was born in Scotland has very weak feelings for the Scots. He is very interested in the bishops' proposal to unify the church first, then the political power, and finally implement the autocratic monarchy in England and Scotland. Therefore, He applauds the behavior of Archbishop Lauder.

Moreover, the king's support is not limited to policy.Just at the end of September, a batch of cheap but sophisticated weapons were secretly transported into Bristol from overseas, and then quickly transferred to the northwestern region where the Royalist Party had a strong influence.There, a small army of about 2000 people is being secretly formed.

The cost of forming this army was secretly raised by the king and high-level church officials. The purpose was to deal with those Scottish heretics in the north and disaffected parliamentarians in the country.In fact, with the king's financial resources, it was difficult to build this 2000-strong army, but a close friend of Archbishop Laud, Mr. Abraham from Lincolnshire, managed to get a batch of amazingly cheap weapons: including 1500 The latest flintlock muskets, 50 pieces of artillery, [-] suits of armor and [-] sabers - all for the astonishingly low price of [-] pounds.Moreover, according to the king's close minister, Sir Hamilton, the first military adviser, he sent someone to inspect the weapons and found that the quality of these weapons was generally higher than that of the country's products, even compared to the quality of Dutch weapons. Don't give up.

The overjoyed Charles I resolutely decided to immediately form an army that was completely in his hands.For this reason, he worked hard to reduce his court expenses, coupled with the donations from the church and the money that the Earl of Stratford exploited from Ireland, this army of about 2000 people was finally formed under all kinds of difficulties. .Equipped with fast-firing new-style flintlock rifles, this army abandoned the traditional combination of matchlock guns and spearmen, and adopted the form of pure musket troops adopted by people on the east coast of the New World. can quickly display combat effectiveness.

"So, Ryan, you said that what the people on the east coast want is peace with those parliamentarians?" Archbishop William Lauder had just returned to his residence in London after seeing the king, and received a letter from Abraham. inform.

"There is no doubt, William, that the people on the east coast desperately need peace." Ryan Abraham said calmly, "I have dealt with their plenipotentiary representative in Bordeaux a few times. He is a very energetic young man who never knows how to hide In his own mind, he told me very bluntly that they need peace. Of course, my words may have misunderstood you, so I have to explain here: the people on the east coast have a certain strength, and it may be right to continue the war. The Kingdom is no good."

"It's not good for the kingdom, but it will also consume the funds of those parliamentarians, which is good for us." Bishop William Lauder unabashedly put his own and the royal party's interests above the national interests, and then said: "Ryan, why should I help the people on the East Coast end the war? Maybe it would be better if the war continued..."

"I don't suggest you think about it from this perspective, William." Abraham said bluntly: "The contradiction between us and the parliamentarians is irreconcilable, given the bad record of those parliamentarians leading troops into London several times in history , I think there may even be a war between us, not to mention that the king is currently planning a war against the Scots. War needs weapons and money, and the people on the east coast have a lot of cheap weapons. If we can’t meet their demands, all this will be out of the question. The domestic price of the batch of weapons I got back through the East Coast people is about [-] pounds to [-] pounds, but the actual I only spent £[-] on it, and only £[-] of it was paid in cash. So, I think it’s better for us to meet the demands of the East Coast people.”

Bishop William Lauder was silent for a while, as if he was considering the gains and losses, and then slowly said: "Okay, Ryan, you have convinced me. I will write a letter in a while, and you take this letter with you." Go to Henry Montagu, and he will tell you how to do it, my friend."

"The Earl of Manchester? He's in London?" Ryan Abraham was a little puzzled, but seemed to understand.

"No, it's his son Eduardo here. This young man is having a heated fight with those parliamentarians. I think it's more convenient for Eduardo to operate this matter." Bishop Lauder explained a little.

"I see." Abraham said.This Eduardo Montague is also not an easy character. When he was young, he followed the current King Charles I to Spain to fool around. After returning, he was appreciated and promoted by the then power minister, the Duke of Buckingham, and was named Baron Kimbolton.But this person is very close to those parliamentarians politically, and he is completely opposite to his father Henry.

However, in Ryan Abraham's view, this Eduardo and his father are betting between the two major camps in the country, and he is a typical political speculator.However, this is also the usual practice of a large number of noble families at this time, and others are beyond reproach.

Abraham, who was enthusiastic about the cause of the Royal Party, was eager to resolve the war between the people on the east bank and the big merchants headed by the East India Company at this time, so as to gain the trust of the people on the East Coast as soon as possible, so that they could support the Royal Party with greater strength. The weak royal party really needs such strong support at this moment.Therefore, after bidding farewell to Archbishop William Lauder, Abraham hurried to the residence of the Earl of Manchester in London, where Eduardo was said to be living at this time.

(End of this chapter)