I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 438 The War of Spanish Succession! (2)

Antonia's determination left Innocent XI with nothing but a sigh, and he was not intimidating, for the envoys of Spain and Austria came together, and they reaffirmed that the bishop of Toledo and Li The meaning of Opold I, that is to say, if Antonia is willing to withdraw the appeal, return to Spain, and claim the illegitimate child of Carlos II to her name, she can get at least fifty years of honor and glory.

If it was when Antonia was married to Spain and there was still a glimmer of hope for the marriage, they might have achieved their wish. Unfortunately, when the queen was tortured and threatened with death, none of them came forward. Now they It doesn't work either, just as Antonia said to Innocent XI, if she returns to Spain, if nothing has happened, it will be a betrayal of herself - this Austrian princess is pregnant with a superlative With an unusual rebellious heart, as soon as it was dark, she ran directly from the residence arranged by the Pope to the residence of Prince Conti, begging for the protection of King Louis XIV of France.

   This kind of practice is understandable. There is no shortage of people who ask for asylum in history and are betrayed. Not to mention princesses, kings have also suffered such betrayals.

And in terms of kinship, it is not unbelievable that Antonia prays for the protection of the French king. Don't forget that the mother of the French king is also an Austrian Anna. From a close distance, Louis XIV's wife Queen Teresa is Her aunt just acts like this...

   Leopold I, who was far away in Austria, was furious.

   He swears through gritted teeth that if things go the way he doesn't expect, he won't send this rebellious daughter to the convent - certainly not out of pity and mercy - he will try and execute her as a treasonous sinner! Burn her alive like a witch! Or as the Hungarians do with the countess, shut her up in a small dark room with the door closed, leaving only a small opening for food and water - and see when she'll go mad 1

He hunched his back and walked up and down the hall of signatures. He and the Spanish princess had no son, no heir, and if Innocent XI could not stand the pressure of the French, he declared Antonia and Carlos II The marriage contract of Louis XIV is invalid, then the second son of Louis XIV will really replace the Habsburgs and become the master of Spain.

To say that he rejoiced and sincerely married his princess to Carlos II would be nonsense. Although Austria and Spain are from the same Habsburg lineage and have been married continuously for hundreds of years, Austria is Austria, Spain is Spain, these are two countries after all, every king is craving more territory, and Leopold I is no exception.

He also hopes that Antonia can buy him time. If he and the queen have a male heir, she can also fight for the throne of Spain for Austria and her brother as the queen or the widow. Of course, take ten thousand steps back. Said that if Antonia could give birth to a boy, it would be better than a bourbon.

  Bourbon, Louis XIV, he murmured, this name, this name, as if written on his heart with a red-hot pen.

Leopold I walked to the window and stared at the scenery outside the window. Before he knew it, the sky was getting dark. The streets outside the Hofburg Palace were already lit with lights, and the black gas lampposts seemed to be the most vigilant. Tireless guards, quietly guarding the safety of the people - his police chief also said that since these lights, there have been fewer crimes hidden in the dark, the owner of the store has delayed the closing time, the people on the street There are also more, but with it comes health problems, but as long as the funds are in place, the construction of public health facilities will also be put on the agenda.

   This is just a little bit of what Leopold I learned from Louis XIV.

King Leopold I was only two years younger than Louis XIV, and they had many wonderful similarities. When he ascended the throne, he faced a chaotic, weak and divided country, with powerful ministers, and the people had no confidence in the royal family. Also has strong ambitions, subtle skills - don't think that Leopold I was frustrated in the face of Louis XIV, he was a mediocre person.

Leopold I was not destined to the throne from the start, he was the second son of Ferdinand III, his brother was the real heir, and during the Thirty Years' War hundreds of Austrians died Ten thousand people, the economy is depressed, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt. His father exhausted his efforts to rebuild this huge empire, but like a mockery from fate, the eldest son his father had placed his hopes on was actually at the age of 21. , died of a smallpox infection—not even an early death.

At that time, the young man already had the title of King of Rome, and Ferdinand III had already transferred part of his power to the eldest son, only waiting for a smooth transition after a hundred years. Who knew that he would hold a funeral for his son - but at this time Ferdinand III was nearly fifty years old and was in poor health. He had no time to regret or grieve. He immediately mentioned his second son to the position of his brother and took him by his side to teach him carefully.

  Unfortunately, God only gave him three years. After three years, he followed the footsteps of his eldest son, leaving behind the seventeen-year-old Leopold I.

In fact, Leopold I was also an amazing person. As the second son, like Philip, the former brother of the French king, he was not suitable to show his extraordinary talent and pursuit of power. The consanguinity also brought him some unfortunate traits—difficulty breathing due to a big chin, a small stature, a deformed skeleton, and he was raised as a future priest until the death of his older brother in ’54, and it was assumed that he would It will be a prince in red, not a general or a minister - after all, there are very few brothers as forgiving as Louis XIV.

The heir to the throne should receive only one-fifth of the education, or less. As soon as he ascends the throne, he will face the constant rebellion of Hungary, the threat of Ottoman Turkey, the precarious domestic economy, and the thoughtful lords and Ministers, and ill-conceived electors—he also competes with Louis XIV of France for the title of Holy Roman Emperor.

Although after the Thirty Years' War, the title of the emperor was almost equivalent to the empty crown, at that time, the Habsburgs had held this position for nearly three hundred years, and if it was lost in the hands of Leopold I, the Austrian Weakness and incompetence will inevitably be exposed to the eyes of the wolves. Fortunately, after all kinds of mediation, Leopold I shrewdly started from the antipathy of the German princes to the French, and with the help of a little weak emotional tendency, he restrained the then. The offensive launched by the Cardinal of Mazarin, the throne of the Holy Roman Empire finally returned to the hands of the Habsburgs.

What made Leopold I most unwilling was that this war belonged to him and the bishop of Mazarin, but King Louis XIV of France was not very enthusiastic. At that time, Leopold I naively thought that this king was just like people. According to legend, it is the puppet of Bishop Mazarin. But soon, Louis XIV became pro-government. After taking the pro-government, he was like a rising sun. Whether it was the moon or the stars, it became extremely dim under his light.

  It is impossible for people not to compare Leopold I with Louis XIV. When Louis XIV was not in power, Leopold I was clearly above the young king. Although the situation in France had improved a lot at that time, these achievements were all attributed to the Bishop of Mazarin. - When people in Hofburg mention Louis XIV, they all laugh at him for choosing an Italian woman as his royal wife, and dressing her up like a barber. , but it also shows that the people at that time were not optimistic about the king who was too soft-hearted and too mild-mannered.

Especially when they heard that when the king was in exile, he also took in many refugees, and when he brought them to Versailles, it was even more amusing and contemptuous - different from the royal family that later generations expected to see, this time People who worship decisive, brave and ruthless rulers, saints? That's left to the priests to do.

   But in just a few short years, those silly voices died out.

  Because Louis XIV beat Flanders in a row, Holland, and defeated the Ottoman Turks in the Great Battle.

Leopold I was once again compared to Louis XIV, but their positions were completely reversed - even though Leopold I had recaptured all of Hungary by then, quelled several rebellions, and repressed peasants and artisans (Forcing them to serve the nobles), exchanged support for the king and the emperor from the hands of the lords and priests... Still can't compare with the splendid Sun King.

In addition to these, there is another point that Leopold I never announced...that is, Louis XIV, who also had Habsburg blood, did not show any deformed features. He was healthy, strong, and tall. With thick hair, he is a rare king whose portrait is not much different from himself.

If he was just empty skins, or just a standing king, Leopold I would have felt a little better, but... After the Middle Ages, there are very few kings who can expand their country and their family. A once-powerful country such as Spain can only expand its power in the New World, and the Polish king with a powerful winged cavalry will also seize the city and plunder from the pagans - although every king of Europa is holding the idea of ​​revisiting the "Australian" Gustus" famous fantasy, but once someone does it and it is possible, he will never face the only enemy in front of him.

  Louis XIV did it, even if he paid the price of nearly overthrowing the country, he did it.

No king would not be jealous of him, even more so with Leopold I, especially when Louis XIV planned to seize the Flanders region from Spain, Leopold I was still the push and assistance, But that wasn't what he wanted! This is all to blame for Louis XIV. Who would have thought that a king, a person who should be noble and pure, would use such despicable and shameless methods, and it was against an emperor! A king who sits by his side! How could he do this! ? Leopold I would never admit that he was in the scheme because he was too greedy and unkind, and he could only put all the blame on Louis XIV.

He also doesn't admit that among the many reasons why he wants to get the Spanish throne, there is also the reason for the secret covenant deposited in the hands of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the document he signed... If his children can become Spanish With the co-owner of Austria, this secret is equivalent to nothing, but if not...

  Thinking of this, he started cursing the useless queen again!

At this time, people did not know that consanguineous marriages could easily lead to miscarriage and deformities, but since Leopold I already had children, it was all the queen's fault that she could not give birth to a boy. If the queen did not bring the Spanish throne Princess of Busburg, Leopold I will definitely choose to emulate Henry VIII of England!

   "Your Majesty..."

  Leopold I turned gloomily: "I said no one should disturb me."

   "It's Her Majesty the Queen. She hopes Her Majesty can go and see her."

  ———

Hofburg's squires watched as His Majesty swept into the Queen's suite like a condensed storm—not surprising to them that the Queen would be humiliated and maybe beaten, but His Majesty went in After a short conversation with the queen, she walked out with a smile on her face and a relaxed expression. While shouting to go to mass, she instructed the attendants to prepare a set of jewelry for the queen as a gift.

  A smart person figured it out in no time.

  The queen is pregnant.

   Although it is not known whether the child is male or female, at such a critical moment... If he is a boy, let alone the queen, even the willful princess Antonia can escape the wrath of Leopold I.

  The queen's maids couldn't help but smile, but Margaret just shook her head: "It can only be said that this child is too timely."

She touched her belly. Four children have been conceived here. It is a pity that one of the two sons only lived for 90 days, and the other died when he was born. Only two daughters survived, but the eldest daughter Antonia also survived. It can be said that she is already dead. The young girl has the same name as her, but her physical condition is also not commendable.

If the child had another miscarriage or died, Margaret thought, I'm afraid she's going to see God too. The doctor said her weak body couldn't stand another birth, but what could she do, not have a child? possible. Leopold I was good to her at first, but as the years passed, he still failed to get an heir from his expectation in 1966 to this day, and it is no wonder that he became more irritable, not to mention that the child is still involved now. Who will fall to the Spanish throne?

   "Go and fetch me a pen and paper, I want to write a letter to my sister," said the queen.

  Leopold I was so jealous of Louis XIV that he was going mad with jealousy, and so was Queen Margaret, but it was her sister, Queen Teresa of France, who was jealous. Everyone must admit that Teresa has a husband who seems to have come out of the legend, noble, handsome, strong and merciful, and his respect and love for the queen is unparalleled.

   And they have two sons.

   But now, she must go and plead with her sister to protect her daughter.

   (end of this chapter)