I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 464 Scarlet City (Part 1)

The Red Clay City that Eva mentioned is the common name for Roussillon City by ordinary people. Its real name is Viscus Russulus, the Latin "red mountain", from which Roussillon's name comes from. The city is located in the Luberon Mountains. on the edge of a cliff.

   The only regret of the Duke of Orleans in this life may be that he failed to send his daughter to Prussia for marriage. He has more important responsibilities. When he stepped lightly and quietly into the Roussillon area, it was dusk, and the setting sun shone on this small town, which seemed to be covered with a layer of lingering blood, but there was also a brilliant golden burst from the inside. Come out, like the Catalans who came to greet him.

Catalans have always been the proudest, because their history is even longer than that of Spain, even Castile or the kingdom of Aragon. Speaking of which, they also have many unexplainable ties with France. - In the Middle Ages, it was still ruled by pagans, and it was Charlemagne who conquered it and gave it back to God. It is strange that he did not assign it to West Francia, but to Barcelona. Country - that's where the Count of Barcelona came from.

The kingdom of Aragon acquired this territory through marriage. The Catalans also played an important role in the court before Aragon merged with Castile, but after the two kings, let alone add The Catalans and Barcelona, ​​even the King of Aragon, lacked the courage to speak in front of the Queen of Castile. I don't know when, the Catalans were stunned to find that they not only lost in the court The right to speak, in one's own territory, also depends on the face of the Castilians.

Yes, in the eyes of the Catalans, Spain was still just an alliance of Castilians and Aragonese rather than a complete and unified country, and their nobles believed that if the king of Aragon did not do justice Castilians and Catalans, then they will be independent - in the name of the county of Barcelona.

This is why these people were initially willing to be allies with Louis XIII and Bishop Richelieu, but because at that time France was also in trouble both at home and abroad, and the money was very limited, Bishop Richelieu failed to give them enough support. Under the conflict with the two major powers of France, the situation in Catalonia has not only not improved, but has become more difficult.

In Madrid, there are those in power in Toledo who are still deliberating, wandering, not knowing whether to lean towards France or the Holy Roman Empire, they have not forgotten the Catalans who have always been extremely rebellious, In this regard, they are of the same opinion, there are tens of thousands of troops stationed here to prevent changes.

There are also several voices among the Catalans. Some people think that the status quo should be maintained, and the winner will be negotiated or threatened when Habsburg and Bourbon are both lost. Will a venerable majesty go to war on red soil - Catalonia is between Spain and France, even if the battlefield is not here, the Castinians will take the Catalans The last bit of property with the last child.

This is entirely possible. Except for Louis XIV, any monarch will inevitably collect a war tax when he wants to fight. This tax is different from the poll tax. It was the most oppressed - in fact, even without Louis XIV's request, small riots in Catalonia continued one after another.

The Castilian officials are going to take the last piece of bread from their mouths, the last child in their hands, no matter where, like this, when they see that they can't live at all, someone will roar and raise their weapons. rebellious.

   Besides, the Catalans have never been weak and incompetent. They have the blood of warriors in their bodies, and they also have wise minds.

   It is like Father Tamarit and Clarisse who came to greet the Duke of Orleans. The former is needless to say, and the latter is a nephew of Paul Claris, the former president of the Barcelona City Council of 100. Speaking of which, it may surprise people today. In the several riots of the Catalans, the leaders were neither civilians, nor nobles, or officials, but clergy. It seems that this Father Clarice Among the Catalans of Roussillon, almost on a par with Tamalet, who came to Louis XIV as a messenger.

This Father Clarice, dressed in black robes, looked solemn. As soon as he saw the Duke of Orleans, he went up to kiss his hand. The rebelliousness of the Asians is not the first day, nor is it just for the Habsburgs in Spain. As Colbert, the "merchant minister" said, respect and flattery are also goods, and they are very valuable.

On the surface, however, both the Catalans and the Duke of Orleans smiled as kindly as possible, and they welcomed the Duke into a chapel in Roussillon, which lived up to its name and was only two stories high. There is only one room on the second floor, and there is no clock tower.

   "I'm very sorry," Father Clarice whispered, "The current bishop of Roussillon's cathedral is from Toledo, although... we still can't fully trust him, so we can only let you live here for the time being."

   "How many Spaniards are there in Roussillon now?" asked the duke.

   "If you just ask the soldiers, there are only six hundred," said the priest, "but if you ask how many enemies there are, there may be twice as many."

   "There are also Habsburgs here," said the duke.

"No," said the priest with a subtle smile: "We haven't done nothing during this time, sir, and since Tamalet came back from Paris, we've been 'cleaning up' the vile Traitors, the enemy I am talking about, besides the soldiers in the blood castle, is the Castilian governor and his followers, and their guards are almost equal to the number of troops stationed in Roussillon. When it comes to equipment, the former is even worse than the latter.”

"I heard that the Spaniards have been charging you a double war tax and a poll tax, and asking each of you to send a strong young man into the army. Where are they now, here?" The duke looked around, and the room the priest had arranged for him was the attic of the church, with windows on three sides, no trees and houses that blocked the view, air circulation and bright light.

"The Castilians sent them all away, and I don't know if there is any chance of these children coming back." The priest made a cross calmly, "but they will send us a message if it is possible." He paused: "Of course, this is not easy. The Castilians treat them like untamed livestock. Once the war begins, they will also be the first victims to be sent to the battlefield."

   "Mr. Tamarit mentioned that he wished to know when my brother and His Majesty declared my nephew king of Spain."

   "May we know?"

   "Madrid and Toledo have been procrastinating," said the Duke of Orleans, sitting down on a bed covered with white linen. "They have not yet decided whether to choose Charles or Philip."

"In fact this shows their attitude that the Castilians do not like the French," said the priest. "Whether according to the law of the world or the law of God, Charles, the second son of King Louis XIV of France, this His Highness is also the most justifiable heir. After all, his mother is the eldest sister. As far as the date of birth is concerned, he is also earlier than the son of Leopold I, not to mention that the son of Leopold I is the eldest son. Unexpectedly, it will also be the future emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the Archduke of Austria, how can he rule two places at the same time..."

"This may be what the Spaniards expected," the duke sighed. Judging from the attitudes of those people, it is not easy for the Spaniards to choose Charles. First, if Philip of the Holy Roman Empire became the In the future, even if this majesty is an adult, he may not be able to personally rule Spain - there is a France between them - but can only send brothers or cronies to control remotely, which is different from the current situation. No difference, Spain still belongs to the Spaniards; but if Charles of France becomes the king of Spain, no one can deny that Spain is closely connected with France, whether it is Louis XIV or the future king of France. A traditional way to achieve a French-Spanish union…

After all, for the king of Europa, there is nothing more important than expanding his territory. It will be difficult for France to continue to recognize the independence of Spain - there are Brittany, Catalonia A lesson from Ronia, the Spaniards would never believe that France would not annex their own country.

Second: The king of the Queen Mother of Spain, this young man died earlier than his father, but the Habsburgs of Spain must have an heir. This marriage relationship was understandable at the time. But for a pure girl... nothing can be more disgusting and painful.

For the Habsburgs, she gave up her longing for love and her delusions of family affection. She competed for power with her husband, her illegitimate sons and ministers, and her own sons. She was even exiled, imprisoned and imprisoned for this. Assassination, she lost so much, how is it possible to support the French Bourbon instead of the Habsburg now?

In the courts of Madrid and Toledo, the Queen Mother was also headed, and two factions were formed. Based on the old school, the other side is headed by Admiral Patinho. Patinho, from a personal standpoint, certainly hopes to continue the Habsburg rule, but he has been to Paris and met Louis XIV - for the people. , he prefers to choose the son of the Radiant King over the son of Leopold I...

There is another reason, that is, the "theory of blood and descent" written and testified by the scholars of Louis XIV has spread to many countries, Spain is no exception, they already know that the first sight of the son of Philip II The deformed jaw and a series of health problems all came from the close blood relationship of his parents - although Louis XIV's mother and wife were both from Habsburg, but fortunately Louis XIV's father Louis XIII Going up, the Bourbon family has almost never been married to the Habsburgs many times. The blood of the Habsburgs is not rich enough in the blood of the Bourbons. The most reliable evidence is that whether it is Louis XIV or the Duke of Orleans, or even theirs. The children are all rare beauties in the royal family, and they are tall, strong and intelligent.

   And another alternative, Leopold I’s son Philip, whose physical condition was “suboptimal,” was a euphemism for the Austrian court physician, but everyone knew what it meant.

With Carlos II before, who would want a mad and feeble king on the throne of Spain? Patinho has deeply understood how stupid it is to let a sick man be king , there is only one Baldwin IV (the leper king) in history who is more of a saint than a mortal - as for ordinary people, weakness and pain can make them lose their ability to think and become rude and grumpy. If he were king, it would be a disaster.

   But as long as there are opponents, Spain will not belong to France completely, at least not peacefully.

Tamarit's request is a bit presumptuous, but it can't be said that he is wrong. If the Catalans can know when the king of France declares the inheritance of Spain on behalf of his second son Charles, it is time to go to war. , if their children can be prepared...

   "Yes." The duke received a slightly surprised glance from the priest.

"The army here is also waiting for the announcement." The Duke said: "What Your Majesty wants to see is the loyalty of the Catalans, not the needless sacrifice." This is what the Catalans are worried about. , if they took the lead in rioting in Roussillon or elsewhere, the Spanish army would surely suppress it quickly with the most brutal and tyrannical means. At that time, they were all struggling in the **** quagmire, and the French could take advantage of the break and enter - That's what Louis XIII and Bishop Richelieu did during the Thirty Years' War, when Roussillon was in the hands of the French, but the Catalans got nothing but death and tears, Including the freedom they want.

   This is also why the Spaniards were able to take Roussillon back.

  Louis XIV knew very well that even if he could abandon his moral bottom line as a person, the Catalans would not make such ridiculous mistakes again.

"His Majesty will first proclaim Charles Bourbon King of Spain, and then demand that the people of Madrid and Toledo pay their allegiance to him in accordance with the law of the world and God - if they do not respond, or refuse to respond - within a given time. You You can see..." The duke looked into the priest's eyes.

   "War."

   (end of this chapter)