I Am Louis XIV

The Marquis of Craig raised his hand on his chest, not only to show his loyalty to the king, but also to suppress his excitement. He had indeed imagined it, but he was not sure. The civil strife in France had not passed for a few years. , and the king's emphasis on internal affairs also means that the money from the treasury continues to flow to the streets and manors-you can see how much effort the king has spent on this by looking at the brand-new Paris, and gradually accommodated nearly 50,000 refugees. Versailles has already become a village. Since the king generously allowed them to use the resources of the swamp and forest, more and more people are willing to settle there, and even formed a small city and several villages around it.

He has also heard that His Majesty intends to reform the military system. Of course, from the fact that the king is willing to tolerate a foreigner and a Protestant as his marshal, and he simply forgives Prince Condé and his relatives and friends, he can know that How much His Majesty cherishes and values ​​talents with military talents-he also intends to create a new legion, and for the original legion to hand out flags, make uniforms, and equip uniform weapons, as a low-level lieutenant who also started Come down, the Marquis of Créquite knows that the money needed for these initiatives will flow away like the Seine, and never return.

But as a general, he is happy to see these, just as he is also happy to see his king dare to face any enemy, whether it is the king of Spain or the pope, but he must also consider the king's money bag, after all, he is more The king is old, and the young king is likely to be less thoughtful, and those merchants and civilians who have to bear heavy taxes are not as docile as they were during the Thirty Years War. The two previous riots can almost explain This question, the Marquis of Craigie lowered his head and considered carefully, almost ignoring the king's question.

"Mr. Craigie?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, sorry."

"It doesn't matter," Louis said. He could see that the Marquis of Crequi didn't mean to be contemptuous, but he didn't know what question he thought of: "Prince Condé had led his army to stay in the Haute-Pyrneus area before, and now Spain Peace with France, he asked me if I should come back, well, I think you should go there, take my own letter, I want you to go to Perpignan, I sent fifteen Calais Ship over." He smiled at the wide-eyed Craigie, you are waiting for my order in Sardinia. "

"You mean..." Marquis Craigie asked tentatively.

"Well, we might fight Italy, no, Rome," said Louis, almost amiably. "While the Pope may have his ideas, I also want my country to be respected."

"But Your Majesty, Sardinia belongs to Spain."

"I believe His Majesty Philip IV will be willing to give us this convenience." Louis said.

"I thought you would resort to some peaceful means first."

"Yes," Louis said, "but what does it have to do with me sending troops?" Of course he could wait for the Pope to react before sending troops, but first, during that time, the Pope will most likely try to provoke him into a war with him. The relationship with other countries prevents him from sending troops to Rome. Secondly, the pope can also take the opportunity to incite domestic Catholics and clergy to make a gesture against him. More likely, the pope will excommunicate him-anyway, this is not the case. The first time, and it won't be the last.

Since he knew what the enemy would do, why should he wait foolishly for the opponent to deal the cards? Louis was young, and the ministers under his command had to act resolutely even though they were old. The accusation of the Marquis of Craigie was handed over to the High Court the next day, and the High Court made it when the king returned to Paris for the second time. Pope Alexander VII, or the successive popes after him, lost their territory of Avignon in France because of their disrespect to the King of France. .

Speaking of Avignon, of course, it is a disgrace to the Roman Church and the popes, because it was the French King Philip who robbed Avignon in France with the Pope at the time because of tax issues and other issues, and later For a hundred years, the election of the pope was manipulated. During those one hundred years, the pope was always French, and the place where the pope stayed changed from Rome to Avignon, although the pope finally moved the church back to Rome. But Avignon is still regarded as the second holy city - it can also be said that it is the only gain of the church in the century of shame - in 1347, the owner of Provence, where Avignon is located, Countess Joanna (Queen of Naples) because Convicted of murdering her husband, she was hunted down by her brother-in-law. As a last resort, she asked Pope Clement VI for protection.

The price offered by Clement VI was Avignon, and the price of Avignon was 80,000 gold florins, which was similar to a big gift. Since then, the French kings have tried their best to retake Avignon, but the Roman Church is not a fool, how could it easily give up this nail pierced in the belly of France? The dispute was resolved.

In addition, Mr. Crakey's worry that his reckless behavior will cause the king's dissatisfaction with him is also superfluous. No one knows better than Louis that the battle with the Roman Church must be fought, let alone the werewolf incident. He is a victim, but even if it is to avoid the victim's revenge, the Roman Church will do its best to let France change its king-and Louis also showed the heart that a ruler should have. When he is tolerant, he is like the sea. When he was narrow, he was like the eye of a needle. Now is the time for him to be narrow. While the Roman Church was still hanging a Corsican and a thief to perfuse France's accusations, the French king's army had quietly crossed half of the Ligurian Sea and arrived in Sardinia. When Rome ran back to their hometown of Siena, the king's army was already ready to go. Just waiting for the pigeon to bring the king's order, it was about to land in Naples and go straight to Rome's vital point.

However, when the Marquis of Craigie stood on the undulating deck of Calais, looking at the boundless blue sea, he couldn't help wondering whether the king's actions were so fast, whether he had expected it or planned it for a long time. When he saw Naples, he forgot all about it—there was no trustworthy admiral in the French army, and although a general offered himself to the king in the way of his brother Philip, the king refused him—the king When he was assassinated in Dunkirk and was stranded in the other world because of the need to lift the curse, many people urged his younger brother Philip to participate in the Dunkirk talks in the name of the regent king, but Philip firmly refused. Therefore, the king is willing to trust his younger brother, but he is unwilling to promote those generals and courtiers who flatter and follow the wind. He can't blame his mother and Bishop Mazaran, and he can't treat those young brothers who are surrounded by his brother coldly. person? After careful consideration, he chose Prince Condé's close friend, that is, François Henri de Montmorency-Bouterville, who had fled to Spain and remained steadfast.

Speaking of it, it is normal for the former Earl of Buteville to be so close to the Prince of Condé. On the day he was born, his father was executed for killing his duel opponent. When he was in his infancy, he was handed over to Prince Condé was brought up by his mother. Prince Condé was six years older than him, but they were indeed like brothers when they got along. Back in Paris, although Prince Condé was forgiven by the king, he was still deprived of a series of honors and positions from the head of the royal knights, and the count was the same, but just when they thought they were going to be so silent First, Prince Condé was sent to the border between Spain and France to threaten Philip IV, and then he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the legion, going to Naples and pointing directly at Rome.

He couldn't help being surprised by such an appointment, and he even foolishly said in front of the envoy: I am not an admiral of the navy! This sentence made Colbert, who was acting as the king's envoy, couldn't help laughing, "Oh," he said, "Mr. Duke, if you want to command a fleet, I think you will still have a chance in the future, but this time what you want to lead is It’s still infantry—pikemen, musketeers, and grenadiers, and they just have to go by sea.” François realized that he had made a fool, and quickly apologized to the hot minister and invited him He was a guest in his mansion and deliberately asked him about the king's true intentions.

One more thing to mention here is how this count became a duke, which is related to his marriage—when Prince Condé went to Spain in exile and fought for the Spaniards against France, Spain People canonized him as the Duke of Luxembourg. This title made both Bishop Mazarin and the king very dissatisfied. Under the various plans of Prince Condé, Mr. Earl obtained the title of Duke of Luxembourg through marriage. Although the bride is ugly and the groom is short, this marriage still attracts the jealousy of many people. Some people think that the king should not be like this The prince of Condé and his henchmen were lenient, and it was only here that the title of Duke of Luxembourg was confirmed, and the appointment of Prince Condé and François followed one after another. A chance to serve the king—in the typical manner of a young king, he rarely resorts to dirty tricks or threats and intimidation to bring people into submission, he just makes offers you can't refuse.

Whether it is Condé or François, they must do their best for the king, otherwise, no matter if any one of them is negligent, the other will inevitably be implicated.

Such was the François, duke of Luxembourg, whom Créquite had seen, who did not look at all like a famous general; Small, with a downturned nose and an ugly little chin.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" the Duke asked, noticing the Marquis's gaze on him.

"Sorry, Your Excellency," said Marquis Craigie, "I'm just worried about the battle ahead."

This sentence made the Duke of Luxembourg laugh, "Oh, why do you think so, do you think that the Pope of Rome can send an angel to fight for him?"

"If there were angels coming down from the clouds, the first thing would be to destroy the second Babylon," said Lord Craigie.

"Is Rome really that bad?"

"It's worse than you think," said Craigie. "Although people say that Rome was a hundred times worse a hundred years ago, I can't imagine what it would be like, but even if it is Now in Rome, I feel like I've suddenly become a good, pious person."

"Okay ok, I see, so do you think Rome has an army or solid walls?"

"The pope doesn't have an army, but his king does," said Crakey, "and the faith in the heart is harder to break than a city wall."

"You are right," said the Duke of Luxembourg, "but do you know what His Majesty the King told me?"

"If I have the honor to listen," the Marquis of Craigie bowed, "please tell me, I'd like to know."

"Your Majesty said," the Duke of Luxembourg looked back at the sparkling port - "if the sword is sharp, then hold the hilt and point it towards our enemies."

To be honest, the Marquis of Craigie could hardly understand this sentence, but he understood it as soon as the army landed, because they only rested for one night, and the whole army set off before dawn. Rome is not far away, about fifty leagues—everyone who met them along the way, be it mercenaries, merchants, or civilians, were all detained. If anyone resisted or tried to escape, they would be killed directly. Death, like this, until they arrived at Hadrian's Palace, the people in the city of Rome were aware of it, and when the Pope's guards and family mercenaries were in chaos, the golden lily banner of the French king on a blue background had already fallen into the sight of the Roman people.

This is not the first time that Rome was besieged by the French army. The last time the sad Boniface VIII was captured, imprisoned and humiliated. Even if he finally escaped, he died a month later because of fear. The humiliation of Avignon, which lasted for a hundred years, has left the church still in its heart. Now that the tragedy is about to repeat itself, Alexander VII, who fled all the way to Castel Sant'Angelo, is about to faint nervously. He wrote a series of There were many letters asking for help from the kings of Catholic countries, but these letters could not be delivered at all.

Of course, Louis could just intimidate the pope, but now that the army has entered Naples, it is impossible to recover the loss of soldiers' salaries, supplies, equipment, transportation, etc., and Louis does not intend to let it go like this …