I

It is difficult to say clearly how many states there are in Italy, but the six main forces have always been very clear.

First, the Papal States.

The most classic comment about this strange country is that although the Pope is unable to unify Italy, he has enough power to prevent others from unifying it.

Second, the Principality of Milan.

While other Italian states were still in the form of city-state republics, Milan took the lead in realizing the despotism of feudal lords.

Third, Florence.

The state's system continued to change, and finally, with the support of Spain, it became a principality a hundred years ago.

Fourth, the Republic of Genoa.

This thing is a vassal of Spain. A hundred years ago, the Spanish royal family went bankrupt and the German bankers lost all their money. Genoa took the opportunity to lend money to Spain and continuously obtained American silver, ushering in a seventy-year golden age. As silver production in the Americas decreased, the Spanish royal family went bankrupt many times, and Genoa also fell into decline.

Fifth, the Republic of Venice.

About 200 industrial and commercial families constitute the oligarchic republic of Venice. The chief administrative officer is elected, and the nobles and powerful citizens form a parliament, which is then handed over to the affairs officer to handle government affairs. It has a large number of overseas territories and has been at war with the Ottomans for 90 years. Sometimes there are armistices, sometimes peace talks, sometimes cooperation, and they are losing territory all the time.

In addition, the Pope issued an excommunication order against Venice due to the removal of clerical privileges. Although the Republic of Venice regarded the excommunication order as bullshit, it also caused it to be politically isolated in Italy. Even though the excommunication was lifted through French intervention, political isolation persisted.

While the states were isolating Venice, they also needed Venice to resist Ottoman expansion. There was probably a rogue in the village. The villagers didn't want to play with him, but they applauded hard and were happy to see him fight with the rogue from the next village.

Sixth, Naples.

This thing is a bargaining chip for the marriage between France and Spain. Both sides have suzerainty over Naples, which is either controlled by France or controlled by Spain. It is currently controlled by Spain.

It has a vast territory, a powerful navy, and a high degree of centralization.

Among all Italian states, Naples has the heaviest taxes and the most serious exploitation of the middle and lower classes. Therefore, in the subsequent Revolutionary War of Italian Unification, Naples took the lead in the revolutionary wave.

In the city of Naples, inside a leather shop.

The owner Antonio told the gathering: "We have summarized several reasons for the failure of the uprising more than ten years ago. First, the leaders of the uprising cannot act arbitrarily, otherwise it will cause internal divisions; second, the French royal family is unreliable, and they have agreed to support the uprising. , but only want to usurp the fruits of our uprising; thirdly, the King of Spain and the Governor cannot be trusted, and the Governor must be killed!"

Naples is a kingdom whose king is concurrently served by the King of Spain.

Thirteen years ago, the Governor of Naples announced a tax increase. The fishmonger Masaniello led a riot, and the lawyer Genoino secretly fanned the flames. The slogan of the riot was: "Long live the King of Spain, we don't want taxes, and the unpopular government (Governor) goes away." open."

The governor was forced to participate in negotiations and accept various demands. The fishmonger Masaniello was appointed as the "most loyal leader of the people" and formed a people's government.

Everything went too smoothly, and the fishmonger quickly became corrupted. He abandoned the original intention of the uprising and acted arbitrarily after taking power, even killing opponents at will. Before the governor took action, the people's government began to depose and arrest him. He fled to a monastery and was killed.

The lawyer who planned the uprising became the new people's leader and ended up wearing the same pants as the governor. After the death of the violent fish trader, he was actually regarded as a hero by the people, and then continued to cause riots and killed the lawyer who had usurped power. The new people's leader continued to suppress the uprising, the people continued to revolt, and the wave of uprising spread to Sicily.

An arms dealer became the leader of the people and announced the formation of the Republic of Naples, secretly gaining support from the French royal family.

France directly dispatched its navy, and the French Duke of Guise was elected Duke of the Republic of Naples. This man intensified his efforts to exploit the people, and the uprising spread to all directions. In the end, Spain sent out its army, the French duke ran away, and the people's leader (arms dealer) was executed.

The shop owner Antonio said: "What we will carry out is not a city riot, but a revolution. The kings and nobles of Spain and France cannot protect our rights and interests. They only know about constant taxation. We must establish a republic and form a republic parliament." , to formulate the laws of the Republic. The Parliament can retain the nobility, but all the people, such as lawyers, businessmen, and craftsmen, can be elected as members of the Parliament, and must occupy two-thirds of the seats! Now, please ask lawyer Carlos to explain to us "Oriental Saints" "About" (Italian magic version of "Datong Collection")."

"Datong Collection" began to be secretly spread in the UK a few years ago. After being banned by Cromwell, it spread to France and then to Italy.

With the popularity of "The King of Kings - The Biography of the Great Emperor of China", "Datong Collection" was reprinted many times by Venetian booksellers who were not too concerned about the matter. Scholars in Naples felt like they had found a treasure, and continued to revise the "Datong Collection" based on the actual conditions of their country.

Lawyer Carlos stood up and said: "The Eastern Testament is a revolutionary book written by the great Emperor of China. Twenty years ago, China was under the rule of the brutal Ming Dynasty. The Chinese people there are just like us in Naples. , they had to face endless heavy taxes, and successive years of natural disasters made it impossible for them to survive. His Majesty, the great Emperor of China, led the people to revolt, overthrew the brutal Ming Dynasty, and established the Datong Dynasty of equality, justice, and prosperity... "

"In distant China, the emperor is wise and the officials are selfless. Officials are served by respected scholars, and any corruption will be severely cracked down. Children of every family can have the opportunity to study. Every literate person All the people have the opportunity to be officials. The emperor protects the interests of scholars, businessmen, craftsmen, and farmers. Even the beggars have disappeared, and everyone lives a happy life like heaven..."

"According to the description in "The King of Kings - The Biography of the Great Emperor of China", shoemakers in Nanjing can even afford to wear silk. Even shoemaker apprentices have received education in reading and writing, have a considerable salary, and do not have to bear high costs. tax……"

Most of the revolutionaries participating in the party had never read these two books. At this time, their eyes were shining, and their faces were full of yearning and longing. How beautiful it must be in the distant eastern country, and how happy it is to live there.

Lawyer Carlos continued: "The Eastern Covenant records all the revolutionary thoughts of the Chinese emperor. The Chinese emperor believes that the people are the foundation of the country, and the emperor and officials are just to manage the country for the people..."

"Although we established the Republic of Naples during the last uprising, the four people's leaders and one duke of the republic all turned their backs on the revolution. Therefore, Naples cannot have kings, dukes, and people's leaders, because none of us Neapolitans can be like China. The emperor is so wise and selfless..."

"The Chinese emperor is the philosopher king. He is omniscient and omnipotent, he is morally noble, and he has a noble soul. If Naples was close to China, after our uprising, we should let the Chinese emperor rule. But we are too far away from China. We You can only elect your own consuls. Each consul cannot be hereditary and must have a term of office, and his power is restricted by the People's Assembly..."

"Let's talk about another thought of the Chinese emperor. He believed that all people are born equal. Nobles and merchants are equal, merchants and craftsmen are equal, and hawkers, fishermen, and farmers are all equal. You must ask, the peasants are even illiterate and are ignorant. Why Can they be equal to nobles? His Majesty the Emperor of China said that people have status and personality. Status is unequal, some people are born as nobles, and some people are born as peasants. But personality is indeed equal, no one is more noble..."

"Personal equality is absolute. The difference between bad people and good people is that bad people have been polluted and their moral character has become despicable. Therefore, when we establish a republic, we must protect the interests of good people and make more people become good people. If a government is Bad and good people cannot guarantee their interests, and more people will become bad people..."

"The Emperor of China said that the interests of everyone must be guaranteed. After the establishment of the Republic, we should formulate laws, a law for all people."

"In the decadent Ming Dynasty, the worst ones are the nobility and landowners. We must follow the example of the Chinese Emperor and kill all the bad nobility and landowners. Their money will be used for the financial expenditure of the Republic. Their land, Used to distribute to poor farmers..."

"His Majesty the Emperor of China, at the very beginning of the uprising, formulated fair and strict laws. We should also formulate laws. I am a lawyer. Today everyone comes from various professions. You can all make suggestions and I will draft the laws of the Republic. Then we Continue to adjust and modify..."

The people here really can't live any longer.

Their king is also the King of Spain, and he sends a governor to govern. The oppression of the people is only slightly better than that of the colonies. Moreover, there are nobles here, and the people face double oppression.

As for the nobles, they also faced Spanish suppression, and many nobles wanted to make revolution.

With the spread of this "Oriental Testament", with the city of Naples as the center, revolutionary thoughts quickly spread across the country, and there were even revolutionary organizations in Sicily.

More and more small nobles and businessmen are conniving or supporting the revolution, and some even join in personally. As the nobles joined, the drafted laws of the Republic were also revised, and the Republic protected the interests of the progressive nobles.

The nature has obviously changed, from a revolution by the entire people to a revolution by the bourgeoisie and citizens, and the vast peasants of Naples have once again been abandoned.

At the time of the marriage between Britain and France, the Naples Revolution broke out, known in history as the "Oriental Covenant" Revolution.

This revolution was forced to be launched in advance, because the Governor of Naples became vigilant, declared the revolutionaries to be traitors, and sent out troops to hunt them down.

The revolting people stormed into the governor's palace, hanged the governor, and then opened the prison and released the prisoners.

On the second day of the revolution, the Republic of Naples was proclaimed and the Naples People's Assembly was formed.

Antonio, a leather shop owner, was elected as the first consul of the Republic. Carlos, a lawyer, was elected as the first Speaker. A large number of nobles and businessmen, serving as members of parliament, essentially stole the fruits of the revolution.

Immediately, revolutionary riots broke out in major cities in Naples.

Nobles from all over the country formed a republican army, and merchants provided financial support and urgently gathered in the city of Naples because the Spanish army came from Sicily.

Spain did not have many troops stationed in Sicily and was completely defeated by the Naples People's Army. Affected by this, part of the Naples navy rebelled and declared to join the Republic of Naples.

The Republic of Naples initially gained a foothold, but the revolutionaries were divided.

The citizen class, represented by craftsmen and traders, contributed greatly in the early days of the revolution, but now they are ostracized by the parliament. It was originally planned that middle and lower-level representatives would account for two-thirds of the seats in the parliament, but now only one-third remains.

The Spanish king was in financial straits and could not send out a large army for expedition.

The king urgently borrowed war money from Genoese merchants, but those Genoese merchants had long distrusted the Spanish royal family, which had gone bankrupt many times. After finally raising part of the money, the military expenditure was still not enough, so the King of Spain asked Dutch businessmen to borrow money.

The Dutch businessmen did not borrow it this time. They had been deceived by the bankruptcy of the Spanish royal family several times.

Who can bear it if you default on your debts as soon as you go bankrupt?

As a result, the Spanish king could only raise taxes in the colonies, and Mexico and the Philippines suffered miserably. Local colonial officials even more ignored the royal family and intensified their smuggling to make money to make up for the losses caused by the king's tax increase.

It will probably take another year or two for Spain to form a large army to suppress the Naples Revolution.

At the same time, King Louis XIV of France was also eyeing this place because he also had the right to inherit the King of Naples. The Republic of Naples announced the abolition of the throne, which also had an impact on the French king. Louis XIV even wanted to destroy it, and then announced that he was also the king of Naples.

But once he did this, he would inevitably go to war with Spain in the future, and Louis XIV did not dare to act rashly.

The establishment of the Republic of Naples caused violent repercussions in Italy, and the "Oriental Covenant" spread even more rapidly. A revolution also broke out in Sicily, and Spain had to quell the rebellion in Sicily first.