My British Empire

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Flanders is a historical place name in Western Europe, including East-Flanders and West-Flanders in Belgium, Pas-de-Calais and Nord in France, and Zeeland in the Netherlands.

In the sixteenth century, Flanders generally referred to the southern part of the ancient Netherlands, located in the southwestern part of the Western European lowlands, on the coast of the North Sea.

The Netherlands is a very economically developed area in Western Europe. At this time, it has a population of 3 million, and there are more than 300 cities in 17 provinces. Antwerp in the south is the center of international trade, and Amsterdam is the economic center in the north.

Here, since ancient times, trade has been prevalent, and it is also the richest place in the European continent, and it is also a treasure land that all countries dream of.

The Habsburg family controlled it and made it their own pocket, continuously contributing to the Habsburg dynasty.

Annual taxation accounts for half of the fiscal revenue of the Habsburg dynasty.

With the accession of Philip II, this devout Catholic finally revealed his anger towards heresy.

With the actions of the Spanish Regional Inquisition, all Protestants, Christians, suffered a major blow, and Catholicism reasserted its authority.

And Philip II, with the victory of the Italian war and the religious repression, established his domestic prestige, and those old nobles had to succumb to his subordinates and obey his orders.

In this way, he turned his attention to the Netherlands, especially Flanders, a region that is so rich that he absolutely cannot tolerate being taken over by Protestantism.

Not only to maintain the Catholic faith, but also to consolidate his rule, he finally stretched out his claws to the Netherlands.

First, he sent his new governor to the Netherlands for religious action.

Historically, during the time of Charles V, the number of Protestants who were persecuted reached more than 50,000, and people were already complaining.

At this time, the new governor was a woman.

The governor is Marguerite, Duchess of Parma.

She was the illegitimate daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

She was raised by Charles V's aunt, Archduchess Margaret of Austria, and sister, Queen Marie of Hungary.

These two ladies are outstanding women, successively served as the Governor of the Netherlands (Margaret 1507-1530, Mary 1530-1555), guarding the most affluent territory for the Habsburg family, is an outstanding political Home.

Therefore, Margaret was placed high hopes by Philip II to let her own sister continue to guard the Netherlands.

After the female governor took office, although she treated people softly and sympathized with the suffering of the Dutch people, she still carried out her brother's orders without hesitation.

As a result, the Inquisition prevailed throughout the Netherlands, and all the Protestants were panicked and uneasy.

Business has been affected, and it is much more depressed than in the past.

Under the coercion of the new governor, the atmosphere in the Netherlands seemed a little uneasy.

At this time, Thomas Grashan took a boat and came to the trade center - Antwerp.

As soon as he got off the boat, Geleshan felt that although the whole city was still prosperous in business, it made people feel uncomfortable.

"Hans, what happened in the Netherlands recently?" Sitting in the carriage, looking at the nervous passers-by outside the carriage, Gele Shan couldn't help asking the person in charge of his family in Antwerp.

As one of the few wool merchants in the United Kingdom, especially in the Netherlands, which has close ties with England, Geleshan certainly arranged some people to take care of the business.

"Sir, a trustworthy female governor came to the Netherlands recently. She hates heretics. Although the methods are not drastic, they still have a great impact!"

"Look at the passers-by on the road, and you are always worried about being caught by a monk who suddenly appeared! How can you be interested in doing business!"

The supervisor who stayed behind pointed at the pedestrian with a sad face, shook his head, and said helplessly.

"En!" Seeing such a scene, Gele's confidence in completing the task doubled in his heart.

Boris was a craftsman, a weaver, so to speak.

He was over forty years old, and originally wanted to go home and retire, guard his previous savings, buy a grocery store, and spend his retirement leisurely.

Unexpectedly, after the tyrant conducted the Inquisition in Spain and expelled and persecuted a large number of Protestants, he extended his claws to the Netherlands.

The new female governor faithfully carried out the order of the tyrant, and implemented a series of prohibition and persecution policies against Protestants, which made everyone feel insecure, and even he trembled a little when he usually did things.

Looking around, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the street, and it was getting dark. I had to go home quickly, otherwise it would be bad if something happened.

Boris hurriedly speeded up and returned to his home.

However, what surprised him was that his mother-in-law did not greet him at the door, which made Boris a little angry. He worked so hard for the family, but he didn't understand anything.

As soon as he stepped into the house, Boris' first reaction was that the house was so bright, and his second reaction was, who is this person?

I saw that in his home, in his place, sat a well-dressed gentleman, followed by two subordinates, and his wife, who was sitting a little timidly, lowered her head.

"Well, this gentleman, do you know why you are here?" Boris was taken aback for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face, and he said in a low voice.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Boris, a senior weaver?" Ge Leshan, who was sitting on a chair, smiled kindly and asked.

"Of course, do you have any orders?" When Boris heard that he was looking for him, he was about to deny it, but when he saw the old wife shrunk in the chair, he sighed and agreed simply.

"We're here to find you!" As he said that, Ge Leshan hinted with his eyes, and the guard on the side took out a money bag, revealing the glittering gold coins inside.

"Here are fifty gold coins, please come with us!" Ge Leshan's voice was very friendly, but his words were very domineering.

"Where are you going?" Boris asked involuntarily.

"England!" Gele Shan said habitually.

"Let me think again!" Boris glanced at the gold coin, swallowed his saliva, and said tremblingly.

As a senior weaver, it would take him five years to accumulate without eating or drinking, and the temptation was too great.

Seeing that the effect of the gold coin offensive was not obvious, Ge Leshan immediately persuaded:

"Mr. Boris, even if it's not for gold coins, for your wife, for the family of your married daughter, you should leave the Netherlands!"

"Think about it, Your Majesty the King hates Protestantism very much. This year's new governor has proved this. Next, I think the situation of the Netherlands and Spain will not be far off!"

Boris shuddered at the thought that his family would be persecuted and tried like the Spanish Protestants.

Considering that England is also a Protestant country, it should be much better than the Netherlands.

With one last glance at the gold coin, Boris made up his mind.