The Rise of the European Emperor

In addition to advising several bigwigs close to southern France, Marin also sent someone to notify the Principality of Lorraine, which is close to France but not close to southern France. After all, Marin can't guarantee that the blockade of the French army will be successful. If some French southerners take the mountain trails and break through the blockade around Lyon to go north, smallpox may spread to Lorraine.

Therefore, it is best for the Principality of Lorraine to also prepare for the border area with France to prevent smallpox from spreading to Germany. Although Anthony, Duke of Lorraine didn't like Marin, he still listened to Marin's suggestion. After all, everyone knows that smallpox is terrible.

Of course, Marin also sent advice to King Juan III of Castile in Spain, and sent a complete set of epidemic prevention and isolation procedures. Spain actually already has countermeasures. After all, Gonzalo learned about this when he was studying in East Frisia, and he had already given advice to the two kings of Spain. But Marin still sent suggestions. After all, what Gonzalo learned was not complete. In addition, Marin has already made suggestions to the emperor, and the emperor's daughter, Princess Margaret, is the queen of Castile in Spain. With their ally-level relationship, they should also be reminded.

In fact, Marin wished that the Spaniards would die a little more, and it would be best if all the sailors died. But that was impossible, moreover, he gave advice to the emperor, and the emperor would definitely tell his daughter. Therefore, since Spain knows that a full set of plans is inevitable, it is better to speak out on its own initiative, so that it can be favored.

When half of Western Europe was guarding against the spread of smallpox, a major event happened in the Kingdom of Naples in the southern part of the Italian peninsula...

Gonzalo knew how to prevent and isolate the smallpox epidemic. Under his command, the smallpox in the Kingdom of Naples was finally contained after it spread to hundreds of villages. Gonzalo sent troops to block all roads leading to the outside world in the infected area, and ordered the musketeers to shoot any Neapolitans who dared to escape outside the infected area.

In this way, smallpox was finally controlled in hundreds of villages south of Mount Vesuvius, and the affected population was only tens of thousands. Compared with the 2 million population of the Kingdom of Naples, it is really nothing.

Of course, this is not the big thing that Gonzalo did. The big thing he did was to scare the French soldiers stationed in Naples to the ground...

To be honest, if the Spaniards want to storm the city of Naples, it will be very difficult. After all, there are 35,000 elite French troops in the city, including 5,000 powerful French knights. Wanting to attack by force is simply a dream. Therefore, Gonzalo didn't mess around, and chose to stay for a long time.

Under normal circumstances, the Spaniards naturally have nothing to do with the 35,000 French troops in Naples, and can only wait for the opponent's food and grass to run out. However, this smallpox epidemic gave Gonzalo a chance...

Of course, Gonzalo wasn't stupid enough to send smallpox patients into town. Not to mention that the French will definitely not let it go, he can't stand the Pope's anger. The attitude of Pope Julius II is very clear-whoever spreads smallpox will be excommunicated! Even, the communicator might be taken to Rome for trial and burned at the stake.

Gonzalo hasn't lived enough yet, so naturally he won't adopt the method of throwing smallpox into the city of Naples. Although there are no more civilians in Naples, and they are all French soldiers, this trick cannot be used indiscriminately. As long as it is spread, there is the danger of excommunication and death.

But Gonzalo has his own way-to prevent the real spread of smallpox from entering the city of Naples, right? Shall I scare the French head office?

So, Gonzalo asked craftsmen to build dozens of trebuchets, using the method of throwing stones,

Tossed some old clothes and blankets into town. Moreover, he threatened—this is the clothes worn by smallpox patients, and the owner of the clothes is dead...

The French army in the city was suddenly in chaos because of fear...

Everyone in Europe knows how terrible smallpox is. And the clothes left by the dead of smallpox may indeed be infected with smallpox!

In the Americas, European colonists used this method to kill many Indians—they gave the Indians the blankets used by the victims of smallpox, and then the Indian smallpox began to wreak havoc. And the Indians were indeed less resistant to smallpox, and then, many, many people died. It is said that tens of millions of people died, but among them, the data of the massacres of European and American colonists such as Lao Mei was blamed on smallpox. But in any case, smallpox caused at least tens of millions of deaths to Indians.

Even though the European medical level was extremely backward in this era, and bloodletting was still popular, Europeans knew that the blankets and underwear left by smallpox patients after death could not be kept. They gave the Indians the blankets of the smallpox victims, which is evil. Because no matter how stupid Europeans are, they have seen examples of poor people who picked up blankets used by smallpox patients and contracted smallpox. Although they don't understand the principle of viruses, they also know that the underwear and blankets left by those smallpox patients after death are "unclean".

Therefore, seeing the Spaniards throwing the old clothes and blankets of the so-called "smallpox victims" into the city, many French soldiers were frightened.

They are 35,000 people crowded in a city, there is no way to retreat, no way to escape. Once smallpox really spreads, most people will not be spared, and only a small number of people who have had smallpox dare to say that they are not afraid.

Therefore, Charles III, Duke of Bourbon and Charles, Count of Nantes, were very afraid and lost the courage to continue to resist.

Gonzalo also sent someone to shout and issue an ultimatum to the French - if you don't leave, continue to throw away clothes and blankets...

...

In fact, those old clothes and blankets were just things that Gonzalo snatched from nearby villages randomly, and they looked very old. Also, it smells bad. After all, Europeans in this era are not used to taking a shower, so old clothes and blankets can smell good.

This "authentic" thing just happened to scare the French in the city. No matter how uninformed Charles III and his subordinates were, they also learned about the recent major event in the outside world through the letter passed by the flying pigeon-the outbreak of smallpox. Moreover, the ex-Dalmatian governor of Venice, Toleni, did send smallpox patients to Naples. It was originally intended to harm the Spanish army, but it did not seem to be harmed.

But in a blink of an eye, the Spaniards threatened them with the clothes and blankets used by the "smallpox victims", and they believed it...

After all, Naples is an epidemic area, and it is not surprising that there are clothes and blankets of smallpox victims. Therefore, they all believed Gonzalo's threat.

In order to save the lives of all the soldiers in the city, especially his own "precious" life, the commander of the French army, Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, decided to confess...

The great European nobles of this era have no fear of defeat. Even losing the battle is nothing to be afraid of. The opponent will not kill himself, but ask his family to redeem himself with a ransom. And after returning, the king will not do anything to himself. After all, a duke is not a cat or a dog, and a king can't move lightly. At most, it will not be favored and reused by the king in the future.

However, the king's favor and trust is really insignificant compared to his own life...

His idea also received unanimous support from the French officers in the city. These French officers of noble birth were not afraid to die in battle, because it was an honor. But if he died in the hands of smallpox, what was it? Can't even get credit...

Therefore, they have always supported Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, in negotiating with the Spaniards. On the condition of peacefully giving up the city of Naples, ask the Spaniards to let them go...

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