The Rise of the European Emperor

The advantage of not wearing plate armor pants is huge. Wearing plate armor pants will greatly improve the defense of the lower body, but it will also become very inconvenient to move. If nothing else, getting on a horse often requires the support of an attendant.

If you don't wear plate armor pants, the knight only wears half-body plate armor, and you don't need anyone to support you when you mount the horse, you can do it yourself. When Marin was out as a wandering knight, he didn't have plate pants. Because of the poverty, there were no attendants, not even a packhorse, only Karl a horse. When Carl was tired, Marin also dismounted to rest. After the war horse has rested, get back on the horse and move on.

Of course, the Lancers that Marin has created now have not completely given up the defense of the lower body. So, according to the style of the oriental armor, Marin made a skirt with iron pieces attached to the armor for the lancers. This kind of skirt is not very stab-proof, but it has a certain degree of protection against arrows and a certain degree of protection against knives.

In addition, Marin also asked the soldiers to wrap their calves with iron-clad wooden armor as shin guards, and the uppers of the shoes were also protected to some extent. In this way, the armor of the lower body has been improved to a certain extent, but the weight is not large. The most important thing is that this does not affect the Lancer dismounting alone.

In this way, in an emergency, the Lancers can run long distances with two horses alone, without needing to bring several attendants. Even if the situation is not urgent, the lancers don't need to bring too many attendants, they only need to bring a helpful civilian. And this function, many people can be competent, as long as they can ride a horse. Even if the time is not in a hurry, the people who serve the lancers do not necessarily need to ride a pack horse, just a mule. Or, drive a light mule wagon with two wheels for even more power. Mules eat less and are resistant to rough feeding. Using more mules can save a lot of grain and concentrate and reduce logistical pressure.

In fact, the reason why the plate knights have to bring four or five attendants, in addition to helping the knights mount the horses, is also one of the important reasons for the knights to carry the lances. Plate knights use heavy and hollow oak lances, which often break after a single impact and need to be replaced. Therefore, knights usually bring five lances to prepare for battle. And when he was on the road, the knight master would not hold a cumbersome lance by himself, but he would leave it to his attendants to carry it. Even the plate armor only wears a breastplate, and also carries a knight's one-handed sword. Even the war horses and horse armors are usually taken by the attendants.

Therefore, the servants of the knights not only help to carry the lance, but also help to keep the plate armor and horse armor. Before the battle, the attendants would be divided into two groups, one group would help the knight master put on the plate armor and lance. Another group helped the war horses put on horse armor. In this way, the need for 5 attendants is inevitable.

As for the Lancers created by Marin, the knight only needs to wear half-body plate armor, and the skirt and shin guards are also very light. In addition, the spring lance does not need to be replaced, and there is no need to prepare 4 spare lances. You don't need someone to support you when you get on the horse, and the war horse doesn't have horse armor...

In this way, the Lancers only need to bring a civilian husband who drives a light mule cart. When not fighting, the mule driver can help keep the spring lance, and the lancer only needs to wear a knightly light sword.

Before the battle, you can charge with the spring lance from the hand of the man. Even during long-distance raids, the lancers could carry their lances and travel alone with two horses. The people who drive the mule cart actually let the mule cart carry the concentrates (such as oats and soybeans) that the war horses eat.

All in all, Marin let the lancers wear only half-body plate armor and used spring lances that did not need to be replaced, and all of a sudden there were 4 squires and the rations needed by the mounts they rode (and the inferior horses the squires rode too). It needs a lot of grain and grass, which is much more than what people eat), which can save a lot of logistical costs and is very cost-effective.

For example, this time I brought soldiers to escort Anne to Krakow. Marin's army of 10,000 people only brought along 10,000 people. These 10,000 people fully support the food and forage needs of the 10,000-strong army along the way, and are also responsible for escorting 50 carts of dowry. Among them, there are 3,000 light mule carts, which can pull a lot of grain and grass, which is very convenient.

And if it was a traditional army, it would have to bring 50,000 attendants with only those 3,000 knights. Although these attendants can also make cameo appearances as infantry during wartime, their combat effectiveness is very limited, and they are basically given away. Also, it consumes a lot. But in any case, ordinary servants are not regular troops at all, they are at most militiamen that are stronger than the people, far worse than mercenaries. Moreover, among the general knights, among the five attendants, three or four were generally recruited from their own manor temporarily before the war, and only one or two accompanied the knights all the year round.

Sigismund I was not blind. When he greeted his bride, he saw the size of Marin's army on the top of the city. Seeing that the size of the civilian husband seemed to be similar to that of the soldiers, and there were two or three thousand "knights" among them, he not only frowned and began to think.

Even, after contacting Marin, I want to ask carefully...

"We'll talk about it after the wedding. Let's do the wedding now." Marin didn't answer him immediately, but urged Sigismund I to have the wedding quickly.

Because, the reason why Marin attended this wedding had other plans. For example, promoting alcohol or something...

Yes, promoting alcohol...

It is clear that Slavic men in Eastern Europe like to drink the strong drink Marin, which is related to the cold winter in the region. Although Marin's spirit whisky (Rye Erguotou) has also been sold in Poland and Lithuania, and the sales results are also good. But it is not very common. This wine is not well-known and has not formed a brand effect.

Therefore, this time Marin plans to go into battle himself and advertise this wine, so that all the nobles in Poland and Lithuania know about it. These noble lords are mostly knight families, they are very drinkable, and their status is honorable. As long as you open up sales from them, you won't have to worry about it in the future.

The wedding of the newly enthroned King Sigismund I must have gathered the nobles and celebrities of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Therefore, it is a rare opportunity to advertise whisky at this noble event in Poland and Lithuania!

To this end, Marin is now a bartender, full of ideas to sell drinks. Even at Annie's grand wedding, Marin seemed a little absent-minded because of the idea of ​​selling drinks.

On the contrary, old Hoffman, who came with him, was very vain, and was hypocritically polite to a large group of dukes and earls from Poland and Lithuania. In the face of the compliments from the dukes and earls, the old man's face was full of consternation, and his bones were lightened by a few taels...

In the very beautiful Gothic building of St. Mary's Cathedral in Krakow, the old Hoffman handed the shy-faced Anne into the hands of Sigismund I, and watched his daughter walk up with Mrs. Mary with relief. Gaotai, witnessed by the Archbishop of Krakow, married Sigismund I and became the Queen of Poland and the Grand Duchess of Lithuania. The Adlers, who followed to watch the ceremony, also applauded and congratulated. Only Marin's mind is full of things to sell alcohol, and he seems a little absent-minded...

When the grand ceremony ended and the banquet in the palace began, Marin seemed to be using the resurrection cross, and he was full of energy...

Sigismund I originally invited Marin to help the platform, so Marin naturally needed to be by his side. But Marin not only accompanies Sigismund I himself, but also takes a man with him—a businessman named Lorenzo under his command.

Marin knew very well in his heart that although the whisky business was his, he couldn't go into battle and sell the wine himself, otherwise it would be too cheap. Therefore, it is the best choice to bring Lorenzo, the general distributor of whisky in Poland and Lithuania.

So, when Sigismund I took Marin to drink with those Polish and Lithuanian nobles, Marin would smile and chat with each other. By the way, I would like to introduce Lorenzo, a whisky dealer under my command.

The drinks for the banquet, at Marin's strong request, were mainly whisky. Only the ladies drink wine. And those Polish and Lithuanian nobles, just happened to entertain them with several carts of whiskey (rye Erguotou) brought by Marin.

Whenever drinking with the Polish and Lithuanian nobles at the table, Marin always praised the whisky after drinking, and then introduced Lorenzo to the nobles. Then, Lorenzo would bend over with a mean smile on his face and hold business cards printed in Latin in both hands and give them to the nobles at the table. On the business card are the addresses of the Krakow and Vilnius whisky outlets. Whether it's a duke, earl, or baron and knight, Lorenzo will offer his business card in both hands with a smile on his face...

In this kind of sales model of the later generations, after receiving the business card, people in later generations may turn around and throw it into the trash can. But in this era, the business card has not yet appeared, and everyone is very curious after getting the business card, looking left and right. Plus the taste of whisky is really suitable for these muscular Polish and Lithuanian aristocrats. Therefore, many people are very face-saving - they will definitely buy whisky in the future. As long as these people verbally expressed their intention to buy, Lorenzo will immediately pat his chest and say - if you come to buy whisky, sir, as long as the quantity exceeds 100 bottles, it will be discounted at a 10% discount for nobles...

Such marketing, coupled with Marin's help with the platform, quickly attracted a large number of potential customers. As for Lorenzo, his whole face turned into a chrysanthemum... Although Marin on the side looked like a gentleman, his heart was actually happy...

On the side, Sigismund I was extremely depressed-I asked you to help the platform, but you came to sell drinks... No, I'll get a share...

So, after the banquet was over, Sigismund I pulled Marin aside to do something good...

As for why you said that the two of them were still sober after drinking so much alcohol? It's not a good thing Marin has done - this guy learned the tricks of those people on TV to poison alcohol, and got a rolling pot. There are two containers in the jug, one is 40-degree whisky spirits, the other is poison... No, it's water... Of course, it's water mixed with brown sugar and other colors...

Marlin's whisky is specially added with brown sugar in order to enhance the taste. Therefore, the wine color is a bit gray. When you are "combining wine" with the nobles of Poland and Lithuania, the color of the "wine" you pour out should be similar to that of others. So Marin had his men use honey (slightly yellowed) and dark granulated sugar to create a relatively clear drink with a yellowish-grey tinge that looked like real whisky.

When pouring wine, when the servants poured wine for Marin and Sigismund I, they naturally turned the jug and poured honey and sucrose water, while what they poured for the guests was authentic whiskey with added brown sugar. Moreover, this fellow Marin had been prepared for a long time, and he had made several rotating pots for his followers to change at any time. In this way, after the whole banquet, Marin and Sigismund I were not drunk. Only at the very beginning did the two drink a few glasses of real wine, so that their mouths were full of alcohol so that they would not be suspected. Therefore, the banquet is over, and the two still have energy to discuss the division of interests...

In order to sell wine, Marin pulled Sigismund I, not only to respect the round table where the big nobles were, but also went to the courtyard of the palace to greet the little nobles, which made them flattered.

Therefore, Lorenzo, Marin's subordinate, has gained a lot of order intentions. But at the same time, Sigismund I, who has been with him all the time, is also jealous-the interests here must be huge, I must take a bite...