The Rise of the European Emperor

Bullying a Gomen lord and Schaumburg Earl, Marin's strength is obviously crushed. However, there are also some political risks. For example, some princes who are hostile to Marin will find an excuse to act.

Therefore, while bullying Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin must also be prepared for the challenge. Of course, not really fighting people, but putting on a tough stance.

Although it is said that Marin did not have any loopholes this time, he has obtained authorization from the "landlord" of Recklinghausen, the Archbishopric of Cologne. However, in order to prevent extracurricular branches, Marin still has to do some other preparations. For example, it is necessary to put on a posture of being ready to deal with the invasion of the allied forces of the princes at any time, saying "I am not afraid of you".

Therefore, while putting pressure on Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin also publicly recruited strong men from all over the country to vigorously repair several key points such as Aurich, Emden, Groningen, Oldenburg, and Schleswig. The city made a posture of preparing to fight with people.

At the same time, Marin also revealed the 20,000 militiamen who had been secretly recruited. Together with the existing more than 20,000 regular troops in the country, the size of Beihai's army has reached a terrifying level.

The size of the army of more than 40,000 people is enough to fight against any country in Germany, and there is a certainty of victory. Even in the face of the allied forces of the princes, there may be problems in attacking, but it can be done by sticking to important cities.

After all, there are only a few dozen of the two or three hundred princes in Germany who have really touched a large-scale army. Moreover, some of them belong to the Habsburg family. Then, the remaining princes can theoretically touch more than 200,000 troops. However, this is only theoretical. Because these countries also have to stay behind the army to protect themselves, it is impossible to send all the troops to fight Marin.

Then, in this calculation, the feudal alliance army dispatched a maximum of 100,000 people. So many people seem scary indeed, but considering the combat power, they may not be stronger than Marin's more than 40,000 people.

The most important thing is that if Marin chooses to defend the city, it will offset the opponent's numerical advantage. Coupled with the difference in combat power, the allied forces of the princes may not be able to capture the Beihai Kingdom.

Moreover, the allied forces of the princes may not be united. The princes obviously have their own little abacus, and they will not be so foolish as to send their own troops to fight with Marin.

An obvious example is the crusade against Dong Zhuo by the eighteen princes during the Three Kingdoms period. It is clear that the overall strength of the coalition is stronger, but because everyone has their own thoughts, Dong Zhuo's troops and horses retreat safely...

As long as Marin puts on a tough stance, the other party must have some scruples. Moreover, compared with the alliance between Beihai Kingdom and the Habsburg family, the interests of the small princely forces of Gomen and Schaumburg are obviously not very important.

Therefore, Marin publicly announced that he would recruit strong men to repair several major cities and practice defending them. In fact, it was just a kind of political fraud, and he did not really want to turn against the princes.

After all, acquiring the Ruhr area was too important for Marin. If you can get the core of the Ruhr area, even a little risk is worth it.

In order to let the princes of various countries know Marin's attitude as soon as possible before the convening of the Imperial Conference, Marin directly dispatched a large number of subordinates to various important cities in Germany to purchase saltpeter for gunpowder or finished gunpowder with great fanfare.

At the same time as the acquisition, these people will also convey a message to people that Beihai Kingdom is ready to stick to it for a long time...

In this way, those princes who will be attending the meeting will also know Malin's attitude as soon as possible...

...

Although Recklinghausen is not small, it is only part of the area between the Ruhr and Lipper rivers. In addition to the land between the two rivers of the Earl of Mark acquired by Marin, and Recklinghausen, there are also two imperial cities, Dortmund and Essen, as well as the east area of ​​the river in the Duchy of Kriver and a piece of the Ruhr River in the Duchy of Berg. enclave.

Therefore, if Marin wants to occupy most of the coal-producing areas in the Ruhr area, he also needs to win the enclave in the east area of ​​the River Principality of Clifford and the Ruhr River in the Principality of Berg.

There are also two imperial cities, Dortmund and Essen.

However, Marin had long planned to retake the two imperial cities of Dortmund and Essen during the religious war. Therefore, what Marin has to do now is to take the land east of the Rhine in the Principality of Clifford and the enclave on the Ruhr River in the Principality of Berg.

The land of the Principality of Clifford on the east of the Rhine, the Lippe River, and the Ruhr River is about four or five hundred square kilometers, only slightly smaller than Recklinghausen.

There is an important agricultural area in the Principality of Clifford. After all, the land is extremely fertile because of the triple-team. It was quite difficult for John II, Duke of Cleaver, to give up the land.

And the enclave of the Ruhr River in the Principality of Berg is less than 100 square kilometers. There is only one important town on this land, Mülheim an der Ruhr. At present, Mülheim is not even a city, it can only be regarded as a prosperous market town. Therefore, Marin has enough confidence to take down the Muelheim site. Moreover, this is also in line with the principle of first easy before difficult.

To this end, Marin sent a representative to the city of Jülich to find William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berger, to discuss matters related to the purchase of the town of Mülheim.

However, because of spending too much money, Marin now has no cash in his hands. After all, in this era, Europe lacked precious metals such as gold and silver, otherwise, it would not have gone on a big voyage. Therefore, Marin hopes that grain can be used as a means of payment for this acquisition.

William IV initially rejected Marin's offer because he felt it would be good to keep the status quo.

He has no ambitions, because he has no male heir. As early as 1496, William IV allied himself with John II, Duke of Cleaver. It was agreed that John, the six-year-old son of John II, Duke of Clive, and Mary of Jülich-Berg, five-year-old daughter of William IV, would marry. When the two little dolls reach the age of marriage, the four great vassal states controlled by both sides will merge...

The reason for this is that William IV was injured in a fall from a horse in 1496, and his eggs were damaged, and he could no longer produce offspring. Therefore, William IV could only accept the fate of having no male heir and enter into an early marriage contract with John II, Duke of Cleaver.

From then on, William IV's life was hopeless. He lives in fine wine and food every day, and no longer seeks imperial dominance. Because he has no male heir anyway. What if even more territory was acquired? Still not cheap Lamarck family?

Therefore, the current William IV has no desires or desires, and does not care about any interests. Even if Marin offered a high price, he didn't really care...

After hearing the messenger's report, Marin was speechless and felt very troubled. In this world, you are not afraid of people having thoughts and desires, but you are afraid that that person has no thoughts at all. The ancients said, no desire is just right. In the face of the desireless William IV, Marin is also a little blind... In the face of a person who doesn't want any benefits, what can you do?

But the location of Mülheim is very important. It guards the lower reaches of the Ruhr River and is the only place to enter the Rhine waterway. And, it's right on the edge of the imperial city of Essen...

The city of Essen is famous in Germany in later generations. Because, it is the location of the world-renowned Krupp arsenal in later generations...

Krupp cannons are super famous in China. That thing was basically regarded as an artifact by the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Of course, Krupp artillery is also really good, at least the Germans used Krupp artillery to beat France to the ground...

Before World War I, including the period of the German Empire, Essen has always been the center of German military manufacturing.

And, unlike Mauser, which specializes in rifles, Krupp has a large, technologically advanced steel plant to back it up. Even the German Navy used Krupp armor of Krupp Steel.

It can be said that World War I and World War II provoked by the Germans would be difficult to fight without the support of Essen's strong military production capacity. For Essen, the future world-class arms center, Marin is naturally coveted.

Moreover, Essen did not become a military manufacturing center in later generations. According to historical records, Essen became a famous German military manufacturing center in the 16th century.

It is exactly the 16th century, and it is also the time period when Essen entered the military manufacturing industry. And according to the report of the intelligence personnel-Essen has opened the curtain of firearm manufacturing...

It is said that the city hall of Essen has issued a decree to announce the support of the firearms manufacturing industry, and to recruit musket-making craftsmen and gun-casting craftsmen from all over Germany.

It is said that there are already 6 blacksmiths for making arquebuses and one forging Fran cannons in Essen at present...and the number is still increasing...In this way, the embryonic form of the German arms manufacturing center has been revealed. Lin has no reason to let Essen go...

The geographical location of the town of Mülheim is very coincidental, just in the southwest of Essen, which is the only way from Essen to the Ruhr River.

In this day and age, muskets may have been transported by road. But for artillery, if you want to transport it on a large scale, waterway is the best choice.

Therefore, with the control of Mülheim and the original territory of the Earl of Mark, Marin blocked Essen's use of the Ruhr River to communicate with the outside world.

If Recklinghausen is counted, and the land east of the Rhine is obtained from the Duchy of Clifford, the territory of Marin can encircle Essen. At that time, as long as Marin sets up a card, he can block the connection between Essen and the outside world. If Essen resisted, it would be even better, directly sending troops to occupy it is...

Of course, it's not that troublesome. If Essen was on the Protestant side in the religious war, then it goes without saying that he would directly stand on the Catholic side and destroy Essen in the name of apologetics.

But if there is a deviation in history and Essen does not join the Protestant religion, using the territory surrounding Essen, setting up cards to hinder the outflow of Essen's goods and forcing it to turn its face... is the only means...

Mülheim is not only the southwest land gateway of Essen, but also controls the waterway of the lower Ruhr River, which can lock Essen. So Marin had to take this area of ​​Mülheim down no matter what.

However, William IV has no desires now, and Marin doesn't know what to do with him...