The Sun and the Lion

The galley sailed slowly forward in the Venetian lagoon. The waters sheltered by continuous sandbanks were very calm, and the flag of the Lion of San Marco drooped on the mast.

Abilad stood on the deck with other Armenians, looking across the water at the Bay of San Marco and the city of Venice in the distance. As the trade artery of Italy and even the entire Mediterranean, the city is very prosperous at any time. In addition to various commercial galleys and Clark sailing ships, there are also gondola boats unique to Venice passing by on the water.

"This is the heart and brain of the most noble republic. On both sides of the canal mouth is the customs house, and on the other side are the Archon's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Going deep into the canal, you can see how the energetic citizens on both sides of the canal work for The settlements of Rialto and German merchants who work in the Republic are on both sides of the middle section of the canal, in the center of the city, connected by a bridge." Francesco, who acted as a tour guide, introduced his city to the Armenian people.

During the past month and a half of sailing, every time he passed a Venetian stronghold, he would introduce the glorious history of the Republic to the guests, which allowed Abilard to learn a lot of information about the Mediterranean.

While everyone was talking, the fleet unknowingly approached the port. Officials, merchants, dock workers, prostitutes, travelers... all kinds of people crowded the port, loading, unloading, boarding, and disembarking, bustling with people.

The galleys of Abilard and Francesco quickly passed the customs officials' inspection, while the Clark's galley, which was responsible for carrying the entourage and cargo, was inspected for a while before the customs officials calculated that the ship taxes payable.

These foreigners dressed in Oriental costumes soon attracted the attention of the locals, especially when dockworkers unloaded the cargo from the Clark's sailing ship. Boxes of silk, pearls, spices, gems, exotic fruits and other luxury goods were loaded onto the horse-drawn carriage. Deliver to designated warehouse.

A Venetian official easily found these Armenians and said to them: "Dear guests, the Senate and the Consul are interested in your proposal. Please come to the Consul's Palace."

As early as when the fleet sailed to Modon (today's Mesoni) on the Peloponnese Peninsula, Francesco forwarded his report and Abilard's request for negotiation to the local Venetian officials—— Republic law stipulates that any returning ship is obliged to dock at Modon to report any information about the East to the Republic.

The clippers quickly returned to the Bay of San Marco with the news, and the information was reviewed by Consul Agostino Barbarigo, the Council of Ten, and the Senate. Their thirst for profits and the threat from the Ottomans made them somewhat interested in the new Safavid dynasty. Especially the report mentioned that Ibrahim was the grandson of Uzun Hassan and upheld a different political system from the Ottomans. Leaf belief.

So the Armenians soon met the center of power in Venice - Consul Agostino and the advisors of the Senate and the Council of Ten.

In the reception room, Abilad first made the Safavid request: "I am here on the orders of my lord, the King of Kings of Shahr of Iran, to discuss arms with your country."

The most important thing for coming here this time is to do two things, one is to purchase firearms, and the other is to recruit a group of talents from Italy. Abilard planned to poach people through two channels. He would negotiate with the consul himself, while his entourage would spread the news throughout the city of Venice, and then let the news spread along the trade routes to recruit frustrated people from Italy and Germany.

Agostino readily agreed to the request to purchase firearms and began arranging for personnel to accompany Abilard to visit the Venetian Arsenal and conduct firing tests of firearms.

Then there is the matter of alliance. Since the rise of the Ottomans, Venice's eastern trade and overseas territories have been greatly threatened. The high gates of Costantiniya encroached on Venetian possessions, irregular cavalry harassed the Dalmatian coast, Mehmed II conquered Negroponte, and Bayezid II Build up a large navy and seize the port of Lepanto in the near future.

The islands of the Aegean Sea, Cyprus, Crete, Modon and Koroni, Kefalonia, Corfu and the Dalmatian coast were all exposed to the enemy's maw of blood.

Venice is deeply afraid of these. Her hegemony is based on trade routes. If she loses her overseas territories and fleet, rivals who are hostile to her can block Venice's trade arbitrarily, and this mirage will appear. It collapsed in an instant.

Therefore, Agostino was interested in any ally that could fight the Ottomans, but he made no explicit proposal to Abilad for a formal alliance - the defeat of Uzun Hassan and the armistice with the Ottomans made it difficult The Senate was full of doubts about the proposal related to the alliance with Muslims.

In terms of technical personnel, Agostino personally agreed with Safavid in recruiting talents in Venice, but the armorers and glassmakers who were working in the Venetian arsenal were not included. In other words, Abilard can recruit talents from other regions of Italy through Venice.

Finally, regarding the trade agreement, Abilad proposed that Venetian merchants in the Levant can go to Aleppo to trade directly with Iranian merchants. They will supply Venetian merchants at "fair prices", thus allowing Venice to The people shunned the extortions of the Egyptians. Looking for books www.zhaoshuyuan.com

After the conversation was over, the servants of the Archon's Palace led the envoys to their cave to rest.

After the agreement negotiated between Abilard and the consul was drafted, it was submitted to the authorities in Venice—including the Senate and the Council of Ten—for decision.

During this period, Abilard and his entourage, accompanied by Venetian officials, visited the Venetian Arsenal.

The high efficiency of the arsenal shocked the guests present. "There is a galley in each unit, which is very large. In every part of the arsenal, there is a large group of senior craftsmen and workers dedicated to building these ships... There are also some armorers who make armor." , crossbows, firearms, gunpowder and arrows..."

"The warehouses here are said to be stocked at all times with five thousand benches and footrests for oarsmen, an equal number of oars, three hundred sails, a hundred sets of masts and rudders, rigging, bitumen, anchors, and accompanying weapons. ."

“The windows of the arsenal rooms on both sides of the channel were open, and a small boat towed a galley out. Workers sent supplies through the windows, ropes, sailing biscuits, weapons, artillery... everything the galley needed was Once assembled in this way, a fully armed galley will be ready when it reaches the end of the channel..."

During their visit, visitors silently noted how production was organized in the Venetian Arsenal, and they wanted to know more. Armenians come to Italy not only to purchase, but also to learn.

Then everyone watched a firearms shooting show, and all types of firearms in the Venice Arsenal warehouse were taken out and displayed.

Abilad didn't know much about military affairs. Anyway, Ibrahim approved a lot of funds for him, so he bought several firearms of all kinds and hired a team of Italian gunners.