The Sun and the Lion

An Italian who was dressed in well-fitting but faded old clothes and pants, and who did not look decent, was waiting at the door of a large house near St. Mark's Square. The guard originally guarding the door walked in and informed the mission officials inside.

"Please come in." The Italian didn't wait long, and the guard who went in to report came out and said to him.

He walked into this large house rented by the mission and went directly to the living room. There were already other visitors in the living room, and they were all Italian in appearance and appearance.

I found a seat and sat down, and then a mission official came with a translator: "Hello, sir, are you here to apply for a job too?"

"Yes."

"Then, please introduce yourself." The mission official began to ask.

The gunsmith, who followed the example of the Hungarian Urban, adjusted his state and said: "My name is Giovanni Tenaglia, a native of Genoa. I am a gunsmith with rich experience in firearms manufacturing. , I can preside over the casting of any shape of artillery, whether it is placed on the bow of a galley or one that can knock down the walls of Constantinople. If you want me to make hand-held firearms, I can also do it, and I can also prepare more powerful ones. Powerful gunpowder.”

"Genoese? Can you tell me more details?" The officials of the mission were a little surprised. Northern Italy is currently in chaos. It takes less than a month to hear the news from Venice and then set off across northern Italy. Getting to Venice is almost impossible.

"Sir, everything I say is true." Giovanni then began to elaborate: "Yes, I am a Genoese cannon maker, but before the war broke out, I moved to Venice a long time ago and worked in the arsenal here... "

"Excuse my rudeness, but I have to interrupt you. The Doge of Venice forbids us from hiring technicians who are working in the arsenal."

After thinking for a few seconds, Giovanni decided to be honest: "Yes, but this happened before, a few months ago, during a casting I was hosting, there was a serious accident that somehow happened - I suspect It was because the workers were unqualified or there was something wrong with the materials. The furnace I was responsible for exploded, taking several workers with it, causing losses to this stingy republic. Afterwards, because of political prejudice, I was forced to shoulder all the responsibilities. , I needed to compensate for all the losses, but I couldn’t afford it, and was eventually kicked out of the arsenal.”

After Giovanni finished speaking, the local translator confirmed to him that the accident had occurred.

"Uh... wait a moment." The mission official stood up and left his position, then walked out of the living room door.

This move immediately shocked Giovanni, who thought he was going to die because of this stain.

The mission official reported directly to Abilard. Originally, these matters were completely handed over to the mission officials below. He was only responsible for regularly understanding the situation and reviewing it.

But after listening to the report, Abilard understood that this somewhat questionable resume made his subordinates undecided. The work ability in the self-introduction also aroused some interest in him, and he felt that he could conduct the interview in person.

Following the sound of footsteps, Giovanni saw a group of people walking towards him. The leader was wearing a white turban and a silk robe decorated with patterns that were too complicated for him to appreciate. There was also an unknown hanging hanging on his chest. What material is the cross made of?

He stood up and proactively greeted: "I am Giovanni Tenaglia, the cannon maker. May the Lord bless you at all times. Who are you?"

"I am the ambassador of this mission, Abilad. I am very interested in your casting skills and resume."

After hearing this, Giovanni immediately said: "Your Excellency, I worked in the Venice Arsenal, and then I was expelled due to an accident. After several months of poverty, I found a smooth way out of the current predicament after hearing the arrival of your mission."

Then he took out his manuscript, which used charcoal to depict various firearms. In the last few manuscripts, he also introduced the preparation of granular gunpowder and the casting process of artillery with pictures and texts.

These complex information immediately frightened the mission officials. With the help of a translator, Giovanni introduced the information in detail and demonstrated his professionalism along the way.

"Okay, in that case, you can officially join us now and serve the King of Kings."

After learning that he had passed the interview, Giovanni immediately changed the topic to the area he was most concerned about: "So, Mr. Ambassador, when can I receive how many ducats?"

"You don't have to worry. Serving the King of Kings will naturally lead a life of fine clothing and fine food. First of all, the main currency in circulation under the King of Kings is not the ducat. The main coin used is this. Find Shuyuan www.zhaｏshuyuan. com "A beautiful, high-quality silver coin appeared in front of Giovanni. Although he could not understand the Arabic letters on it, the meaning of the money was indeed common to the whole world.

"The specific salary and benefits are naturally different for different positions. It depends on how many positions you can hold and how much contribution you can make to the King of Kings."

Giovanni looked at the silk robe on the other party, thought of the old clothes on his own, and thought of the reward given to Urban by Ottoman Sultan Muhammad. He could not wait to sell his metal casting technology to Safavid immediately.

Then a contract written in Italian and Persian was placed in front of him, and he signed his name without hesitation.

"You are one of us now. You can go back and pack your luggage, move here for a few days, or leave your address. We will send someone to notify you when the mission leaves Venice."

Looking at Giovanni walking out of the door, the mission official added a new name to the list.

In more than a month, Abilard has recruited a group of Italian consultants composed of gunsmiths, military engineers, shipbuilders, gunners, musketeers, etc., and purchased dozens of guns of different shapes. Artillery and hundreds of matchlocks, a Gutenberg printing press, some glass crafts as tribute to Ibrahim and the remaining balance that has not been spent - the profits of the luxury trade are really huge .

These Armenians and Jews who came to Venice also recorded everything they saw and heard. These records would be compiled into books by special scribes on the way for Ibrahim to read and for the court of Tabriz to read. Learn about the Christian world thousands of miles away.

The year 1496 is coming to an end, and they are about to end their publicly funded tour and return to Tabriz.