At this time, the Kingdom of England was in an era of great changes. On the one hand, it was the great industrial development brought about by the regional movement, and on the other hand, there was major social turmoil.
Lord Protector Cromwell sent the arrogant Charles I to the guillotine, and then Charles I's eldest son Charles II restored the throne.
This king had seen the terrifying power of the people. He compromised with the powerful Parliament when he took the throne, cautiously exercised limited royal power, and managed the co-ownership confederation composed of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Ireland.
There was a shadow in his heart. Cromwell, the Lord Protector, had his father executed. The Lord Protector was the founder of the great army. He used the Swedish army of Gustavus II as a template to establish an army that emphasized efficiency.
With the disciplined army, the navy more than tripled in size. Then, England pointed its sharp sword at the Netherlands, which was also a maritime power, promulgated the "Navigation Regulations", defeated the Netherlands, and forced it to sign the "Westminster Agreement".
Special Peace Treaty".
The victory in the First Anglo-Dutch War brought great prestige to the enemy who killed his father. Charles II was so resentful that he started the Second Anglo-Dutch War not long after he took the throne. In order to prove that he was better than that man, he launched the Second Anglo-Dutch War. As a result,
Being defeated by the Netherlands, they had to amend the Navigation Regulations and cede some commercial and trade interests to the Netherlands. They were also forced to form a three-nation alliance with the Netherlands and Sweden to deal with France.
After the defeat, the king's prestige was ruined and he urgently needed an opportunity to restore his image among the people. At this time, envoys from the Ming Dynasty came, with sincerity in establishing diplomatic relations and trade.
Great! For an island country like England, nothing is more important than maritime trade. Although Britain had previously sent envoys to the Ming Dynasty to celebrate Emperor Guangwu's accession to the throne, many British businessmen also went to the Ming Dynasty.
trade, but no trade treaty was concluded, and no Ming envoys ever set foot in London.
This time, they are here, doesn’t it just show how prosperous the Kingdom of England is under my governance?
So, when war was not possible, Charles II, who was a top-notch propagandist, invited the country's dignitaries and celebrities to Hampton Court Palace, where he hosted a banquet for Franzbekov and other envoys, exchanged credentials, and signed the "Ming-England"
Treaty of Friendship and Commerce.
Sure enough, the British people rejoiced, thinking that this was a diplomatic achievement unprecedented in thousands of years, and the haze of defeat had been swept away.
??
Of course, Charles II's little tricks could not be hidden from the cunning Franzbekov, but both sides got what they needed. He cooperated with the king to complete the play, and then went to Paris to visit the French king and Navarre.
(located in northern Spain) King, the famous Sun King Louis XIV.
This king had a good set of cards when he was born. His father Louis XIII and Archbishop Richelieu left him a powerful French kingdom that had the potential to become a European hegemon.
However, the outbreak of the Fronde movement brought France's road to hegemony to an abrupt end. The young Louis XIV escaped from Paris twice during the riots, and was welcomed back to Paris by the people when he was fourteen.
The tragic experience of being abandoned by the people of Paris and forced to flee left a shadow in his heart. He always believed that "Paris is not safe and people do not love him" and vowed to never allow such riots to happen again. So as soon as he came to power, he ordered the reconstruction of Versailles
The palace was planned to be where the great nobles would live, and the entire French bureaucracy would be moved around the Palace of Versailles to strengthen the royal power.
He was a hands-on and hands-on king. He worked more than eight hours a day, governed the country with unparalleled enthusiasm and spirit, and created an absolute monarchy unparalleled in French history. He also used Colbert, Pierre, Bishop Beauxray, and Louis Vuitton.
A large number of talents such as the Marquis of Foix made France's national power flourish.
When a country becomes stronger, it wants to expand its territory. This is a common characteristic of all heroes throughout the ages. Louis XIV was no exception. He tried to realize France's "natural borders" and coveted the Spanish Netherlands. He even had no reason for war.
I have thought about it: My queen is the eldest princess of the old Spanish King Philip IV, and she should enjoy the right to inherit the throne. Therefore, my brother-in-law, the new Spanish King Carlos II, should cede the Spanish Netherlands to me.
If a big country wants to go to war, there will naturally be movement. The border between Western France and even the sea area thousands of miles away is full of clouds of war.
The majestic Sun King has already made plans. Even if Spain is not weak, and even if the Netherlands, Britain, and Sweden all support Spain, he is not afraid. In these years, he ordered the Minister of War, the Marquis Louvoir, and General Letelier to expand the army crazily and establish
It formed the largest and most powerful standing army in Europe.
Now that we are ready, let’s leave the war to the generals.
So, Louis XIV hid in the Palace of Fontainebleau on the left bank of the Seine River for leisure. This palace is located in the forest, with beautiful scenery and pleasant climate.
Unexpectedly, the general he had high hopes for also came to the Palace of Fontainebleau.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis de Louvoir wishes to see you," the attendant came to report.
The twenty-nine-year-old Sun King was holding a novel in his hand, half lying on a lounge chair in the garden. Hearing this, he was furious, dropped the book in his hand, and shouted: "Sent him in!"
"My Marquis, as the commander-in-chief of the French army, why did you come back to the rear when you were not staying at the front? Is it because there is no beautiful woman in the front?" Upon seeing the Marquis of Louvoir, Louis XIV sneered.
"That's not the case, Your Majesty," Marquis Louvoir broke into a cold sweat and explained: "My men met the Ming Dynasty envoys on the French-Spanish border. They brought the friendship of the Ming Dynasty emperor and were willing to strengthen the two countries.
trade”.
"Ming Dynasty Mission?"
Louis XIV nodded. He had naturally heard of this great eastern country. Not only had he heard of it, but he had also sent envoys to seek to expand trade. Since they also sent people here, it couldn't be better! He waved his hand and rushed
The Marquis of Loufoy said: "Marquis, you must remember that you are a general, not a diplomat. Don't try to interfere in affairs that do not belong to you. I order you to return to the front line immediately."
"Yes, my majesty." After the Marquis Louvoir bowed and saluted, he immediately returned.
Louis XIV sent diplomat Pierre to invite the Ming envoys to the Palace of Fontainebleau and hosted a banquet.
France has never lacked good food, good wine and beautiful people. This meal was very pleasant. The "Fontainebleau Trade Agreement" was easily reached, and the two sides reached more consensus on further developing trade.
"Mr. Envoy, which country do you plan to go to next?" the Sun King said with a smile.
Franzbekov wanted to go to Spain, but remembered that France was about to go to war with Spain. He changed his words: "We plan to go to Portugal."
"I see, you want to go to Spain, right? It doesn't matter. In the land of France, you are free. You can go wherever you want. I will also send someone to escort you." Louis XIV smiled.
"Your Majesty, is it really possible?" Franzbekov couldn't believe it.
"Of course," Louis XIV said confidently, "a mere mission cannot change the outcome of the war. What's more, this is not your war."