With the soldiers of the Free Army rushing into the city of Avignon like a tide; the morale and fighting spirit of the royalist/royalist troops who had vowed to defeat the invading enemies and shed their blood under the city were like melting snow under the scorching sun.
It quickly fell apart and was beyond control.
Therefore, when the last group of noble armed forces retreated into the palace and cathedral and put up a stubborn resistance, under the roar of the cannons that were pushed up one after another, they begged and begged at the top of their lungs, raised the white flag, and sacrificed a number of their leaders who committed suicide.
It's over.
The unexpected end of this battle also announced the demise of the White Legion, one of the most powerful armed factions among the many royal parties that once occupied the southern part of the kingdom. Led by Count Angkian, more than a hundred
Nobles big and small died or were captured.
Even the private soldiers, tribes, and retinues they brought with them were all killed and injured. Therefore, the remaining work was to clear and inspect their respective territories. The fall of Avignon also meant that Prosven
Dominance of the province and the subject great crown changed hands.
It also brought about two other chain reactions. The first is that as the largest local force in the Maritime Province; the merchant alliance in the Port of Marseille announced that it would accept the entry and management of the Free Army; and actively cooperated with the Free Army to take over the four cities in the Maritime Province.
County, seventeen large and small cities.
At the same time, they also donated five million pounds of grain and military expenses worth 850,000 ecu; as a reward for the Free Army, they allowed them to maintain the status quo of autonomy of the merchant groups and guilds, and provided follow-up armed protection. In addition, the Free Army
Annual transaction taxes and duties can also be levied.
Secondly, there are the garrison of Toulon Fortress and the Royal Navy, about 13,000 soldiers, sailors, craftsmen and other auxiliary personnel. They also announced that they would join the Free Army and accepted reorganization and dispatch. This was also greatly enriched.
The Free Army suffered a serious shortage of officers and non-commissioned officers.
After all, even if most of them are second- and third-line garrison troops and naval combat teams, they are still the Kingdom's army who are familiar with military ethics and orthodox training; as long as they are slightly transformed and retrained, and broken up and promoted to each company, they can
Can come in handy quickly.
But the bigger gain is in the city of Avignon itself, which is the capital of the province of Provence and the water and land hub of the greater Provence region. It is also the summer palace of the royal family. It also has a large number of royalists. During the turmoil in the kingdom
The money, food and materials collected and collected.
The food reserves used to hold on alone are enough to keep the city's hundreds of thousands of citizens and the White Legion themselves under long-term siege for several years. And the taxes and tributes they have collected in nearby areas over the years have reached
A staggering 1.57 million ecu.
And other collected materials such as bacon, wine, cloth, leather, grease and fuel, iron ingots, etc. are piled up like mountains; not to mention the private wealth and various personal wealth gathered in more than a hundred noble houses in the city.
This industry is a considerable number.
Therefore, Jiang Tian even ordered the establishment of a temporary special court, which was slowly tortured and forced to find out where the captured nobles might have hidden property. However, for the Free Army or Jiang Tian,
Something else is more valuable.
For example, in the city of Avignon, there is a royal high school, two church schools, a technician (apprentice) training center; a large grain and livestock trading market; and the royal library in the palace;
Royal Iron Works and Naval Foundry.
Especially the last two are undoubtedly a timely help for the current Free Army, or a particularly important link; because of Avignon's location, transportation and mining costs in nearby areas can be obtained through seaports and water transportation, and the costs are relatively low.
Coal and iron ore.
Therefore, the royal family four generations ago established an ironworks there under the jurisdiction of the royal governor, which was able to provide 600,000 pounds of gray cast iron (not pure enough graphite iron) and a small amount of forged steel every month;
A foundry was established to provide ordnance products for the Royal Navy.
Although, due to the massive expropriation by the royal party after they occupied the provincial capital, most of them have been abandoned and vacant. However, the sites, facilities and manpower are all ready; as long as enough funds are invested, operations can be restored, and even craftsmen can start from
Recruited from Marseille.
Therefore, after a preliminary calculation of the current wealth and expected income, Jiang Tian announced that all soldiers would receive an additional month of military pay; soldiers with outstanding performance could receive three months' salary and other rewards; and soldiers who died in battle could also receive
A full year's salary pension.
At the same time, it was announced that more soldiers would be recruited and replenished on the spot; many prisoners would be organized into forced labor teams to restart the mining and forestry operations near Avignon; corresponding iron-making technicians would be recruited from Marseille with high salaries, and hundreds of events would be held at the same time
Public examination regardless of origin.
In fact, after the self-defense army conquered all the way, in every city and town it captured, all kinds of people came to join them; but there were not many suitable candidates among them; and those who knew how to read, write and simple
Even fewer people do calculations.
Among them are mainly former knights and country knights whose families have declined and gone bankrupt, second sons, concubines and illegitimate children from small and medium-sized aristocratic families who have no inheritance rights; former city officials who have been dismissed or dismissed, children of merchants and some small traders, and even some
Some lowly priests.
Of course, this is also the norm in this era. Compared with the poor people who are busy all day long for their livelihood, these groups have more or less opportunities to receive some education; and they also have the desire and appeal to change their own destiny and future. This is also what the Free Army can strive for at the moment.
class.
Therefore, after the preliminary interview and simple written test, and after passing the oath-taking ceremony, they become candidates, trainees and temporary substitutes; based on their demonstrated expertise and tendencies, they become Free Army personnel and fill in military organizations and local institutions.
clerical staff.
Of course, there are inevitably various kinds of speculation, utilitarianism, and other tendencies and purposes mixed into it. Therefore, for Jiang Tian, who is familiar with historical experience and lessons, this is just a question of whether to choose a solution or not.
It's just a stopgap measure to sort things out slowly.
Therefore, in addition to strengthening the corresponding internal supervision mechanism and improving the administrative structure, he also needs to build more schools; gradually replace these early-stage entrepreneurs with a re-educated broad source of students who have a firmer stance and a stake in their future.
Transition team.
Therefore, every time he occupied a city, he would try to take over the local churches or government-run or commercial schools, as well as paper mills, printing houses and other related industries, and then reorganize and deploy the teaching staff in different places, and arrange unified teaching materials; provide free food
The dormitory attracts civilian children to enroll.
Although all of this is preliminary and there are always problems, as long as you can persist in investing; with the passage of time and the strengthening of the control of the Free Army; and with the continuous supply of a large enough base, there will always be a corresponding probability of producing better ones.
Talents.
Therefore, whether it is Jiang Tian or the soldiers of the Free Army, after going through battles across several provinces, they can also rest and relax a little under relatively abundant material conditions. For example, coming to the
Enjoy the open-air hot spring at the Royal Palace in the north of the city.