Chapter 263 The value of Mrs. Montespan (6)
Poland-Lithuania was once a vast country with a large population, many of which moved to this great plain from all over the place, including the Cossacks (i.e., free people), Tatars and Hungarians. The Tatars in Ripka moved there in the 14th century. They believed in not Catholicism or Orthodoxism, but the same belief as the Ostukos. However, because Poland has always been a country of many faiths and the king has always been very tolerant, they have a high patience towards the great Polish nobles. Because no matter where they go, no matter where they go, unless they go to Ottoman Turkey, they will find it difficult to find a place that allows them to live on weekdays.
The previous Polish government recognized their military legitimacy, granted the Ripka Tatar leaders and nobles, allowed them to believe in their gods, and gave them enough rewards and commissions in exchange for their wars for the government. They did indeed faithfully fulfill the peace treaty. As the largest military force in the federal territory besides the winged cavalry, they kept their promises. Even during the Great Flood, the Tatar Khan failed to rebel. However, after the Great Flood, the Schrachita of Poland suspected them because they were Tatars. When Sweden fought against Poland, the Tatars clearly stood on the side of the Polish enemy.
Although Sobesky tried his best to dissuade him, the Polish government finally banned all the privileges of the Ripka Tatars, including their freedom of belief, forbidden them from building their own temples, etc. In addition to these, the nobles also unanimously passed the decision to reduce the pay of three quarters of the military, and many Tatars were unable to eat and clothing.
During the reign of John II, several commotions broke out in these Tatars, but such commotions did not change their minds. On the contrary, they felt that they had indeed anticipated the sins of these "ungrateful" people, and judged and weakened them in advance. Sobesky rarely stood on the same position as the king - because the reason why these nobles were dissatisfied with the Tatars was because for a long time, the great Polish nobles kept gathering land and raising serfs. Although Ripka was not rich, they were also vast in area, so they wanted to drive the Tatars out and take it for themselves.
With the joint efforts of John II and Sobesky, in 68, they managed to re-grant most of the privileges of these Ripka Tatars - mainly for religion. However, once there is a crack in the mirror, it is difficult to make up for the original appearance. The humiliating face of the Tatar leader Sobesky still remembers it. He also thought that after the special envoy mission was completed, he would try to go to Ripka in person to consolidate the previous alliance, even if he married his daughter to their great leader Alexander Klitsky.
But the French king kept Sobesky for a month and a half, and the great nobles did something stupid - they had previously cut three-quarters of the military pay of the Tatars, but this time they didn't even give the last quarter...
With the guidance of the Ripka Tatars, the Ottoman Turkish soldiers entered the Polish territory unimpededly and captured the Kamenez Fortress overnight. The Kamenez Fortress is the last shield of the city of Lviv. It stands on the isolated island of the river valley. The canyon washed out by the river is a natural moat. The narrowest place is three hundred feet wide and one hundred feet deep. There is only a narrow passage with the outside world. The unique dangerous terrain makes the castle known as the "City of God" - because it has never been captured in battle. This time, the Ripka Tatars knocked on the gate of the castle.
"How is our army gathering?" Sobesky just asked casually, but never got an answer, and his heart sank.
Mihal I died, and the great Polish nobles gathered in Warsaw to elect the next king. While they were arguing, the Ottoman Turks had already begun to advance. When they heard the news of the enemy's invasion, they were still making noise about the expenses needed to summon the army. Some said that taxes should be raised, some said that they should borrow from merchants, but no one said that I would pay this fee first, or send my soldiers, because the great nobles now were gradually annexed from the original small and medium aristocrats, and they did not believe others - even if they were fighting for the country, it would be difficult to ensure that no one robbed the fire behind them.
Sobesky didn't dare either. After listening to the rewards of his subordinates expressionlessly, he was so discouraged that he didn't know what to say. His wife Marisinka held his arm with tears in her eyes. He held his wife's hand with his back hand, feeling sad and guilty - because he had agreed with his wife before that their eldest daughter would be sent to Ripka. Now it seems that this is their luck and Poland's misfortune.
Sobesky now vaguely realized why he could escape Versailles so easily. It was not the kindness of Louis XIV or the greed of Madame Montespan, but they intended it - Lviv was far away from Warsaw, and if he wanted to stop the Ottoman Turks, then he would have no way to control the election of kings far away in Warsaw; if he chose to return to Warsaw, but Schrachita would definitely accuse him of putting his rights before his duties. It was not impossible for him to become the new king of Poland, but it would have been very difficult and unpredictable - and could he really watch the Ottoman Turks Sipachi cavalry crisscrossing the land of Poland?
The French king wanted him to choose between his personal desires and loyalty to his country.
"Livv," Sobesky said.
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"Maybe you want to go to Lviv first." Louis said that he and Prince Conde were standing in front of a table the size of a pool table - or in other words, it was originally a pool table, but Louis changed it to a sand table. Regarding the situation in Poland, the king's missionaries and spies had already investigated it. Madam Montespan provided more detailed information. Mathematicians and sculptors made sand tables based on maps and records. Although it cannot be said to be absolutely accurate and complete, it can be used on the real battlefield.
"The Pope of Rome will issue an edict to demand that all Catholic nations share the same hatred of the enemy," said the Duke of Orleans. Although the close relationship between the Roman Church and France has long been in name only - given the indifference of the French handsome man Philip IV to Avignon and Louis XIV's indifference after Louis XIV took power, it is obvious that this ruler of the king was an extreme egoist. Although no one dared to say it, everyone close to him knew that the king did not care much about whether to ascend to heaven or go to hell in the future. All he cared about was the present.
And he probably never feared the things in the dark. Prince Conde thought of his first meeting with this little king, and he specially presented a werewolf fur to him. Prince Conde had no good intentions. He wanted to scare the king. Now that he remembered, the king had never shown any fear at that time. He said that he had feared the instinct of dark creatures. He also had many brave and strong soldiers under his command, but a weak witch could scare them to death. This was caused by the long-term persistent indoctrination of religious people. They always used their sermons to describe the devil and his servants as much as possible, otherwise where would their holy water, spells, crosses, and holy objects come from?
But I think no one dares to intimidate a king - Cardinal Mazaran, treats him as his son.
Of course, Prince Condé didn't know that the king had escaped from the pursuit of a group of werewolfs. "This is a good opportunity," said Louis, looking at Prince Condé and the Duke of Angian beside him: "If you are elected as King of Poland, then they have reason to ask you to give generously."
"I would rather take the army." Prince Kong Dai said.
“Yes,” Louis said, “you can pick from your army as you please.” He said, “if they want, you can take anyone away.”
"Captain Vobon is OK?" Prince Conde asked immediately.
"Well, this one doesn't work," said the king, "for he will be a general once he returns to Versailles, sir, you can take the soldiers and officers away, but the general doesn't work, that's mine."
Prince Condé was just joking. The Duke of Angian looked at his father carefully. Of course, he was willing to follow Prince Condé to Poland. Although Louis XIV was a tolerant king, as long as they were his subjects one day, their lives and wealth were all in the hands of this young king for one day. And judging from the previous events, even Louis was a kind ruler, but when he was touched to the bottom line, he would be as ruthless as a hurricane and rain.
And as his father had encountered, if Prince Conde rebelled, he would be a rebel who rebels, and anyone could attack him on this charge. The throne of their descendants would never be peaceful. But once they became kings of Poland, it would be extremely beneficial to Louis XIV and Prince Conde. Louis XIV would have no major hidden danger and could also recover the fiefdoms, castles, etc. on the east side of the Conde family on Paris; Prince Conde? He could get a rich and vast country - as long as they could intimidate or destroy all Schrachitas, it would be a lengthy and cruel battle, but unlike the rebellion of the Stone Party, Prince Conde could have a whole France as a backing.
"Can it be too late?" Duke Angian couldn't help asking: "It took the Poles nearly three years to elect the king last time."
"The Ottoman Turks will make them smarter," said Louis: "Even if Sobesky went to Lviv, it would not be possible to fight an army of 80,000 people overnight, unless Leopold I of the Holy Roman Empire is willing to support them..."
"Will Leopold I be willing?" asked the Duke of Orleans.
"Generally, will," said Louis: "But if the Pope of Rome was willing to issue an edict to us, to France..."
"When did our relationship with the Roman Church become so harmonious? Your Majesty, Clemour X is an eighty-year-old old guy, but his ambitions are no less than Clemour IX before."
"Is it because of the British King's conversion?" asked the Duke of Orleans.
"It's not this," said Louis: "They will never let go of their bargaining chips before they see Charles II or his little prince, or the Duke of York. This time we have to thank Mrs. Montespan for giving us some indispensable help. I think maybe in these few days the edict will arrive."
Prince Kong Dai lowered his head and coughed to barely hide the strange expression on his face. To be honest, this was the first time he saw the king who used the royal wife as a secret agent and a foreign minister. Although the royal wife had intervened in government affairs before, she had also gained the favor of the king with her gorgeous appearance and graceful figure before she could gain power. However, for the king, the whole thing can be said to be a little reversed. The royal wife must first do the work delivered by the king before she can be qualified to perform her true duties.
If Louis heard what he said, he would have told him for granted that this was of course. Given that there were not many trustworthy people around him, or in other words, not many trustworthy people in the general sense, he certainly hoped that they could have diverse talents so as to help him operate this huge kingdom thoroughly, rather than appearing as before, in a chaotic state of being divided and unable to escape from Paris. You should know that the royal lady has the power to recommend officials to the king in the traditional sense. If his royal lady was a stupid guy, should he continue to follow the tradition, or would he let her get out of the way, causing another storm?
Mrs. Montespan is indeed a smart lady. As she said, her mother taught her how to use her beauty, while her two fathers taught her how to use her wisdom - she pinched herself into the way the king needed the most, and appeared at the most timely time. Who could the king choose if he didn't choose her?
"Madame Montespan..." The Duke of Orleans stopped as soon as he spoke. He almost forgot that there were Prince Conde and Duke Angian here, but not only the king, but even he could guess where the shadow behind Madame Montespan came from.
The Duke of Angian seemed to want to ask something, but Prince Conde put his hand on his shoulder. The child did not know much about the secret qualifications. Although he was also surprised at how the king could share a bed with the witch, it seems that the witch is not that bad now. At least in the past, he could not do so much by staying in Versailles for a month and a half.
Chapter completed!