August 1484, the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal, the ancient and new City of Seven Hills, Lisbon.
In this era, Lisbon is a truly European city. It is the capital of a kingdom of 1.5 million people, with more than 70,000 permanent residents and thousands of foreign business travelers. The ancient Sintra Palace is located on the Sintra Mountain in the north of the city. It is the real center of power of the kingdom and is home to an ambitious king in his prime.
In the south of the capital, a long and quiet river flows gently. This is the mother river of the Kingdom of Portugal, the Tejo River. The Tejo River originates from the central mountains of the Iberian Peninsula and flows westward, passing through forested mountains and forest fields surrounding pastures, and then flows through the border between the two kingdoms. It irrigates the seaside plains covered with farmland, nourishes the urban suburbs dotted with orchards, and finally reaches this prosperous and prosperous seaside city, where it merges into the Atlantic Ocean.
At the mouth of the Tejo River where it flows into the sea, there is a prosperous seaside commercial port. Merchant ships, warships, exploration ships, and hundreds of sailing ships are anchored and waiting here; nobles, merchants, and civilians, the bustling flow of people shuttles and trades here. If you look carefully, you can still see hundreds of strong slaves with dark skin, their heads lowered tamely, sweating profusely, unloading large quantities of goods.
Under the hot sun, Bruno wore a brand-new collared uniform and led several capable sailors with short daggers as they hurried to the port.
Seeing his noble attire, businessmen from various countries and local fishermen along the way stepped aside to avoid him. Only a few drunk sailors in short jackets staggered forward. The drunkards murmured unpleasant curse words and stretched out their dirty black hands towards the well-dressed young nobles.
Bruno frowned. He raised his right foot and kicked it hard, knocking the leading drunkard to the ground. Then, several capable sailors behind him cursed and rushed forward. The capable sailors held their daggers upside down and used their blunt handles to violently hit the shoulders and backs of the drunkards, knocking them to the ground with a bang. Soon, the dirty words turned to screams, and the screams turned to moans.
"Boss, these blind fools, I don't know which merchant ship they got off from. They are running around like wild dogs without an owner! Judging from their accents, they are definitely not locals in Lisbon. This time the devil from the south Back from the land, too many sailors at the bottom died, and they couldn't be replaced in a short time. The fleet will soon go south... Are we going to capture these idiots on our ship and use them as coolie sailors? "
A capable young sailor came forward and asked coldly in a low voice.
Hearing this, Bruno hesitated for a moment and shook his head.
"Forget it. I just got married to my beloved wife under the witness of the Holy Mother... In addition, the royal director Sir Dias is also in the fleet. He will lead several scholars and missionaries to go south with us. Sir I haven’t figured out their temper yet... Just leave them a way out!”
Hearing this, the middle-aged sailor nodded obediently.
After running all the way, they had just returned by car from the far south town of Faro. Bruno, the son of an aristocrat, has just married the widowed sister of Paul, the former boatswain, and has been considered one of the sailors' own since then. The son of a nobleman was awarded the lowest knighthood by the royal family because he went deep into the indigenous kingdom and obtained news about King John's kingdom. Everyone then had some respect for him and recognized him as the leader.
"Bah! You're lucky to have saved a small life!"
The middle-aged sailor kicked the drunkard on the ground hard and spat contemptuously. In this era, being caught as the lowest coolie sailor on the ship and heading to the terrible black Africa in the south was tantamount to a death sentence.
After hearing what the two said, another capable sailor took two steps closer and asked cautiously.
"Boss, what is the origin of this royal manager, Sir Dias?"
"Ha, what is his background? He is a true noble, a royal knight as noble as the captain!"
Bruno smiled to himself. This kind of true nobleman cannot be compared to him, the illegitimate son of a nobleman.
"Sir's father and grandfather were both nobles, and he was a senior navigator who followed Prince Enrique. He was deeply trusted by the king. He was not only a noble royal knight, but also the supervisor of the royal warehouse, and he was also a current captain."
"Hey, boss, since you are the captain, why do you care about the lives of a few ordinary sailors!"
The middle-aged sailor smiled. He turned his head and glanced coldly at the drunken men still moaning on the ground, then turned back and asked.
"Fodesse! Such a noble person also wants to go south with us and adventure in a place full of devils?"
"Sir Dias will not go deep into the devil's land. He once participated in the conquest of the Gold Coast. This time he went south to support the newly built Elmina Fort on the seaside. After all, it is rich in gold."
Speaking of this, Bruno's eyes shone with fear and desire.
Last time, he narrowly escaped death and escaped from the devil's land. He also saw the devil's apostle in the human world with his own eyes, and had nightmares for almost a month. However, the rewards of such risk-taking are also generous and astonishing. The gems, gold and ivory he brought back were sold at a good price in the Lisbon market. This money was not only enough for him to hold a decent noble wedding, but also allowed him to buy a noble manor with an orchard on the outskirts of the capital.
If he followed the life trajectory of an ordinary civilian, he would not be able to collect such a large amount of money even if he saved for three lifetimes. Not to mention that he was awarded the title of knight for his meritorious service, and finally got rid of his status as an illegitimate son and became a real nobleman!
"Fodesse! Glittery gold, you are my cutest little baby!... Boss, this time I go south, I will make two more deals!"
"Well, that's natural! ... With such a long voyage, there's always a chance."
The group of people talked excitedly in low voices while walking to the south of the port, and soon came to a good deep-water berth. A dozen caravel sailing ships are lined up in a row, and the cross flag of the Kingdom is flying high on the flagpole.
Bruno got on the boat and rowed all the way to the flagship at the front. When he boarded the ship, he saw several well-dressed dignitaries gathering together, communicating in low voices with serious expressions. In the center surrounded by everyone were two distinguished royal knight captains.
Bruno walked forward carefully, bowing his head and saluting from a distance.
"Dear Captain, honorable Sir Bartolomeu Dias! Noble knight Bruno Kang, greetings to the honorable royal knights!"
Upon hearing the greeting, Captain Diogo Kang turned around, revealing a gloomy and determined face. Then, the gloom in his eyes dissipated slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and nodded slowly.
After wandering at sea for two years, Diogo returned to Lisbon in April this year and reported what he had learned about the voyage to the Sintra Palace. The establishment of Fort Elmina satisfied the court, the discovery of the Kingdom of Congo surprised the nobles, and the exact news of Elder John's Kingdom shocked the entire kingdom!
King Joao II immediately summoned Captain Diogo and asked him carefully about what he had seen along the way. Then there is the powerful Archbishop of Lisbon, Jorge da Costa. Soon, within two weeks, Diogo was awarded the title of Royal Knight, enjoyed a pension, and was given the family coat of arms!
"Bruno, come here."
Diogo Kang waved and looked at another royal knight with a smile.
"Dias, this is my nephew Bruno Kang. He went deep into the devil's land, met with the Congolese chief who yearned for the Lord, and bravely captured the Coptic Cross from the hands of the devil's apostle!"
"Oh? So brave! Ha, you are such a good man to my Avish!"
Diaz laughed loudly and exclaimed in admiration. He is in his early thirties, in his prime, and has a naturally serious face. It's just that the court life in Lisbon in the past few years has polished his edges and made his smile amiable. He stretched out his hand and patted Bruno's shoulder affectionately.
"Ha, I've seen you! Four months ago, you went to the Brat Palace and submitted new plant samples to the naturalists, and received a large bounty."
Hearing the compliments from the captains, Bruno was a little embarrassed at first, and then flattered. He lowered his head and quickly saluted again.
Dias kept his smile unchanged and complimented him casually. Then he said seriously.
"After the respected archbishop repeatedly inspected the Coptic cross he brought back, he had already sent an envoy with great joy to report to the Supreme Pope, Sixtus IV. The messenger of the palace's announcement had also gone there with the king's letter. The Holy See. The good news has been announced first, and the Pope’s edict will arrive soon, and subsequent exploration is imminent!”
"Diogo, this time the king ordered you to explore south in such a hurry because of his deep hope for you and the pressure from the Holy See! The iris on the promontory looks towards the end of the ocean. Please don't let down the king's trust!"
After hearing this, Diogo Kang lowered his head resolutely and bowed to the Blatter Palace in the northeast.
"The Lord witnesses that I, Diogo Kang, swear on my life! This time when I go south, I will definitely explore the edge of the ocean, trace the source of the river, and look for traces of Elder John's country until the end of my life!"
The solemn vows echoed between the sea and the sky, and there was a sudden silence on the flagship. Then, the priest on the ship led everyone to pray together for a moment, and then the distinguished people resumed their conversation.
"Diaz, I just returned home not long ago. I heard that the powerful Ottomans are falling into civil strife and have stopped marching westward into the Balkan Peninsula... Is the task of finding the country of Elder John still so urgent?"
"Blessed Mother! Diogo, although the terrible Sultan Fatih has passed away under the punishment of the Lord, his attempt to send troops to invade the Italian peninsula four years ago caused the entire Holy See to fall into long-term shock and uneasiness .
Before his death, Fatih Sultan left behind the barbaric inheritance law of brothers fighting. The current civil strife in the Ottoman Empire is just a limited struggle between two heirs, and most of the powerful pashas are not involved. Sultan Bayezid has gained an absolute advantage, the civil strife will end soon, and the Ottomans' westward advance will continue...
The benevolent world of God is in danger under the threat of the Ottomans. It urgently needs our Eastern compatriots who believe in God to lead their troops to support! "
Hearing this, Diogo looked heavy. He nodded slowly, as if he was carrying the weight of the entire God's world on his shoulders.
"However, the Ottomans in the eastern part of the Mediterranean are far away after all. The invasion of the Ottomans is also a major concern of Pope Sixtus in Rome and Emperor Frederick of the HRE. Dias, my old friend, human beings only need to do what they can. Worry about things."
Dias looked at his old friend for a moment and then admonished with a smile.
"The great Prince Enrique once said to my grandfather: Our future as Portuguese lies at sea, and we only need to consider three things!"
Hearing Prince Enrique's name, the deck became silent again, and everyone looked at it together.
"We are located in the westernmost part of the world of God, and are the iris clan on the seaside. Our first thing is to explore the sea! Keep going deep into the sea, exploring the unknown world, and looking for unowned land!
Our land is small and our tribe has a limited number of people. We must try our best to avoid fighting on land. Our second thing is to expand at sea! Try your best to control the islands in the sea, occupy the land along the coast, and expand our country. "
Having said this, Dias paused. His expression became extremely serious and his voice became louder and louder.
"The Castilians have blocked the space to our east, and they have always been greedy for us. The last thing to do is to beware of the Castilians! The Portuguese must maintain their independence. The mountain people of Avish , fishermen and farmers, we must unite together and always be wary of the Castilians!”
Upon hearing this, the Portuguese sailors on the ship cheered loudly and cursed the Castilians one after another. The nobles also agreed in low voices.
"Diaz, my friend. As an admirer of Prince Enrique, I cannot agree more with your words. However, I am still confused in my heart."
Diogo nodded deeply. He approached Dias and asked cautiously in a voice that only two people could hear.
"You are the warehouse manager of the palace and deeply trusted by the king... What does the king think of the Kingdom of Castile, or today's Kingdom of Spain? Although the idea of unifying Spain and Portugal is just a delusion of the Spanish, It seems that there is no shortage of voices of approval in the kingdom's court..."
Hearing this, Diaz's eyes flashed. He took a few steps towards the bow of the ship, Diogo followed closely, and the others were too smart to follow.
"Diogo, we all know that many of the great nobles of the kingdom are not as strongly anti-Castilian as the people at the bottom. They collude with the Spanish court and don't care about the future of the Portuguese. They only care about their own power position.
Fortunately, Our Lady of Blessing! Your respected Majesty João has the long-term vision of a black kite, the ambition of a lion, and the will and ability to match it! Your Majesty never wants to be subordinate to others. On the contrary, he had further ambitions for the Kingdom of Spain.
His Majesty’s only legitimate son, Prince Alfonso, had entered into a sacred marriage with Princess Isabel, the eldest daughter of the Spanish kings, as early as his childhood..."
Dias paused and remained silent. Diogo's expression changed and he nodded slowly. He changed the topic and continued.
"I hope everything goes as planned by Your Majesty. The Moors in the south of the peninsula have only the capital of Granada left, and the Spanish are about to win the final victory of reconquest. By that time, if there are no other major events to distract the Spanish, The court in Madrid will surely turn its greedy eyes upon us.
At that time, who can support us on land? English? French? Or the Moors across the channel? "
