The Franco-Dutch War that took place in the late summer of 1666 was later called the "Lightning War" in history. Because the occurrence, progress and end of this war can be described as lightning fast!
From the beginning of the war to the end of the war, it took less than 20 days!
For 17th-century Europe, where it took several months to build a bastion, this speed was simply a miracle!
And what can be called a miracle is not only the speed of the war, but also the outcome of the war - just as the whole of Europe was waiting for news of the Netherlands' demise or rise, the most unexpected thing happened. The two mortal enemies on the battlefield, France and the Federal Republic of the Netherlands, actually became allies!
The 20-day "Lightning War" was ended by the "France-Netherlands Alliance Treaty"... This can no longer be described as a miracle, it is simply a miracle! When the contents of this treaty spread throughout Europe, people who believed in God were a little doubtful. Did God personally intervene in the war and send angels with wings to greet Louis XIV and John de Witt?
Otherwise, how could Louis XIV choose to stop when his army was about to enter Amsterdam, and also give the Federal Republic of the Netherlands a coveted alliance?
That's right! The covenant Louis XIV gave to the Dutch was what they had only dreamed of! Because this covenant forever guarantees the homeland security of the Federal Republic of the Netherlands... Moreover, the French army is willing to form a team with the Dutch navy to conquer the world!
Don't underestimate the role of the French Army, because the Army is the Netherlands' Achilles' heel!
The Netherlands now has the largest number of merchant ships in the world, and can also organize a very large naval fleet, but it has no way to send a sufficient number of expeditionary forces to the east to confront the Chinese Empire.
In this case, as long as the Dutch navy suffers a temporary defeat, the Ming Empire can quickly invest in the army to expand the results of the war - it is not just the fleet that constitutes sea power, but also those ports, islands, and fortresses located in strategic locations. .
For example, after the Battle of Malacca, the Ming Dynasty's land forces quickly followed up and wiped out the Dutch power in the Malacca Peninsula and Sumatra.
Even if the Netherlands can still send an expeditionary fleet, there is no way to find suitable ports on the Malacca Peninsula and Sumatra Island.
The Dutch strongholds on Java Island and Spice Island also became hostages in the hands of the Chinese Empire...
It can be said that without the joining of France, neither the Netherlands nor the United Kingdom would be enough to fight against the rising Chinese Empire on the eastern sea.
Therefore, the alliance proposed by Louis XIV was something that the Dutch Grand Council could not refuse and did not dare to refuse!
If I really refuse, I don’t know if the Netherlands can still exist.
Of course, behind the decent alliance treaty, there was also a less than decent peace treaty... The Dutch still had to pay something to get the alliance they dreamed of. For example, a large amount of "ransom" was paid-actually it was compensation, but nominally it was to redeem the 20,000 Dutch army officers and soldiers captured by Prince Condé.
Another example is the surrender of a series of fortresses in the western Netherlands, including Maastricht Fortress - these fortresses will be occupied by the French army before France takes over the entire Spanish Netherlands, and Prince Condé's 70,000-strong army will be Set out from there and attack the Spanish army in the Spanish Netherlands from behind! After France takes over the entire Spanish Netherlands, it will all be demolished!
For another example, the United Provinces of the Netherlands must follow France in declaring war on Spain, and at the same time send a fleet to blockade Spanish ports and protect France’s maritime trade lines—mainly maritime trade with the Ming Empire!
That's right! The trade between France and Ming Dynasty must continue!
Although Louis XIV raised the banner of the "Ming Threat Theory", trade must still continue!
Because the confrontation, or rather competition, between the Christian civilization led by France and the Chinese civilization will exist for a long time - the distance between the two sides is too far compared to the means of transportation in the 17th century.
Therefore, no one has the power to send a large-scale expeditionary force to the other side's homeland, and there is no possibility of destroying the other side's civilization.
Therefore, the confrontation and competition between the two sides will only exist on the edge of the civilization circle, rather than the collision at the core.
In this case, it is very unwise to suspend trade, close the door to each other, and never communicate with each other until death.
Moreover... France's status in Europe cannot be compared with the status of the Chinese Empire in the East.
Even if Louis XIV wanted to cut off exchanges, other countries would ignore his ban.
As for the Celestial Empire... now that it is a blue dragon soaring in the clouds, how can it care about the howling of France, the European wolf?
Moreover, France's status as the alpha wolf only exists in the grand plan of Louis XIV and has not been recognized by the entire Christian civilization.
Therefore, Zhu Cixiang, the emperor of the Celestial Empire, would not close the door of Malacca in a hurry - in fact, from the perspective of the Celestial Emperor, this kind of confrontation and competition on the edge of civilization is not a bad thing for the Celestial Empire.
Enemies are sometimes the driving force behind the advancement of world empires!
Closing the doors, halting traffic, and ignoring the presence of the enemy will make the world empire lazy and sluggish, losing its direction.
However, in September 1666, the leading figures of the Ming Empire in Europe were not as calm as Emperor Zhu who was far away in Yingtian Mansion.
Through their relationship network, a copy of the "France-Netherlands Alliance Treaty" has been sent to the Ming Dynasty Embassy in France in the town of Versailles. At this moment, it was placed in front of Li Shaoyou, Huang Jiang, Jiabus, Ren Zhen, Wei Qingmu and Huang Shan who had just returned from Turin - they each had a copy and were studying it word for word!
"It seems...the head office of Sinou United Bank has to move to a new location!"
The first person to speak was Huang Jiang, who presides over the China-Europe Union Bank. He has been in Europe these years, controlling a lucrative exchange business, and is also a creditor of France and England!
"Where do you want to move?" Li Shaoyou asked.
"Go to London!" Huang Jiang thought, "It seems that Britain will not come together with France for the time being... Britain is an island country after all, and the security of its homeland is still guaranteed. It is not easy for France to control Britain. "
Jabs shook his head and said: "I think there will be a battle between Britain and France sooner or later. If Sinou Bank goes to England, then in the future war between Britain and France, Ming Dynasty will be equivalent to choosing a side! And Sinou United Bank is a business after all... ....As long as this business continues, it cannot be withdrawn from the European continent."
"Where else can you go if you don't go to England?" Huang Jiang asked, "You can't stay in France forever, right? Who knows what this Louis XIV will do?"
"Go to the Netherlands!" Jabs said, "Go to Amsterdam...Amsterdam is the gathering place of European finance. We have already placed our bank headquarters there!"
"But they already regard us as enemies!" Huang Jiang shook his head. He had no experience in lurking in enemy camps.
Jabs smiled and said: "Then we have to go to the Netherlands...The Netherlands has hostages in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, and the East India Company is the hostage. Moreover, the profits of the Netherlands in the exchange transaction are not small. Those gangs Will a businessman foolishly leave money without making a profit?"
Wei Qingmu nodded: "I think it's okay... Money has to be earned! And it's clear that moving to England is because you're afraid of France. What do we have to be afraid of? France only has a total of more than 200,000 troops (France also has There are some old-style armies), and we will have an army of millions in tomorrow’s dynasty!”
"Then, let's do this for now!" Huang Jiang nodded. The business in Europe was so profitable that he couldn't bear to leave!
He looked at Li Shaoyou again: "Servant Minister, do you think we should ask for a decree?"
Li Shaoyou frowned and said: "The imperial edict must be requested...but we also have to come up with an opinion. How much does the imperial court know about things in Europe? Doesn't everyone listen to us? I mean, we and The open war between France and the Netherlands is not over for the time being, but the secret war can almost begin! It’s time to think about how to disrupt the overall situation in Europe, and we can’t let Louis XIV be too proud!”
