Spring of 1688 AD, London, England.
The streets of London are still as dirty, dilapidated, and narrow as ever, exuding the stench of feces and sewage. Everywhere you can see the extremely poor people who have lost their land and have come to this big city to make a living.
Today's London is still in the pre-industrial revolution era, but its factory handicraft industry is already quite developed. The shabby city of London is full of child labor and extremely poor Irish laborers or those who lost their land due to the enclosure movement and had to move into the city. Poor people in England make a living... Compared with competitors on the European continent, England's advantage in manufacturing, apart from its abundant coal resources and easier access to iron ore from Sweden, is probably that there are more poor people. It’s also relatively cheap.
Although Britain is a country that has been packaged in a glamorous way in later generations, it seems to be a country full of gentlemen and full of aristocratic style. But in fact, this was a colonial country conquered and ruled by the feudal nobles of Normandy!
The Anglo-Saxons of later generations (who were actually outsiders) lost almost all their land hundreds of years ago, and most of them became serfs of the cruel Norman nobles. .....After their land was taken away by the Norman nobles and they were reduced to destitute serfs, British private property was said to be sacrosanct. So until a long time later, most of the land and industry in England were still concentrated in the hands of the descendants of these Norman nobles.
Of course, these Norman nobles later "integrated" into the Anglo-Saxons and were no longer regarded as descendants of conquerors and colonists.
But in today's 17th century, the descendants of the Norman nobles are still aloof and have little interest in "integrating" with the Anglo-Saxons. How can their noble blue-blood nobles become unstable Anglo-Saxons with their serfs? Is Xunren the same species?
As for the Irish, who were conquered twice by the Norman nobles and later the Tudor dynasty, they were certainly worse off than the Anglo-Saxons... The suffering of being deprived of their land and then becoming serfs and the enclosure movement In the end, the serfs were not even treated as slaves, which was no less. In addition, the oppression of Irish Catholics by English Protestants had to be added.
However, because the current King James of England is a devout Catholic, he is committed to achieving religious equality in the UK - of course not to make Christians equal to Tianfang believers, Jews, Confucian disciples, Buddhists, etc., but just to make England's Saints Sanhedrins and Catholics can be equal.
So the Irish, who are now being double oppressed by the Norman nobility and the English Protestants, can now see a little bit of hope... But as a close associate of James II, John is also a descendant of the Norman nobility and a Protestant. Baron Churchill knew very well that his king was playing with fire and burning himself!
He has now returned to London, England, and is riding a four-wheeled carriage through the smelly and messy central London. He is preparing with a heavy heart to go to Hampton Court Palace in the western suburbs of London to meet King James II.
The reason why Baron Churchill felt heavy was not because he had suffered a loss at the hands of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, his trip to the East was generally successful. Although it failed to stop the expansion of the Ming Empire in the direction of Malacca. But it finally succeeded in disintegrating the Hindustan Empire that occupied most of India, and also expanded the colonies and protectorates of the British East India Company in southern India, and cooperated with the Great Mongolia, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Sweden and the Pope. Representatives signed the "Treaty of Goa" that divided the sphere of influence in India, and also signed the "British-Mongolian Trade Agreement" with Great Mongolia - this agreement obtained "Sugar Freedom" for Britain!
Therefore, Baron Churchill's journey can be said to be fruitful.
But Baron John Churchill, who had returned successfully, heard a happy news that made him worried - King James II's second wife, who had been pregnant ten times without leaving a surviving offspring, was actually "misfiring" Four years later, I got pregnant again...and I got pregnant while Baron Churchill was out on business. It is said that the fetus is in good condition. It is already July or August and the baby will be born soon. .
It would be fine if a daughter was born, but if it was a son, the trouble would be big!
Because sons are more qualified than daughters to inherit the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland... and before this son was born, James II's eldest daughter, Prince of Orange and wife of William III, ruler of the Netherlands, believed The Protestant Princess Mary is the recognized heir to the throne!
Most of the English nobility who believe in Protestantism have secretly expressed their loyalty to Princess Mary and William III... and the handsome Baron Churchill once accompanied James II in exile in the Netherlands, and was different from that man and woman. The jealous William III became a good gay friend.
If James II had a son, wouldn't the efforts of Baron Churchill and the loyalty of so many Protestant nobles to Princess Mary and William III be wasted?
If everyone is unwilling to have their efforts and loyalty go to waste, then England may have to go through another revolutionary storm!
The Churchill family has long been labeled as a royal party. Once England becomes a republic again... Baron Churchill can't help but sigh when he thinks of the republic and Cromwell's dictatorship.
"Baron," the voice of William Hughes, the recently retired former ambassador to Mongolia, rang in Baron Churchill's ears, "We are already here!"
Only then did Baron Churchill come back from his thoughts and turned to look out of the carriage window. What caught his eye was the dark and gloomy doorway of Hampton Court Palace.
A palace attendant wearing a wig had already rushed out of the doorway, arrived at the carriage, opened the door diligently, and then said to Baron Churchill inside: "Baron, His Majesty the King, please and Mr. Hughes go directly to him." 's office."
...
When Baron Churchill and William Hughes walked into the king's office together, King James II of England, Scotland and Ireland was holding a copy of "The War of Angels" and looking at it with interest. He is in a pretty good mood now. His wife Maria Beatrice Dest's physical condition has improved significantly due to long-term use of "garlic medicine". Nothing alarming has happened since this pregnancy. The fetus in the belly is also very healthy. It kicks around and punches when nothing happens. It seems to be a very energetic fetus... and it is very likely that it is. boy!
This is a legitimate boy! A boy who can inherit the throne and continue the Stuart dynasty!
James II actually had three illegitimate children, all of whom were born to Baron Churchill's wife, Arabella Churchill. However, because they were illegitimate children, they could not be named Stuart, so James II gave them the surname FitzJames—— Meaning son of James.
Although you have three healthy and smart sons, you cannot pass on your surname and throne to them, and you have to hand over the crown that has been watered with the blood of the Stuart family to William of the Orange family... You How could James II be willing to do so?
So now he is very much looking forward to having a legal, healthy son!
However, he also knew that his Catholic faith and the idea of equality between British Catholics and Protestants made the Protestant aristocrats who made their fortunes by carving up the Catholic Church and believers' property very fearful.
These people have overthrown one Stuart and are capable of overthrowing another Stuart!
And Stuart did not dare to "betray God" and become a Protestant - in order to get a legal son, James II had been praying to God and swearing to be loyal to God since his wife got pregnant. We must always worship God with the Catholic Church in Rome.
Because he truly believed in God, he did not dare to break his promise to God after getting his son. Those Protestants can take away his throne, and God can take away his son!
When he was in trouble, his confidant Baron John Churchill returned to London and brought him good news that could unite British Catholics and Protestants - a common enemy, an anti-Christ enemy. !
The door to the king's office was opened, and then the voice of the attendant came.
"Your Majesty, Baron Churchill and Mr. Hughes have arrived."
The King of England quickly put down his hand, then looked up at the door of the office: "Invite them to come in."
Then the door of the office was opened by two attendants wearing gorgeous tuxedos and wigs. It was Baron Churchill and William Hughes who came in from the door. They bowed respectfully to the king, and then stood upright in front of the king.
"John, William, please sit down."
James II pointed to the two chairs opposite the desk and asked the two people in front of him to sit down. Then he patted a report placed on the corner of the large desk and said solemnly: "About the New World Business I have read the investigation report of Fang State carefully! And I also read the "Legend of Angels"... Obviously, Shang Fang State in the New World is a huge and barbaric pagan country! "
The King of England took a breath and said in a rather indignant tone: "The rulers of this country are inhumane thugs. They invented all kinds of horrific torture instruments. For example, they used red-hot bronze vessels to scald people alive. , and throwing people into a big pit full of poisonous snakes and scorpions. The most hateful thing is that they cut open the belly of a pregnant woman for no reason, just to check whether the fetus inside is a boy or a girl. It is simply inhumane. Devil! As the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, I will never allow such a devil to rule the rich, quiet, and peaceful continent of North America!"
Both John Churchill and William Hughes were stunned.
"The Legend of Angels" (Fengshen Yanyi) is just a book from the Ming Dynasty, and the things written in it may not be true... Even if it is true, it has been more than 2,600 years.
King Zhou and Su Daji who did bad things have been dead for 2,600 years. It seems too late for the King of England to attack them now, right?
The King of England worked hard to make himself look more angry, "Moreover, this evil country is also supported by the Ming Empire in East Asia, and has now become the main enemy that the Christian civilized world has encountered in the New World! What if? We cannot defeat them, and our civilization will suffer the greatest setback since Columbus discovered the New World!"
The British king became more and more excited as he spoke. He waved his arms vigorously and said: "The prosperity and progress of Western Europe today ultimately come from this great geographical discovery and the ensuing Age of Discovery. If we lose the New World, then Our civilization will lose its present and future. We will return to an era of darkness...even, we will lose our faith!
And in order to defeat them, all Christians should unite, whether they belong to the Anglican Church, the Universal Church of Rome or the Orthodox Church! "
What he said is indeed to the point!
Although later generations of scholars paid more attention to the highly sophisticated Renaissance, believing that it was the key to the rise of Christian civilization in Western Europe... However, as the king of England in the 17th century, James II believed that the wealth and living space of the New World were It is the key factor in the rise of civilization.
Although Spain, which benefited most from the wealth and living space of the New World, did not become very prosperous, Spain's demand stimulated the rapid development of industry and commerce in other European countries, and also stimulated the rapid development of overseas trade across the ocean. Spain, which gained huge wealth, invested a considerable part of its income in armaments and funding for the Holy Roman Empire, thus resisting the powerful Ottoman Empire. Moreover, the military expenditures spent by the Spaniards also greatly stimulated the development of new weapons and the use of new tactics. Eventually, Europeans led the world in military technology...until the advent of sweet gunpowder!
But now the Europeans have found a stable sugar supply chain in India. As long as they give time, they will definitely catch up with the Ming Empire in the East and become a leading civilization in military technology again. But if the Europeans lost their free real money and silver and the almost endless American continent, would Kangxi Khan still be willing to give him free sugar?
He paused and then said: "So, I plan to convene an international conference aimed at crusade against the brutal and barbaric Merchant Kingdom in America, and invite Louis XIV, William III, the Pope of Rome, the chief minister of Spain, and the Portuguese King Pedro comes to the meeting to discuss the issue of forming a coalition to attack the merchants!"
James II indeed found a good subject this time!
Regardless of whether he can really destroy the Shang Kingdom, as long as the theme of "The King of England conquers Zhou" is still there, he will be the defender of European Christian civilization! Those who oppose him will be in a position of political incorrectness...
