Because Matthias brought a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's manuscript as a meeting gift when he met Xu Guangqi. In return, Xu Guangqi gave him a pound of black tea and a set of exquisite tea sets.
Matthias left in an excited mood. From then on, he became a common "Sai Biao" in Europe. He believed from the bottom of his heart that the people of Seris were all people of noble moral character. Because in terms of value, Xu Guangqi's gift is a kind of support for his shabby current situation, and it does not hurt his face!
As the mission's journey in Europe progresses, tea has become the most fashionable drink in Europe. A month ago, a fast ship went straight to Malacca to add a new commodity to the spice trade route-tea.
Promoting tea is one of the important missions of the mission. After Xu Guangqi made a pot of tea for Felipe II in Madrid, he reminded the emperor in his report back home that Europe was likely to import tea on a large scale. In terms of their aristocratic food customs, once they got used to tea, , there is simply no way to quit this thing.
Nowadays, European tea leaves can only be obtained from gifts from missions. How many nobles want to follow the fashion and ask for a tael of black tea but cannot get it - Matthias can easily sell a pound of tea and tea sets for more than a hundred ducats, but with With this money, he could at least add a few bodyguards and followers, so that he wouldn't have to wander around Europe with just one follower.
As the emperor's younger brother of the Holy Roman Empire, Matthias had access to various social situations. As he praised Xu Guangqi on different occasions, and hinted intentionally or unintentionally that he was likely to receive financial support from Seris, in Rome Some of the nobles have reestablished contact with him - after all, war-torn Europe is short of hard currency everywhere.
Xu Guangqi's mission gradually opened up as his reputation in Rome grew. At the mission station, envoys and visitors from various countries came in droves. Some of them asked about the details of the coup in the Principality of Tuscany, and some asked when the Serris Bank would be opening. When opening a business, some, like Matias, borrowed money directly or exchanged "small gifts" for tea. Xu Guangqi was also amazed by the ability of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Matias to take advantage of the opportunity to hype.
On the surface, it is a peaceful mission residence, but there are also rapids surging underneath. As the representative of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Carlo Medici has been in fierce confrontation with various forces in the Holy See these days, strongly condemning the Holy See's interference in Tuscany's inheritance affairs, and supporting Ferdinando's coup. For safety reasons, most of these exchanges were completed at the mission's residence, and Xu Guangqi and others gradually learned about the new political situation in Europe:
After the Grand Duke of Tuscany tore off the veil of brother-in-law and brother-in-law, he personally put on Ferdinando's "Spanish boots" - also known as the "tibia crusher", which was the most popular thing in Europe at this time. Common torture: The executioner will squeeze the prisoner's two calves between two curved iron plates. These iron plates are nailed with long nails, iron teeth and knobs. The violent squeezing and rotation will cause the prisoner's shin bones to break. and shattered fibula.
Ferdinando's bones were not as hard as he thought. Under severe torture, he began to confess with tears streaming down his face. As the Grand Duke of Tuscany expected, Ferdinando's coup was directed by the Medici faction of the Holy See.
After Gregory XIII fell ill due to malaria, political forces throughout Europe that could intervene in the selection of the pope began to unite. The current head of the Medici family, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, bets on the Spanish line of the Habsburg family, while Felipe II supports Cardinal Giovanni Battista Castana, who baptized Xu Guangqi.
Although Gregory XIII was at odds with Felipe II, he also supported Giovanni in the choice of pope - otherwise Giovanni would not have been able to preside over this significant baptism on behalf of the pope.
But Giovanni's ascension means that the interests of the Medici family's largest political force - France's Black Queen Catherine de Medici - are harmed, except for the Grand Duke of Tuscany who has already turned to Felipe II. Besides, other Medici opposed Giovanni.
For the Medici, steadily expanding territory and power was the family's highest interest. The birth and marriage of Catherine Medici were carefully arranged by two generations of Medici popes, Leo X and Clement VII. Almost all the Medici forces in the Holy See were loyal to Catherine and were loyal to her. Carry out Catherine's orders.
Therefore, this coup not only involved the Holy See and Spain, but also the Valois dynasty, the largest political force in Western Europe - France.
France is now in a state of turmoil. Henry III, who has triggered many religious civil wars and is extremely extravagant, has exhausted the patience of the Parisians. The great nobles represented by the Duke of Guise are brewing a storm to seize power. Standing behind Henry III Catherine Medici wanted to kill the thief but was unable to save her life.
But as the Queen Mother who has controlled France's destiny for more than ten years, she will never put her eggs in one basket. She once risked death and married her most beautiful daughter Margaret to Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre. This means that if Henry III, who has many male favors, cannot give birth to a male heir, Henry Bourbon, who is also a descendant of French King Louis IX, will inherit the French throne after his death.
And this Henry de Bourbon happened to be the nephew of Cardinal Felice Priti de Montalto, the political enemy of Gregory XIII - of course, with Catherine Medici The Medicis represented by Felice Montalto intended to promote him to the throne of pope.
There is a technical problem here. Henry Bourbon is now a Huguenot and is incompatible with Catholicism. This not only caused a headache for Catherine Medici and Felice Montalto, but also gave Tosca The biggest reason why Grand Duke Francesco Medici defected to Spain: The Medici should side with Felipe II. We all believe in Catholicism, right? Moreover, forming an alliance with the most powerful country is beneficial to the future of the Medici family.
This view cannot be wrong. Catherine Medici also married her daughter to Felipe II in an attempt to consolidate the status of the Valois court through marriage. But Felipe II's ultimate goal was to unify Europe, which Henry of Valois and Catherine Medici could not tolerate. Therefore, the Valois dynasty was naturally at odds with the Habsburgs...
In the already chaotic situation, the Holy Roman Empire's court also wanted to get involved. More than fifty years ago, Pope Clement VII was pinned to the ground and rubbed madly by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. After the "Sack of Rome", Clement VII was imprisoned and signed a humiliating treaty - ceding territory and paying indemnity. The Dici family was forced to hand over the rule of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and Florence became a republic at that time.
Later, Cosimo I, the first Medici Grand Duke, re-ruled Florence through the power of Charles V's son, Felipe II of Spain. This is why Francesco I, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, continues to look up to Spain. origin, but this is not consistent with the interests of the Medicis of Clement VII's faction.
As for the "orthodoxy" of the Habsburg dynasty, Emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire hated his cousin Felipe II quite a lot - after all, Felipe II inherited the Holy Roman Empire from the time of Charles V. Spain and the Netherlands, where the empire was most powerful, left only the Habsburgs empty shells.
Therefore, the Holy Roman Empire had the same interests as Catherine Medici in opposing Giovanni's election as pope. Matthias' appearance in Rome was not only for himself, but also partially represented Rudolf II in the choice of the pope. One of the emperor's mouthpieces. Of course, if the bid is high enough, Matthias will not hesitate to betray Rudolf II and make peace with the Grand Duke of Tuscany - expressing his desire for a loan through Xu Guangqi is a small test ball.
In such a complicated situation, the status of the Grand Duke of Tuscany who controls the Medici Bank gradually becomes important - after all, no matter who the second, third, or even the emperor is, they need the Medici Bank to provide them with financing, otherwise they will be in debt. I have long gone to stay somewhere cool.
Children holding gold in the market is a vivid portrayal of the situation faced by the Grand Duke of Tuscany today. Once Ferdinando's coup is successful, the Medicis, who have financial power, can buy off voting cardinals and push Felice Montalto to the position of pope, thus ensuring Henry Bourbon's stable inheritance. , the Medici family will still partially control France, instead of being controlled by Spain as it is now...
In the original time and space, Ferdinando succeeded, and Giovanni was defeated by Felice, who was supported by the Medici Bank, and Felice became the successor Pope Heathcote V. [Note 1] But in this time and space, because the butterfly flapped its wings, Ferdinando's conspiracy was exposed, and the conflict between the two sides completely intensified. It is probably true what actions the angry Grand Duke of Tuscany and Felipe II will take. Only God knows.
As Gregory XIII became seriously ill and Ferdinand became a prisoner, Rome finally became the abyss of crime and conspiracy, a whirlpool of pretense and betrayal...
