1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 349: The Burgundian War

Chapter 349: The Burgundian War

The sea breeze blew from the west, the leaves rustled, the springs in the forest gurgled, the barking of hunting dogs, the grunting of wild boars and the cry of deer came one after another, and the nobles in hunting suits drew their bows and arrows and fought each other.

There is a beautiful castle in the forest, outside of which are blue springs and green woods. There are wineries and chapels inside, and horse farms and hunting grounds outside. It is elegant and grand, majestic yet gentle.

This is the Castle of Fontainebleau, a French royal castle built in the 12th century. It is located in the Fontainebleau Forest in the northwestern France. Since its construction, it has become a good place for French kings to vacation and hunt. Many kings even made it their permanent residence, and the status of the Castle of Fontainebleau also became higher.

Looking at the entire European continent, France has the best geographical location. Compared with remote England, it has plenty of sunshine and is not rainy. Compared with the mountainous Iberia, Apennines and Balkans, it has a flat terrain and abundant usable land.

If we exclude some low plateaus in the southeast, the entire core area of ​​France is vast plains, from the Ardennes Forest in the northeast to the Pyrenees Mountains in the southwest, which are flat and can be seen at a glance.

At this time, the Po Plain and the Great Plains of East Europe were mostly in the wild stage of primeval forests, and the eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain was also full of swamps. The Great Plains of France deservedly became the most developed and densely populated plain in all of Europe, with numerous rivers and lakes and a suitable climate. It was the land chosen by God and the kingdom of God.

The warm Middle Ages have ended, and the Little Ice Age that has arrived has not brought much impact on France. The climate of the Great Plains is temperate oceanic climate, with prevailing ocean westerlies all year round. It is warm and humid all year round, with sufficient sunshine and more than enough precipitation. Several large rivers provide an excellent environment for the development of commerce.

In the Castle of Fontainebleau, Louis XI, who was nearly 52 years old, looked with satisfaction at the vigor and vitality of the young nobles when hunting. He smiled and nodded, walked into the nursery and touched his youngest son's head.

The fiscal revenue in the account books increased year by year, the goods on the market were abundant, and the issue of succession that had worried him for a long time seemed to have taken a turn for the better. Louis XI was in a very good mood.

After the Hundred Years' War between England and France, the Kingdom of France, which had won a complete victory, began to recover rapidly. It had not suffered any major disasters for more than ten years. There was abundance and warmth everywhere. The two generations of monarchs, Charles VII and Louis XI, revitalized this country that seemed to have been powerful in different ways.

In terms of politics, military affairs and people's livelihood, Charles VII was obviously more outstanding. The victory in the Hundred Years' War crowned him as the "victor". His preferential treatment to meritorious officials and generals and his tolerance to ordinary farmers earned him an excellent reputation. Countless poets praised his prestige and countless people voluntarily built monuments for him.

However, in diplomacy and economics, his "rebellious son" Louis XI was better.

In diplomacy, Louis XI adopted a high-pressure policy towards the nobles and was ruthless to the rebels. He spent half his life using extremely cruel means, and through a series of means such as marriage, claims, and extermination of families, one feudal territory after another returned to the hands of the king. To this day, except for the great princes such as Burgundy, Brittany, and Provence, the territory of France has basically been "made up" by Louis XI. Except for Burgundy, the other two basically have no ability to resist, nor much motivation to resist.

The economic achievements of Louis XI were even more remarkable. Long before the Eastern Roman Empire began its capitalization reforms, this gifted king had launched a vigorous reform, promoting citizen officials, checking feudal forces, forcing the church to disclose its property, suppressing the clergy, developing handicraft workshops, empowering big capitalists and national capitalists, and promoting the commodity economy.

Louis XI's closeness to capitalists made France's commodity economy advance by leaps and bounds. The workshop industries in cities such as Paris and Lyon prospered rapidly. Industries including printing, textiles, brewing, and iron smelting all received strong support. The spring breeze of the Renaissance blew from the coast to the inland, from big cities to small villages. France's huge population of more than 10 million was gradually awakening and moving towards nationalism and capitalism.

However, to ordinary people, the spring breeze brought by Louis XI was bitterly cold. There was no supply from the colonies and no exploitation of outsiders. France's primitive accumulation of capitalism relied on the blood and sweat of its own people. Louis XI's taxes were much higher than Charles VII's. The capitalists would not give up the readily available monetary benefits because of the so-called brotherhood. The exploitation of the lower-class people was happening every second. Louis XI not only did not implement any protection measures, but provided legal assistance and moral support to the exploiters.

Of course, in this era, as long as people can still have food to eat, not many people would be willing to rise up and raise the banner of rebellion. After more than ten years of bumper harvests, the lives of the French people are still acceptable.

In addition to diplomacy and economy, Louis XI also achieved remarkable results in education and science and technology. He not only invited many well-known scholars to Paris to give lectures, but also continued to learn scientific and technological achievements from various European countries. The first bone meal fertilizer factory has been opened in Paris, and the keel of the first improved caravel has been built in the shipyard. The first new mine guided by German engineers has been operating in Vichy for several years.

Whether it is bone meal, new mining, matchlock guns or galleons, these new technologies do not involve profound science and are difficult to hide. As long as they are put on the table, it is only a matter of time before others learn them.

If we exclude Burgundy, which had officially separated from the Kingdom of France, France at that time could be described as prosperous, with economic development, agricultural harvests, feudal lords in decline, and the rise of capital power. This was the trend of the times, but it was also closely related to the foresight of Louis XI.

He does not have the character or credibility of a king, but he has the talent of a king. This is Louis XI.

In the nursery of the Castle of Fontainebleau, Louis XI drank coffee and watched his little son playing, with a smile on his face growing wider.

Perhaps because of his low personal morals and the many bad things he did, Louis XI had very unhappy family affairs. He married three wives and had many children, but only a few lived beyond one year old, and most of them died in infancy.

Louis XI's first five sons all died young, and he only had two healthy daughters when he was 47 years old. The lack of an heir made many ambitious princes have different ideas, which made Louis XI worried for a time.

Louis XI came from the Valois family, a branch of the Capet family, and followed the ancient Salic Law. According to the later extension of the code, women had no right of inheritance, and the throne and land were passed down to males, not females.

The restrictions of the Salic Code on women's inheritance rights led to countless open and secret struggles among Western European countries. Historically, the shadow of this code can be seen behind the Hundred Years' War between England and France, the War of the Burgundian Succession, the Carlist War and even the Hanoverian succession dispute. It can be said that it has caused countless disasters.

Of course, to a certain extent, some provisions of the Salic Code also ensured the stability of France and other countries. Looking at the European countries, the inheritance system of the Kingdom of France can be said to be perfect, and it rarely leads to royal civil wars, which is much better than Iberia, Italy and Germany.

So, when the little prince was born in 1470 and survived successfully, Louis XI, who had a son in his old age, was very happy. He named him Charles after his father and loved him very much.

For some unknown reason, the little prince was still in poor health. Louis XI was worried all day long, fearing that something might happen to his "lifeline". He hired the best doctors for him and even sacrificed his education in order to preserve his health.

Now, Prince Charlie is four years old. Although he still falls ill from time to time, his life is saved. Louis XI still does not allow his son to receive systematic aristocratic education. Although he has hired famous teachers, he strictly controls the study time and allows his youngest son to grow up as he pleases.

There was a knock on the wooden door and the servant walked in.

"Your Majesty, Monsieur Guillaume is waiting for the Dauphin. He should be in class."

Louis XI turned around and felt a little sorry when he saw his son having fun.

"Forget about today's lessons. Let Guillaume wait. I will go to him to discuss state affairs."

Guillaume was Prince Charles's teacher, advisor to Louis XI, and a famous humanist.

After straightening his clothes, Louis XI put down his coffee and went to the reception room.

"Long time no see, Guillaume. I didn't expect you to come to Fontainebleau."

Louis XI looked at Guillaume.

"Charlie has been unwell lately, so it's better for him not to attend the course."

"Your Majesty, Prince Charles is the future King of France. We cannot neglect his education."

Guillaume said helplessly.

"A child of four, if he has no other instruction, must learn Latin, surely?"

"Let's talk about it later. You happened to be here today. I'd like to hear some ideas about the reforms you mentioned last time."

Louis XI straightened his somewhat hunched back and sat down in his seat.

"I plan to learn from the Greeks and establish a higher technical school to train skilled craftsmen for the kingdom. What do you think of this idea?"

"Shipbuilding, iron smelting, mining, textiles, all these require skilled personnel."

“It’s doable, but there are some issues you need to resolve ahead of time.”

Guillaume immediately agreed.

"First, funds. As you know, although the status of craftsmen is higher than that of farmers and laborers, it is still not comparable to that of nobles and merchants. Those who can afford to learn advanced skills are unwilling to become craftsmen, and those who are willing to become craftsmen cannot afford the tuition."

“If you just want to build an empty shell, then it loses its meaning.”

“This… you are right.”

Louis nodded at eleven.

“How did the Greeks solve it?”

“The Greek emperor directly subsidized and established royal scholarships to promote charitable education.”

Guillaume said matter-of-factly.

"They spend a lot of money on education. I suggest you also set up royal scholarships. It doesn't have to be as much as the Greek emperors, but at least you have to provide some opportunities for ordinary citizens."

"Sure, but I'm afraid the farmers will have to suffer again."

Louis XI pursed his lips.

At this time, France had just established a foothold in the New World. The French Columbia colony was just a small village, the fur trade had just started, and the finances still relied mainly on agricultural taxes. If it wanted to support secondary industry, it would inevitably have to sacrifice agriculture.

"They've all had good harvests in recent years, so it shouldn't be a problem for them to pay more taxes, right?"

"Of course, no problem. When the French peasants see the increasingly better cities and more and more workshops, they will surely sing praises to your merits from the bottom of their hearts."

Guillaume said firmly.

"You have to know that the bourgeoisie represents advancement and progress. They know that they are French and are willing to devote their lives to the future of France. But the peasants are different. They are stubborn, closed and numb. For them, it doesn't really matter who is the master."

Louis XI glanced at him and said nothing more.

Humanists at this time generally had an inherent sense of arrogance and always maintained an indifferent attitude towards the lower-class peasants. They often had a high opinion of themselves and might have a good opinion of the urban middle class, but they would never think that the poor peasants in the countryside were their own kind.

Seeing that Louis XI had a blank expression on his face, Guillaume insisted on his opinion.

"Your Majesty, if you think what I said is wrong, then go and take a look at the western border of the Greeks. There are more than 10,000 Christians, most of whom are Italian and Spanish peasants. They have no feelings for their country and nation. All they want is more land and less taxes."

"What about the second question?"

Louis XI ignored him and changed the subject.

"Second, advanced technology and advanced models. You can actually see this. In the past, Italy represented the most advanced technology, but now it has become Greece. You can send spies to Constantinople to see how they carry out handicraft production and how they train skilled craftsmen."

Guillaume said.

"Well, very good. I have already ordered someone to do it. The last reply said that the Greeks invented concrete buildings, which is also very advanced and worth learning."

Louis nodded eleven times.

“Third, there are still too few workshops, the power of the bourgeoisie is still not strong enough, and the handicraft tradition is not strong enough.”

Guillaume looked Louis XI in the eyes.

"I remember you once did some statistics. Although the Greeks are far less populous than us, their overall number of workshops is roughly the same as ours, and they are surpassing us at a very fast pace."

"We are talking privately. There is no need to include the workshops in Burgundy and Brittany."

Louis XI said stiffly.

"To be clear, we no longer have as many workshops as the Greeks, but according to statistics, our production of some products is slightly higher than theirs."

"Yes, this is because you have more people and family workshops still account for a large proportion."

Guillaume said.

"It has been proven that family workshops are not conducive to the progress of handicrafts. I suggest that you follow the example of the Greeks and enact a bill to gradually eliminate family workshops and allow more farmers to work in factories."

"No, it will cause civil unrest."

Louis XI frowned and refused on the spot.

"The main reason why the Greeks could do this is because they had a vast land area and a sparse population, so they could distribute more land to farmers, allowing them to become de facto agricultural workers and focus on producing agricultural products."

"The Greek emperor issued a series of supporting laws to transform handicraft production from family workshops to urban workshops. We don't have the financial resources or energy to do so."

"Moreover, the Greeks' large farms had an important prerequisite, which was the rapid breakthrough in agricultural technology and the large-scale enrichment of agricultural livestock."

Louis XI put his hand on his forehead.

"That blue liquid can eliminate pests, freeing up the labor of pest control. The fertilizer produced by the factory can also greatly increase the output of the land. The enrichment of livestock will reduce the number of people needed for a single piece of land."

"I have never been able to steal the production method of the blue liquid. I also don't have the phosphate and platinum ores needed for the factory's fertilizer. I still can't reach their level of fertilizer using only bone meal."

Louis XI waved his hand in annoyance.

"Our agricultural production has always been based on small-scale farming. The population is too large and too dense. We cannot just copy the Greek methods."

"You're right, I was impatient."

Guillaume was silent.

"It's okay, take your time, we have enough population and far more choices than the Greeks."

Louis XI smiled and patted Guillaume on the shoulder.

"There is one more thing. The English have not been very honest recently. King Edward has been bewitched by the Burgundians and has started to bring up the issue of the French throne again."

"I have asked several nobles, but I am not satisfied with their opinions. I would like to hear your opinion as an advanced scholar."

Guillaume was stunned and began to think. "Your Majesty, I am just a teacher and I don't really understand these things."

“But I think we should never confront it head on.”

"Well, so what to do?"

Louis XI agreed with this.

"Since you are not satisfied with the nobles' suggestions, you must have your own ideas."

Guillaume shrugged.

"I just think that you have always focused on diplomacy and economy. Our reform has just begun. If we start a war, everything will be ruined."

"Besides, the war in Iberia hasn't started yet, and I think you probably don't want to get entangled with the English."

"Haha, you do understand."

Louis XI chuckled.

"According to intelligence, Edward's intention to send troops is not strong, and there is endless debate in the country about restarting the war. I plan to bribe them with money and benefits, and by the way, put an end to this century-long war."

"My son Charlie is very intelligent. Edward's daughter would be happy to be his wife, right?"

"Good idea. If you trust me, I can go to London as an envoy."

Guillaume jumped at the chance.

"In addition to getting King Edward to give up his fantasy of the French throne, I think you have to persuade him to give up his alliance with the Burgundians."

"Yes, this is also one of my main purposes."

Louis XI's eyes flickered.

"Since the Battle of Beauvais, the war situation between us and Burgundy has reversed. Even though Charles the Bold is fighting arrogantly in Lorraine, there will always be a day when he will be defeated after exhausting all his efforts."

"Charles the Bold was so confident that he thought he didn't need their help when the Greeks asked him to form an alliance. He was a complete fool!"

Louis XI stood up and stretched his muscles.

"Although I prefer to resolve disputes through diplomacy rather than war, the army is also indispensable. Please prepare a military expenditure report for me. I plan to expand the army."

"Charles the Bold is already marching towards Switzerland. I plan to send my Swiss mercenaries back to defend their homeland."

"After so many years of planning, the Burgundians have finally run into the Swiss. They will definitely suffer a crushing defeat. I say it, for sure!"

Louis XI looked at Guillaume sternly.

"I want to build a standing infantry. The Greek phalanx is very powerful. All European countries are learning from it. We can't fall behind. We have to develop our own characteristics and add cavalry!"

"You don't have to worry about the money. Burgundy has been at war for years, and the Dutch city-state they belong to has long been fed up. Many merchants have contacted me and provided me with a lot of funds, hoping that I can help get rid of their lord."

A trace of contempt appeared on Louis XI's face.

"I am France. The Burgundian rebels must be eliminated, and the separatist regimes of the princes must be resolved. Castile actually has little to do with us. All we need to do is to preserve Aragon."

"After we have done all this, we will focus on developing the economy and accumulating wealth. Wealth is the source of power!"

……

The small town of Neuss in northeastern France.

There were continuous military camps outside the town, and broken siege equipment lay crookedly beside the city walls. On the city walls, the Burgundy Cross flag was burned and thrown down, and the flag of the Duchy of Lorraine was raised again.

The smoke of gunpowder is still spreading and the flames of war are still burning. The Burgundian soldiers have wasted several months here. Although the city is crumbling, it is difficult to capture.

To the north of the city, on the road leading to the siege camp, a line of horse-drawn carriages slowly moved forward. The carriages were covered with black cloth, and under the black cloth were muskets.

A row of cavalry guards were beside the carriage team. At the front of the cavalry, a middle-aged man and the knight commander walked side by side.

The knight commander's tunic was painted with the emblem of Burgundy, and he was obviously a subordinate of Charles the Bold. The middle-aged man was not wearing armor, but the sword at his waist was engraved with the emblem of a double-headed eagle.

"Lord Malesas, we are almost there."

The Knight Commander turned his head and looked at the middle-aged man.

"Actually, you can just hand over the supplies to us. You don't have to come in person."

"There are still some things I want to discuss with your Grand Duke in person."

Malesas said calmly, narrowing his eyes and looking at the ruined city and the continuous military camps.

"It seems that the Grand Duke did not pay attention to your Majesty's warnings and threw himself wholeheartedly into this meaningless war."

Hearing this, the Knight Commander immediately frowned.

"It is our established strategy to penetrate Lorraine and connect Burgundy with the Netherlands. It is of great value."

"You are just an envoy in charge of transporting muskets. We have only signed a military and technical mutual assistance agreement. Neither you nor your emperor seems to have any reason to dictate to us, right?"

"Maybe. It's up to you."

Malesas said stiffly.

"Perhaps, as you said, we are just in a mutual assistance relationship. You helped us build the Gallipoli Artillery School, and we helped you form the musket team and provided heavy muskets."

"This is the last batch. Once it's done, our deal will be complete."

The Knight Commander nodded and looked away.

"Mr. Malesas, you have been too nosy in the past few years. You always advised the Grand Duke to act cautiously and to see the situation clearly. You said that King Louis of France is the real enemy and the rebellion of the Netherlands should not be underestimated."

"How could our Grand Duke not know these things? But his thinking is also correct, and he is just like that. The more others persuade him, the more he will stick to his own ideas."

"You may not know that your emperor wrote several letters to the Grand Duke to persuade him not to attack Lorraine and Switzerland. He was very dissatisfied with this and later stopped reading them."

The Knight Commander curled his lips.

"If that's what you're here to say, then you'd better not go to see the Grand Duke. He's in a bad mood lately."

"No, I went to explain the disadvantages of matchlock guns and large square formations. Your Grand Duke is indeed enlightened in military affairs and knows how to keep up with the times, but his love for muskets and artillery is simply superstitious."

Malesas said in a deep voice.

"The Grand Phalanx is not omnipotent, especially when your Grand Duke is preparing to march into the mountains."

"In the mountains, the artillery positions cannot be deployed, the distance between the enemy and us is too close, and the musketeers will also be restricted."

"Well, that's true, but there's nothing I can do about it. I've advised you."

The Knight Commander smiled helplessly.

"Our Grand Duke is the most sincere, brave, honorable and generous nobleman in the world. His only shortcoming is his stubbornness."

"Speaking of bravery, did your Grand Duke personally take part in the battle again?"

Malesas looked at the flags on the camp.

"Yes, the Grand Duke believes that this can inspire the enthusiasm and sense of honor of the soldiers."

The Knight Commander nodded immediately, obviously thinking this was a rare and excellent virtue.

"Besides, the Grand Duke is the bravest warrior in Burgundy!"

"A warrior? Our emperor rarely goes into battle himself, and even when he does, he never leads the charge. But no one can deny his bravery."

Malesas shook his head.

"As a monarch, always putting yourself in danger is irresponsible to the entire people."

"Humph, this is exactly why His Excellency the Grand Duke doesn't like you very much."

The Knight Commander glanced at Malesas.

"Our Grand Duke is not Władysław III of Poland and Hungary. He grew up in war since he was young. In terms of bravery and horsemanship, few can compare to him!"

Malesas was speechless. He waved his hand and stopped talking.

During the years he served as the Eastern Roman Empire's special envoy to Burgundy, Malesus had a profound understanding of the vigor and recklessness of this emerging country. From the Grand Duke to the knights, everyone wanted to establish merit on the battlefield, took pride in fearlessness and were ashamed of living a cowardly life. They possessed the dual attributes of bravery and recklessness.

A monarch with outstanding abilities can shape the character of the entire nation to a certain extent. Under the leadership of Charles the Bold, most authentic Burgundians were brave and aggressive, respected honor, and looked down on those who played power and money, including merchants and capitalists in the Netherlands, and King Louis XI of France.

Malesas felt that those people looked down upon by the Burgundians should also include his emperor and his nation, but they did not say it explicitly because of their relatively friendly relationship.

Malesas was initially sent to Burgundy as a military adviser. In the initial period, he faithfully performed his duties and made many suggestions to Charles the Bold. The latter always valued plans for military reform, but disdained suggestions on strategic deployment and stubbornly insisted on his own judgment.

Now, Malesus no longer wasted his efforts. He lowered his position and honestly served as a bridge of communication between the Eastern Roman arms dealers and the Duchy of Burgundy, occasionally giving advice on matters concerning the phalanx.

By the end of 1474, Charles the Bold's plan had been half realized. The city of Metz had been captured by him, and most of the Duchy of Lorraine fell under the iron hoof of Burgundy. The army moved from north to south, getting closer and closer to the old land of Burgundy, and was only one step away from the strategic city of Nancy.

However, under the manipulation of Louis XI, the Duchy of Lorraine and the Swiss Confederation formed an alliance and continuously attacked Burgundy's food routes. Burgundy's offensive became slower and slower in winter, and would even be delayed for a long time in a small town.

After a long war, the Burgundian army was already very tired. If it were not for the personal charm of Charles the Bold and the good quality of the soldiers, they would have found it difficult to persist until today.

"What happened?"

Malesas looked at the commotion in the barracks and couldn't help but tighten his whip.

People came out of the military camp one after another. The cavalrymen led their horses and the laborers began to dismantle the tents in the camp.

The Knight Commander was also a little confused, so he rode forward and asked.

"We're getting out of here."

Returning to Malesas, the Knight Commander spoke truthfully.

"The Grand Duke is preparing to withdraw from Neuss and stop the siege."

"That's right, it should have been like this a long time ago."

Malesas breathed a sigh of relief, a smile forming on his lips.

"The Swiss' participation in the war is obviously a trap set by King Louis. If the Archduke insists on fighting, then that would be—"

"The Archduke is going to take Nancy."

Malesas' smile froze on his face.

……

In early 1475, at the instigation of King Louis XI of France, the Duchy of Burgundy and the Swiss Confederation officially became enemies. The Swiss Confederation formed an alliance with the Duchy of Lorraine and began to counter Burgundy's war of aggression.

The Burgundian Wars officially began.

(End of this chapter)

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