Chapter 41 Seeking Solo Action

The influence of the Venetians in Italy is indeed strong. Every day, new information is uploaded from the Apennine Peninsula in Italy. A lot of information was sent by businessmen from all over Italy.

In Italy, Venice is the largest merchant country. Even in other city-states, many merchants have to take goods from the Venetian merchants. Therefore, in addition to being close to Venetian rival Genoa (which is also harmonious?), most Italian businessmen have contacts with Venice and are willing to provide news to Venice.

Every morning, as a phalanx leader, Marin barely qualified to go to the coach's tent to listen to information. Intelligence from the French comes in every day.

As Marin remembered, the French were not advancing quickly. The strange thing is that June has entered the early summer. According to the characteristics of the Mediterranean climate on the Italian side, summer should be dry and hot. However, these days, it is raining in Italy, and it seems to be entering the rainy season.

When it rains, the road becomes muddy. Therefore, whether it is the French army or the anti-French coalition, the marching speed has been affected.

The Apennine Peninsula is only 1,000 kilometers long, and the city of Naples is not at the southernmost point of the peninsula. It is only 600 to 700 kilometers away from the northernmost point of the peninsula.

If Marin's "Black Cross Phalanx" marched at a speed of 50 kilometers per day, the French army could cover this distance in at most ten days.

However, the French army retreated all the way north, while also taking into account the looting of those Italian farms along the way, and by the way, looking for those Italian peasant women to rob...

Therefore, the marching speed of the French army is not fast. It can be expected that they will indeed arrive near Parma in early July, as in history.

Seeing that the French did not rush north because of their crossing, Marin breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he paid more attention to participating in the interception of the French army.

Although it is said that even if the French army is eliminated this time, it will not have much impact on the national strength of France. However, if this battle defeats the French army, it can greatly reduce the morale of the French.

You must know that in war, especially in the era when cold weapons are the mainstream, morale is very important in combat. An army with high morale can completely overwhelm an army with more people than itself, but with low morale. On the contrary, morale is low, and no matter how many people are, it is dangerous.

In the original history, although Charles VIII did not take too much advantage in the Battle of Fornovo, this battle proved that even if the French army was on the way to retreat north in a hurry, they could still beat the Italians to the point where they could not take care of themselves. The casualty ratio of the French and Italian allied forces in the war was 1:2). Therefore, the French are naturally very confident and have invaded Italy many times since then.

Of course, all of the above is false. What Marin really wanted was to make a name for himself by battering the French. Then, rely on military exploits to exchange with the emperor for a higher title.

After all, the title of knight is too low and cannot be hereditary. Every generation needs to be re-canonized by the lord. The barons above the knights are hereditary, and there is no need to go to the canonization once every generation.

However, what makes Marin depressed is that the 11,000 people sent by the Shinra Empire, as well as the 4,000 Italian small state troops attached to Shinra, under the leadership of the reluctant Count Alfred, have fallen behind Italy. There are many coalition forces. According to Count Alfred, he was waiting for the emperor to come and lead the group.

But Marin knew for a long time that the emperor would not come back any time soon. You know, the emperor's current situation is very bad. In the Holy Roman Empire, only the nobles of the Swabian League and the Duke of Saxony and other minorities supported him, while other powerful princes and their younger brothers worked together desperately to stop the Habsburg family and prevent the Habsburgs. Families are too powerful, thereby weakening and depriving them of their right to self-government.

At present, the dukes and earls of the Shinra Empire are basically equivalent to the emperors of the soil in their own territory. But if the Habsburgs become strong, they will take back some of their rights,

They are definitely not happy. You know, this is a precedent. It has been issued before and it is similar to Shinra, it is a sub-enfeoffment system with decentralized rights. However, after the efforts of previous generations of French kings, France has gradually embarked on the road of centralization. And Maximilian I, very envious of the authority of the French king, had a good intention in this regard. And this made the princes in the Shinra Empire very worried, and they were not willing to be deprived of their authority. Therefore, they tried their best to stumble upon Maximilian I and prevent the Habsburgs from becoming too powerful.

Maximilian I had long been prepared to oppose the French invasion of Italy, but the dukes in Shinra turned a blind eye to the French invasion of Italy. After all, it was not the Shinra Empire that was invaded. Although, some Italian states also belonged to the Shinra Empire in the past. But later, Shinra focused on the affairs of the German region, and with the agreement with the Pope, he had long stopped asking about the affairs of the Italian region. For the threat of the French, the dukes and counts were more worried about the threat of the Habsburgs. Therefore, it was too difficult for Maximilian I to ask them for help.

The Emperor didn't come, and Count Alfred didn't seem to be willing to move either. After all, the Count also knew in his heart that in terms of talent, he could not do it. But when it comes to loyalty, Count Alfred has nothing to say. Therefore, the count honestly led the army behind the main force of the coalition and waited for the emperor to lead them.

However, the Earl can wait, but Marin can't. He also hoped that this battle would be a success. If you can't even participate in the battle, then this trip to Italy will be in vain. Therefore, he must find a way to participate in that battle...

However, it was not realistic to convince Count Alfred to lead the army to Parma and join the coalition. The count himself did not like the Italians, and wanted to be loyal and wait for the return of the emperor. No matter how urged by the Marquis of Mandova and others, he just refused to go south.

In fact, both the Marquis of Mandovan and the Venetians hoped that Shinra's army would go to fight the French together. Because the Italians themselves know that the German army is more effective than the Italian army. Therefore, they repeatedly invited the earl to lead his troops south.

However, the Italians are not the coaches of the coalition forces, and Count Alfred actually looks down on the Italians in his heart. Therefore, the Shinra army is still far away from the Italian coalition.

Marin thought about it, and decided to take the initiative to ask the war to "assist" the Italian coalition. However, how to tell the count is a big problem.

After much inquiries, Marin learned that Earl Alfred had no ambitions and was not very feminine. However, there is a preference for money.

In desperation, Marin decided to put aside his principles for the time being, and do a few robbery in order to collect enough money to bribe the Earl. According to the earl's servant who was bought, it is estimated that more than 1,000 ducats (Venice gold coins) gold coins are required to buy the earl.

In order to collect enough money, Marin selected a group of subordinates in the army who were obedient to his own words, about 100 people, led by Sauer, all covered with black cloth, at night, on the border of Venice, where they were stationed, did a few votes Robbery. Soon, Marin had 1,000 gold coins and 5,000 silver coins.

Marin gave 1,000 ducats to Count Alfred and asked to go south to support the Italian coalition. Count Alfred was already greedy for money, and he was bothered by the Italians' "relief", so it would be better to send a phalanx to "reinforce". So, the earl agreed to Marin's request and issued a document asking Marin to lead the "Black Cross Phalanx" to the south to reinforce the Italians and accept the dispatch of the Marquis of Mandoba.

At this point, it was already June 20, and it was a short time before the outbreak of the Battle of Fornovo. After Marin received the transfer order, he immediately moved his army south.

However, Marin did not intend to go to the Italian coalition, but wanted to act alone. Therefore, his march was also concealed, not taking the Roman road, but taking a more remote road. And these roads, Saul had explored before.

Marin believes that if he rushes to the Italian coalition with the paperwork, there will be no good fruit to eat. Because, those Italians who are greedy for life and fear of death may arrange their own phalanx to act as cannon fodder and go to the front line to fight with the French.

Moreover, once accepted the leadership of the Marquis of Mandoba, then, he could not help himself. Because, once under the command of the Marquis of Mandoba, it cannot act without authorization. Otherwise, they violated military regulations and sent troops without authorization, and they would be executed if they were serious, or crippled by military sticks if they were light.

However, he was "instructed to help" the Italians, and he was free before his phalanx reached the Italian camp. Because he is the commander of this phalanx. The only trouble is the three "sands" mixed with the Emperor and the Earl of Hohenzollern in the phalanx. They may be dissatisfied with their failure to obey orders, or even tell their secrets afterwards.

But Marin didn't care about their whistleblowing, because even if the three of them snitched, they would have to wait until after the war. In the army, they can be dissatisfied, but they dare not disobey. Otherwise, Marin has every right to do them. Even if you can't kill them, you can temporarily imprison them. Moreover, the three of them did not have a good grasp of their own company. Because, Marin also mixed his own "sand" in their company.

The three knights who were sent to be company captains had their own followers. Of the 10 teams under their command, 5 were naturally their own squires. The remaining five were all assigned by Marin. The knight's attendants naturally follow the knight closely, but the team leaders assigned by Marin will also follow Marin closely. Usually, when he was free, Marin openly invited the captains who had been mixed into the company of the other three knights to drink and eat meat. There was nothing the three knights could do about it. Because, Marin used the name of "invite old brothers to get together", how can you stop him? Moreover, Marin's willingness to let them control half of the warriors under his command is already a face for the emperor and the earl...

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