Chapter 122 Italy’s Harvest

From the port of Genoa and the traffic in northern Italy, it can be seen that this place is really prosperous. I don’t know why Italy has not been unified for hundreds of years, and it was only completed in modern times.

As for Rome, I won’t go there for the time being. What to see there, old men or triple crowns?

When it comes to Florence, what comes to mind is the red house and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The foundation of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was laid in 1296, and the outbreak of the Black Death in the autumn of 1347 forced the project to be interrupted. In 1367, a referendum decided to build an octagonal dome with a diameter of 43.7 meters and a height of 52 meters at the intersection of the nave of the church. But to this day there is no reliable plan, and the dome has not been built and is still bare.

"My lord, I assure you that you will love this place."

"I am looking forward to it very much."

The city is not only economically prosperous, but also the first uprising of hired workers against factory owners in history-the wool combers' uprising. Republican politics flourished here, and various families checked and balanced each other, far from the point of dominating one family. The famous Medici family is now just a family that runs a small bank.

In this case, the textile workers here should be happy to go to the East. Moreover, the wool combers have the lowest wages and the most difficult life. They have to work for 16 hours in a row. It is difficult for them not to immigrate under such conditions, as long as their conditions are better than theirs.

The prosperous economy not only creates a lot of wealth, but also creates a lot of poor people who work for factories and bankers in the city. They earn very little, and they are very easy to recruit.

Soon there was another round of money-spending. After all, Peter would not convince them to go to the unknown East, so they could only use coins to open the way. But the effect was not very good, because some citizens were disguised. After they got the money, they spent it in taverns and other places, contributing their own strength to the service industry in Florence.

When Peter found out, more than 2,000 gold coins had been wasted. This lesson was painful. He should go to Constantinople to recruit, at least some genuine talents.

He already knew the situation in Florence. It was a republican system like Venice and other city-states, with parliaments and debates. In short, there was nothing new. He still believed that monarchy was the only way out, and the current republic could only come to an end.

According to Machiavelli's point of view, 1. The army and the law are the basis of power.

2. The monarch should have absolute power, focus on strength, and be proficient in military affairs.

3. The monarch should not be bound by any moral code. He only needs to consider whether the effect is beneficial, not whether the means are harmful. He can be kind on the outside and treacherous on the inside, or he can imitate foxes and lions, and can be both cunning and cruel.

4. The monarch can be an enemy of the nobles, but not of the people.

5. The monarch should not seek fame and focus on reality. Cruelty and kindness, stinginess and generosity, should all be based on reality. A wise monarch would rather be ridiculed for stinginess than be praised for generosity.

In summary, forming a strong country is in line with the trend, which is the case with Britain and France, and Wallachia. Only a city-state like Venice will oppose it.

Turn the church into an organization that obeys the king's orders; weaken the power of the great nobles; establish a standing army, strengthen the military power of the king, and ensure internal rule and external expansion. These are all things that the city-state cannot do.

Peter also paid attention to the situation in Wallachia. After learning that Patriarch Bucuriesti was officially recognized by Constantinople, the plan to use religion for expansion could be expanded.

"How are they progressing in Sicily and Naples?"

Peter asked about the progress of the Andre Society, and his men brought him very good news. They have developed hundreds of believers in Palermo, and also have a church and two lecture halls.

"So fast?"

"Really, sir, since that war, some people in Sicily have been disappointed with those nobles."

Peter was right. Sicily still has some religious foundations. If it can be used, returning to Italy is not a delusion.

But Florence is not going to be thought of for the time being, it's too far away.

In addition to economy and culture, Florence also has some mercenaries, all from the Holy Roman Empire and France. Although they are famous, their combat effectiveness is hard to describe. In a word: they will work hard for whoever has more money, and they will work three times as hard. It is normal for them to turn against their own side at a critical moment, not to mention the situation where they work but do not work hard.

Speaking of mercenaries, Swiss and German mercenaries are the best. They are not only highly combat-capable, but also very loyal. What are the Italian mercenaries? Not good.

Peter was sitting in a gorgeous carriage. He was looking at the scenery and people of Florence from the window, and was still thinking about how to transfer more craftsmen to Wallachia. But when the carriage was moving, a person was staring at him.

He had already inquired that it was the people in this carriage who spent a lot of money to recruit workers and craftsmen. This made some people resign from his two wool workshops, which was really intolerable.

However, he has made a lot of money in the past few years. Taking this opportunity, he plans to open a bank. Because the financial industry is the fastest way to make money.

"Well, I don't know if I can find a noble marriage. Although Cosimo is young, he will eventually grow up."

The nobles look down on those nouveau riche. In order to enter the upper class, they will marry the declining nobles with rich gifts. This way, they can enter the aristocratic class. This is also what the wool shop owner thinks.

Peter spent the longest time in northern Italy. He basically understood the situation here and recorded it in a book. He was familiar with the culture and trade of each city, which broadened his horizons.

The ship built in Genoa has also been completed. This ship uses the most advanced technology and defense weapons, so there is no need to worry about being robbed by pirates. At the same time, the ship is full of goods.

Woolen cloth, carpets, spices, copper and iron products, etc. are all famous specialties of various city republics. It should be good to give them to domestic nobles.

For the next two months, Peter spent time on this ship. He came to Naples and Sicily, and almost checked in all the important cities in Italy. Then he came to the last stop in Italy-Venice.

As the overlord of the Eastern Mediterranean and the ruler of three-eighths of Rome, Venice's power is very important in the Mediterranean. They even placed the things they robbed from Constantinople at the door of St. Mark's Basilica to show their strength.

Peter looked at the stone statue in front of the church. It was from Hagia Sophia, but now it is here. This is a blasphemy against the Orthodox Church and a demonstration against Wallachia, the quasi-successor of Rome. Just wait, one day he will take these back, and it will be the Venetians who will do it.