When it comes to Mexico, the first thing that comes to mind in later generations is gangs and crimes. After all, Mexico in later generations is really too chaotic.
But in history, Mexico is a very important place. This is the country of silver...
Once upon a time, the Mexican Eagle Ocean was the most important currency in the world trade market. In addition to gold coins, the silver coins were the strongest. This silver dollar was once the main currency for trade between Europe and the Ming Empire. Even the Dutch, the Spanish archenemy, had to exchange the Mexican Eagle Ocean for settlement with the Ming Dynasty smuggling merchants. Because their own silver coins were too low to be recognized by the Ming Dynasty smuggling merchants.
Mexico has extremely rich silver reserves, and once accounted for about one-third of the world's production for a long time. Together with Peru, it accounts for most of the world's silver production.
Marin wanted to occupy and develop the silver mines in Peru. After all, the Potosi silver mine was also very famous. However, it was very troublesome to go to the Inca Empire in Peru. Because the Peruvian plateau was relatively far away, it was not convenient to dispatch troops.
Mexico, which is also a major silver-producing country, is relatively close, and is only one strait away from the Cuban colony in Marin. It is very convenient and fast to send troops from Cuba to Mexico.
Although the Inca Empire in Peru is not too far from the saltpeter mine in the northern desert of Chile. However, it is too troublesome to get from the local area and transport supplies. Therefore, it is better to develop Mexico, which is right next to Cuba.
How much silver does Mexico have? Although Mexico's silver reserves in later generations have dropped to the sixth position in the world, it is not as much as China's silver, and far less than Peru. However, that was when Mexico's silver was mined for hundreds of years.
You should know that from the 16th to the 19th century, Mexico had minted 3 billion eagle oceans alone. There were nearly 400 million Mexican eagle oceans circulated in China in 1910. According to the calculation that each eagle ocean contains 24.4 grams of silver, 3 billion eagle oceans contained as much as 73,200 tons. Moreover, this is just to calculate the silver that was cast into eagle oceans, and those made into other currencies or silverware have not been counted...
Even so, the silver reserves in Mexico in later generations were still as high as 37,000 tons. Moreover, the earlier it was mined, it proved that the shallower the burial of the Mexican silver mine was and easier to discover.
Because, in the past, silver is an expensive currency. If silver mines could be discovered, people would definitely not let them go and they would have been working hard to mine them long ago. For example, the top silver mine in the world, Ishimi Yinshan, was discovered in the Warring States Period, and the owners kept mining until they were exhausted.
Therefore, the silver ore discovered in later generations is basically difficult to explore, and is even buried several thousand meters underground. Otherwise, it would have been developed long ago.
Of course, that is all the future, and the far water cannot save the near fire. What Marin is most urgent now is to need a large amount of silver to alleviate the shortage of precious metals. At the same time, it is necessary to solve the problem of trade with the Ming Dynasty.
According to historical records, in history, after Cortez entered the Aztec Empire in 1519, he held the Aztec emperor hostage and extorted gold and silver worth millions of pesos. It can be seen that in this era, Mexico produced a large amount of silver.
It is said that after Cortez occupied Tenochitelland (the later Mexico City), a mint was quickly established in the city. It can be seen that there is a large silver mine near Tenochitelland. If Marin sent troops to occupy this place, the silver mine could be developed immediately.
However, it seems that Cortez did not win by his strength...
If Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire by his courage and lack of intentions, he scared away the soldiers of the Inca Empire with his cavalry, then Cortez occupied Mexico, which was much higher than Pizarro.
According to records, after landing in Mexico, the Cortez family found the daughter of a local chief as their lover and translator. Then, relying on the daughter of the Aztec chief who converted to Catholicism and named Marina as a medium, Cortez contacted the enemies of the Aztecs and attacked the Aztec Empire together.
Because, relying on its strong strength, the Aztec Empire often hunted people from other tribes and used them as sacrifices for living people. It was very cruel. Those who were afraid of being captured by the Aztecs as sacrifices were killed by the Aztecs, who were gathered together by Cortez to deal with the Aztec Empire together. If Cortez alone had no choice but to defeat the Aztec Empire. After all, the Aztec Empire could beat the tribes around them to be called fathers, and their strength should not be underestimated.
Also, the Aztecs actually believed in an unreliable legend called "White God", regarded robbers such as Cortez as "God's Messenger", and were then obscene.
Thanks to Cortez's white appearance, if he had changed to Lao Hei to conquer him, he might have been beaten out...
...
Thinking of this, Marin suddenly did not rush to use force against Mexico immediately, but planned to do business with the Aztec Empire first. At the same time, he encouraged the Aztecs to develop silver mines on a large scale. For this reason, Marin even planned to send experts to guide the Aztecs how to develop silver mines and use modern means to smel silver.
To this end, Marin formulated a three-step strategy—
In the first step, Marin planned to send people to contact the Aztecs first and try to invade the Aztec Empire. To this end, Marin planned to find a white-looking subordinate, first learn the language of the Aztecs, then mix into the Aztecs, and guide the Aztecs to use modern means to develop silver mines and expand silver production... With the legend of "White God" as the foundation, Marin could completely let the person who sent him to call himself "the envoy" and fool the Aztecs first before talking about it...
The second step is to use some simple commodities to exchange for the Aztec silver mines after the Aztecs developed silver mines on a large scale. Marin believed that he was not as cruel as the rulers of the Aztec Empire. He asked himself to develop the Mexican silver mines. Perhaps the Aztec Empire would develop the miners as humans. However, the Aztec Empire itself would not regard the mining slaves as humans. However, this is also good, the Aztecs themselves were brutal. Just let them exploit their own people. Then, the silver produced was deceived by Marin with cheap goods...
Chapter completed!