Unlike the Spanish, Portugal was still racking his brains to get the road to Timbuktu. Although the capital of gold Timbuktu is closer to Europe and the Portuguese seem to have taken advantage of it, in fact, it is much more difficult to get Timbuktu than to get Zimbabwe.

In this era, Zimbabwe was not strong in national strength and had little contact with the outside world. As long as the Spaniards passed through Mozambique on the coast and entered the inland along the Save River, they could contact Zimbabwe. As for the capture of Zimbabwe, it was not a problem as long as the Spaniards opened up the road. Because the military level in southern Africa was very backward at this time.

Marin read a history book in his previous life, which introduced the rise of the Zulu Kingdom. It said that the early combat weapons of black men in southern Africa were mainly javelins. After a war broke out, the black soldiers on both sides would throw javelins at each other. Whoever hits more enemies will win. Moreover, if the defeated party drops weapons when retreating, it means surrender, and the victorious party will not pursue and fight. Then, the tribe of the defeated party will leave their original resident and move to a further place. Often, after a war, there will be no casualties at all, and the tragic level cannot be as fierce as the gangsters.

Later, in the early 19th century, Zulu leader Chaka reformed this very tactic, allowing the soldiers to use short spears and shields. The shield was covered with cowhide on the wooden shelf, and its defense was very weak, and neither bows nor bullets could resist. However, it was mainly used to resist the wooden javelins of weak opponents, and it was definitely enough.

During the battle, Chaka asked his subordinates to use cowhide shield to block the enemy's wooden javelin throw, then rushed to the opponent and stabbed the enemy with a short spear. In this way, the enemy's casualties suddenly increased... With this move, Chaka founded the Zulu Kingdom and dominated the kingdom in eastern South Africa.

Of course, the Zulu Kingdom was born at the wrong time. Because they met the British Empire, which had already used rear-mounted rifles. Faced with modern rifles with extremely powerful firing speed and power, the Zulu people had to kneel even if they were crowded...

At this time, the Zimbabwe Empire, like the old black tribe before King Chaka, also mainly used the tactic of javelin throwing. At most, because of the trade with Arab merchants, there were more metal spear heads. However, once there were more casualties, it was easy to collapse.

If the Spanish army encounters, it is almost certain that the Zimbabwean army will be defeated. Therefore, Marin believes that as long as the Spanish army enters the Zimbabwe region, they can control it. Of course, the premise is that the Spanish have the energy. The Italian war is about to begin, which will definitely affect the Spanish conquest of Zimbabwe...

...

On Portugal, it is much more difficult to conquer Timbuktu. Because the Sanghai Empire, which currently controls Timbuktu, is very powerful.

Through the trade in Timbuktu, the Sanghai Empire exchanged many war horses from the Arabs in North Africa. For this reason, the Sanghai Empire had a cavalry unit of thousands of people. At most, it exceeded 10,000 people. In addition, there were infantry using spears and bows, and their troops generally exceeded 10,000.

Moreover, the current emperor of the Sanghai Empire is the wise monarch Mohamed Dur, not a foolish monarch. It was very difficult for the Portuguese to defeat such a Sanghai Empire.

If it were replaced by Spain, perhaps using elite Spanish infantry to destroy the Sanghai. It could be replaced by Portugal's land slag...

What's more, if Portugal wants to march into Timbuktu now, he must first face the Sanghai Empire, but the Mali Empire that lost Timbuktu.

Although the Mali Empire was defeated by the Sanghai Empire, it did not perish. Instead, it retreated to the southwestern part of Mali in later generations, and ruled the southwest part of the Mali Republic, most of Senegal, and Guinea. If it were war, the declining Mali Empire could have gathered tens of thousands of troops.

The Portuguese currently only occupied the coastal areas of Guinea. Although the Portuguese repelled the army of the Mali Empire on the coastal plains. However, after entering the inland, the Portuguese were stunned...

The inland Guinea is a vast rainforest. In the tropical rainforest, the combat effectiveness of Portuguese soldiers was greatly reduced, and they were also troubled by poisonous insects and humid climates. On the contrary, the soldiers of the Mali Empire were very adaptable in such an environment.

Therefore, when the Spaniards successfully came into contact with the Zimbabwe Empire, the Portuguese were still hiding and seeking with the soldiers of the Mali Empire in the tropical rainforest of Guinea. Not to mention being in front of the Sanghai Empire, they had not yet taken down the Mali Empire...

In short, the Portuguese were extremely sad. Although Timbuktu had more gold, Portugal, which had army garbage, needed to defeat the two West African empires of Sonhai and Mali in order to seize it. Anyway, in Marin's opinion, this difficulty was a bit outrageous. Even when he proposed to return Timbuktu, he was not at ease. Because he calculated that the Portuguese army was weak. If Portugal wanted to seize Timbuktu, even if Portugal consumed the whole country's strength, it might not be possible. On the contrary, Spain, which had much stronger army, was easier to do. For this reason, Marin deliberately gave Portugal the difficult task of conquering Timbuktu, and asked Spain to find the Zimbabwean Empire with much less gold.

...

The information about the contact between the Spanish and the Zimbabwe Empire was soon transmitted back to Orich through the spies planted in Spain by the North Sea Kingdom. Marin was very upset when he learned that the Spanish had used an elephant transport team to trample the tropical rainforest of Mozambique.

Originally, Marin hoped that the African rainforest, which had a very harsh environment, could stop Spain from being in a longer period of time. Unexpectedly, the other party had a sudden inspiration and actually created an elephant transportation method.

There are many benefits of elephant transportation. In addition to the large volume of cargo, it also has enough deterrent power. Faced with the elephant transport team, the old blacks in the jungle are a little guilty.

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content later! Although those old blacks have not hunted elephants. However, under normal circumstances, they dare not provoke groups of elephants. Moreover, the elephants are thick in skin, and ordinary wooden-pointed javelins and stone javelins have no effect at all. Only iron javelins can hunt elephants. The elephants, which are already difficult to deal with, are even more difficult to deal with. Therefore, the Spanish shocked the black people who made trouble in Mozambique and successfully joined the Zimbabweans.

Marin could have predicted that once the Spaniards fully develop this route, it would be time for Spain to destroy the Zimbabwean Empire...

But unfortunately, the Spaniards probably don't have much energy now. Because the French are already dealing with them...

In order to facilitate the French to conquer the Kingdom of Naples, Marin specially sent someone to send a secret letter to the Pope's father-in-law. In the secret letter, Marin asked the Pope's father-in-law not to stop the French's actions, but to give the French a convenience and allow the French to go south without obstructing them, so as not to delay the French's fighter jets.

As for the Spanish, they will hold the Holy See accountable? It doesn't exist. After all, the Holy See is now the spiritual pillar of Europe, and no one dares to offend easily. Also, it is natural that the Holy See does not dare to stop the 60,000 French troops...

The Pope is now strong and has won two wealthy republics, Florence and Siena. If the Pope sends troops to stop the French army, although it cannot be stopped, it can stop the French army for a long time. Once the French army is dragged by the Pope's army, the Spaniards will have enough time to prepare ammunition. In this way, it will be greatly increased by the difficulty of the French occupying the Kingdom of Naples...

After Marin's secret letter was sent to Rome, a reply came soon. Pope Julius II used the expedited transmission method of a carrier pigeon to ask why Marin was leaning towards France. In Julius II's opinion, France and Spain are not good things, and it is the best choice to make both sides trouble.

Marin replied and explained that if the Spaniards were prepared, it would be difficult for the French to conquer Naples. If they could not defeat Naples, the French would not be able to fall into the quagmire of war...
Chapter completed!