Ludovico Sforza's escape without fighting actually made Louis XII a little at a loss. However, if you think about it carefully, this situation is normal. Who said that the French sent out an army of 60,000? Is this the first time in history?
Faced with these 50,000 or 60,000 troops, let alone Ludovico Sforza, a mere Duke of Milan, even the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I would be afraid when he saw it.
If Ludovico Sforza hadn't been hiding in the Mistel Valley last time, Ludovico Sforza might not have given up on Milan's escape so easily. The experience of successfully escaping last time and returning quickly made Ludovico Sforza see hope and decided to use the same trick again.
After all, there is no chance of winning if you fight France's 60,000 troops head-on...
Although the Principality of Milan also recruited 30,000 troops to fight, it was on the premise that it was learned that the other side had only 30,000 troops. If it was a 60,000 army, I'm sorry, Ludovico Sforza would have no confidence. After all, the French army has always been stronger than Italian mercenaries. 6,000 French troops, and can be used as 120,000 Italian mercenaries. How can Ludovico Sforza be called unafraid?
Moreover, if the French target is really the Principality of Milan, there is no problem with Ludovico Sforza's choice. Isn't it a fool to fight even though he knows that he will lose.
However, when the French attacked the Principality of Milan was a guise, he abandoned the city and fled, but he was even more foolish than a fool...
John Rafi, who followed Louis XII south to Italy, was dark-faced - Damn, he was backfiring now! If I had known, I would have sent someone to notify Ludovico Sforza first...
...
However, Ludovico Sforza did more than one ridiculous thing...
After abandoning Milan City to flee to the Mistyre Valley Camp in Switzerland, Ludovico Sforza suddenly discovered that the valley camp seemed to not accommodate too many troops. Moreover, with a large army of 30,000, the money and food consumption was really huge. So he actually dismissed 22,000 troops, leaving only 8,000 elite troops to stay in the Mistyre Valley...
So, shortly after Louis XII reluctantly brought the 60,000 troops into the city of Milan, he encountered 22,000 Italian mercenaries who had received the severance fee from the Mistyre Valley with a confused look on his face...
Louis XII was stunned at first, then ecstatic. Then he sent someone to call the leaders of the 22,000 Italian mercenaries, intending to hire them...
...
John Rafi was so angry that he almost jumped up and cursed - Damn, Ludovico Sforza, you are a pig head, you lost Milan City for nothing, and you even sent a 22,000 army to France for nothing. Are you a pig?
Originally, the reason why Louis XII hesitated was that he was afraid that the French army would decline after division of troops and would be difficult to successfully conquer the Kingdom of Naples. After all, in the Battle of Capitanata, the French were defeated by the Spanish.
Moreover, this time the attack on the city of Naples was mainly a siege. In terms of military strategy, "ten encirclements" means that it is best to siege the city ten times the force.
At present, there are about 10,000 troops in the city of Naples, which is relatively elite. In order to conquer Naples, Louis XII had to bring 60,000 troops to attack the city to ensure success.
Of course, the 20,000 French knights would definitely not be used for early sieges. Because it would be given to the musketeers of the Naples defenders as a target.
Now, 22,000 Italian mercenaries came to the door, and Louis XII smiled so much that his mouth was crooked. Why? Because he found his ideal siege cannon fodder...
Originally, Louis XII brought 40,000 infantry to consume the small amount of gunpowder reserves in Naples. Now, with Italian mercenaries there, he could send a few less French people to death. As for the Italian mercenaries killed by the muskets of the defenders? Those Italian men died, Louis XII would not feel distressed...
So, Ludovico Sforza's behavior of dismissing Italian mercenaries was even more stupid than his voluntary abandonment of Milan. It was simply giving Louis XII cannon fodder...
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Mercenaries are mercenaries, which are a group of people who are tempted by money. Such people have no faith and are profit-oriented. Therefore, the provisions of protecting captured soldiers in the Geneva Convention in later generations do not apply to them. In later generations, if mercenaries were caught, no one would blame them for killing prisoners...
When Louis XII sent a big contract, the Italian mercenaries who had planned to help Milan fight against France signed the contract. They didn't know that they were just cannon fodder used by Louis XII to consume the bullets of the defenders in Naples...
Louis XII did not spend much money to hire these 22,000 Italian mercenaries. The money hired was obtained after looting Milan...
Milan has a population of 100,000, making it the largest city in the Holy Roman Empire. Although Ludovico Sforza swept away all the money in the treasury when he withdrew, as the Duke of Milan, he was embarrassed to attack the merchants and workshop owners in Milan. After all, he still wanted to come back to rule the local area in the future.
Louis XII was different. Although he wanted to become the ruler of the Principality of Milan, it was not now. Now, no one could stop him from his determination to capture the Kingdom of Naples. Therefore, without hesitation, he ordered his trusted troops to rob the whole city in Milan and handed over half of the money he had robbed. Then, from the money handed over, he took out half to hire the 22,000 Italian mercenaries...
As for the money and food required for these 22,000 mercenaries? One reason is to grab it!
The Po River Plain where Milan City is located is the largest plain in Italy and the Italian grain production center. It would be so exciting to grab grain here...
Speaking of which, Italy is really sad. It is obviously low in latitude, and it is one of the warmest areas in Europe, with sufficient sunshine. This is a unique condition for crops that require full photosynthesis and accumulated temperature. Sadly, Italy is mainly mountainous. The entire Apennine Peninsula is obviously larger than that of the United Kingdom, but most of it is mountainous. Only a small part is coastal plains and valley plains, which can engage in agriculture. The Po River Plain north of the Apennine Peninsula is the most important granary in Italy.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! This may not be much in modern times, but in ancient times where agriculture is the best treasure land...
However, for now, the Pohe Plain is not the best treasure land. Why...there is a lack of volcanic ash here...
In this era, the Golden Basin in Sicily was the number one treasure in Italy. Because there was no need to fertilize there, crops could be produced high. Duran wheat used to make pasta in later generations was mainly produced in the Golden Basin in Sicily in this era.
The Po River Plain in the Principal of Milan actually produces wheat, but due to the low management level, the current yield is not high. At present, the most important thing here is to plant barley that is easier to manage. In addition, some rye with stronger vitality than weeds are also planted. Wheat is also planted, but the yield is generally not high. There is no way, Europeans currently do not know how to fertilize and are not good at field management, so wheat yield is very low. Only Sicily, which has fertile volcanic ash soil and the valley plains of the Kingdom of Naples can make wheat high.
Therefore, in Louis XII's view, the Po River Plain in the Principal of Milan is indeed a good place, but it is still much worse than the volcanic ash in the Kingdom of Naples. Not to mention other things, just Mount Vesuvius secretly bought by the French, so much volcanic ash can make the manor under Louis XII's name high yield on a large area. Then, a lot of money and food are obtained...
Chapter completed!