When bullying a lord of the Gor Sect and Earl of Schaumburg, Marin's strength is obviously crushing. However, it is also politically risky. For example, it will find excuses for some hostile princes to take action.
Therefore, while bullying Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin must also be prepared to face the challenge. Of course, it is not really a fight with people, but a tough stance.
Although Marin did nothing this time and had obtained authorization from the Archbishop of Cologne, the "landlord" of Recklinhausen, Archbishop of Cologne, in order to prevent the occurrence of trouble, Marin still had to make other preparations. For example, he needed to pose as if he was ready to deal with the invasion of the coalition forces of the princes at any time and said, "I am not afraid of you."
Therefore, while putting pressure on Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin also publicly recruited national men to vigorously repair several key cities such as Orich, Emden, Groningen, Oldenburg, and Schleswig, and made a stance to prepare to fight against others.
At the same time, Malin also showed off all the 20,000 militias he had secretly recruited, and combined with the more than 20,000 regular troops in his country, the size of the Beihai Kingdom's army reached a terrifying level.
The size of the army of more than 40,000 people is enough to fight against any country in Germany, and is confident of victory. Even if you face the coalition of princes, you may have problems with the attack, but you can stick to important cities.
After all, there are only a few dozen of the two or three hundred princes in Germany that have truly touched the army in large numbers. Moreover, some of them are part of the Habsburg family. So, the remaining princes can theoretically touch more than 200,000 troops. However, this is only theoretically. Because these countries also have to leave the army to protect themselves, it is impossible to send all the troops to attack Marin.
So, after all, the coalition of princes dispatched at most tens of thousands of people. So many people seem scary, but considering their combat effectiveness, they may not be stronger than Malin's more than 40,000 people.
The most important thing is that if Marin chooses to defend the city, it will offset the opponent's numerical advantage. Coupled with the difference in combat effectiveness, the coalition of princes may not be able to conquer the Beihai Kingdom.
Moreover, the coalition of princes may not be united. The princes obviously have their own plans and will not be stupid enough to send their own troops to fight with Malin.
A very obvious example is that the 18 princes of the Three Kingdoms period attacked Dong Zhuo. Although the overall strength of the coalition forces was stronger, because everyone had their own thoughts, Dong Zhuo's troops retreated safely...
As long as Marin acts as a tough stance, the other party will definitely have some concerns. Moreover, compared with the alliance between the Beihai Kingdom and the Habsburg family, the interests of the small vassal forces of Gomen and Schaumburg are obviously not very important.
Therefore, Malin publicly announced the recruitment of strong men to repair several major cities and practice defending the city. This was actually just a kind of political fraud, not really trying to turn against the princes.
After all, it is too important for Marin to obtain the Ruhr area. If you can get the core area of ​​the Ruhr area, it is worth it even if you take some risks.
In order to let the princes of various countries know Marin's attitude as soon as possible before the imperial meeting was held, Marin directly sent a large number of subordinates to various important cities in Germany to purchase saltpeter or finished gunpowder-equipped gunpowder.
While acquiring, these people will also convey a message to people-Beihai Kingdom has been prepared to stick to it for a long time...
In this way, the princes who were about to attend the meeting would also learn about Malin's attitude as soon as possible...
...
Although Recklinhausen is not small in size, it is only part of the area between the Ruhr and the Lipper River. In addition to the land between the two rivers of the Markber Kingdom obtained by Marin, as well as Recklinhausen, there are also two empire cities such as Dortmund and Essen, as well as the River East region of the Cliver Kingdom and an enclave in the Ruhr River north of the Berg Principality.
Therefore, if Marin wants to occupy most of the coal-producing areas in the Ruhr area, he still needs to take over the enclave in the Hedong area of ​​the Principal of Clifford and the north of the Ruhr River in the Principal of Berg. There are also two imperial cities, Dortmund and Essen.
However, Marin had already planned to seize the two imperial cities of Dortmund and Essen during the religious war. Therefore, what Marin had to do now is to take over the land east of the Rhine River in the Principal of Clifford and the enclave north of the Ruhr River in the Principal of Berg.
The land in the east of the Rhine River, south of the Liper River, and north of the Ruhr River is about four or five hundred square kilometers, only smaller than Recklinhausen.
It was an important agricultural area of ​​the Principality of Cliver. After all, the land was extremely fertile. It was quite difficult to give up this land by Duke John II of Cliver.
The enclave in the north of the Ruhr River in the Principal of Berg is less than 100 square kilometers. On this land, there is only an important town in Mirheim on the Ruhr River. At present, Mirheim is not even a city, but can only be regarded as a prosperous market town. Therefore, Marin has enough confidence to take down the land of Mirheim. Moreover, this also conforms to the principle of easy first and difficult later.
For this purpose, Marin sent representatives to Yulich City to find William IV, Duke Yulich Berger, and discuss related matters about the purchase of the town of Millheim.
However, because of the harsh spending, Marin now has no cash in hand. After all, in this era, Europe lacked precious metals such as gold and silver, otherwise it would not have been a big voyage. Therefore, Marin hopes that this acquisition can use grain as a means of payment.
William IV initially rejected Marin's acquisition because he thought it was good to keep the status quo.
He had no ambitions because he had no male heirs. As early as 1496, William IV formed an alliance with Duke of Cliffer John II. The two sides agreed that John II, the 6-year-old son of Duke of Cliffer, and Maria of William IV's 5-year-old daughter, Yulich Berger. When the two little babies got married at the age of age, the four major vassal states controlled by both sides merged...
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content later! The reason for this is that William IV fell off a horse and was injured in the year of 1496, and her balls were damaged, so she could no longer produce offspring. Therefore, William IV could only accept the fate of no male heir and signed a marriage contract with John II, Duke of Cliver.
From then on, William IV's life had no hope. He lived in fine wine and food every day and no longer sought the imperial hegemony. Because he had no male heirs anyway. What if he obtained more territory? Isn't it cheap for the Ramak family?
Therefore, William IV now has no desires and no desires and does not care about any interests. Even if Marin offered a high price, he didn't care much...
When Marin heard the messenger's reward, he was speechless and felt very difficult. In this world, he was not afraid of people having ideas and desires, but he was afraid of that person having no ideas. The ancients said that without desires, he was tough. Facing the desireless William IV, Marin was also a little blind... What can you do when facing a person who doesn't want any benefits?
But the geographical location of Mirheim is very important. It guards the lower reaches of the Ruhr River and is a must-pass place to enter the Rhine channel. Moreover, it is right next to the imperial city of Essen...
The city of Essen was famous in later generations of Germany. Because it was the location of the world-renowned Krupp Arsenal...
The Krupp cannon is a super famous thing in China. That thing was basically regarded as a magic weapon by the Qing Dynasty. Of course, the Krupp cannon is indeed awesome. At least the Germans used the Krupp cannon to beat France to the point of urination...
Before World War I and II, including during the German Empire, Essen was always the center of German military manufacturing.
Moreover, unlike Mauser, which specializes in producing rifles, Krupp has large-scale and advanced steel plants as support. Even the German Navy uses Krupp armor of Krupp Steel.
It can be said that the World War I and World War II provoked by the Germans would be difficult to fight without the support of Essen's strong military production capacity. Marin naturally coveted Essen, a world-class arms center in later generations.
Moreover, Essen did not become a military manufacturing center in later generations. According to historical records, Essen became a famous German military manufacturing center in the 16th century.
It is exactly the 16th century, and it is also the time when Essen entered the military manufacturing industry. And according to the reports of intelligence personnel, Essen has opened the curtain for firearm manufacturing...
It is said that Essen City Hall has issued a decree to announce support for the firearm manufacturing industry and to recruit musket manufacturing craftsmen and gun casting craftsmen from all over Germany.
It is said that in Essen, there are currently 6 blacksmith shops that make grenade guns and a blacksmith shop that casts Franc cannons... and it is still increasing... In this way, the prototype of the German arms manufacturing center has been revealed, and Marin has no reason to let Essen go...
The geographical location of Millheim is very coincidental, just southwest of Essen, and it is the only way to Essen to the Ruhr River.
In this era, muskets may be transported by land. However, if artillery is transported in large scale, water routes are the best choice.
Therefore, controlling Millheim and adding the original territory of Markbour, Marin blocked the path of Essen's use of the Ruhr River to communicate with the outside world.
If Recklinhausen is included and then obtaining the land east of the Rhine from the Principal of Cliver, Marin's territory can surround Essen. At that time, Marin can only set up a checkpoint to block the road to connect Essen and the outside world. If Essen resists, it would be even better. Just send troops to occupy it directly...
Of course, it is not that trouble. If Essen stood on the Protestant side in the religious war, then it goes without saying that he would stand on the Catholic side and destroy Essen in the name of apology.
But if there is a deviation in history and Essen did not join the Protestantism, the only way would be to use the territory surrounding Essen to set up a checkpoint to prevent the outflow of Essen's goods from happening, and to force it to turn against each other...
Millheim is not only the southwestern land portal of Essen, but also controls the waterways in the lower reaches of the Ruhr River, which can lock Essen. Therefore, Marin has to take down the area of ​​Millheim in any case.
Chapter completed!