King of Mercenaries - Chapter 41: Seeking Individual Action

The influence of the Venetians in Italy is really strong. Every day, new information is uploaded from the Italian Apennine peninsula. A lot of intelligence was sent by businessmen from all over Italy. In Italy, Venice is the largest merchant country. Even in other city-states, many businessmen have to pick up goods from Venetian merchants. So, in addition to being close to the Venice rival Genoa (which is also harmonious?), most Italian businessmen have a relationship with Venice and are happy to provide news for Venice. Every morning, Marin, as a party leader, barely qualified to go to the war counsil to listen to intelligence. French intelligence is coming every day.

Like Marin’s memory, the French entered the army at a slow pace. The strange thing is that in June has entered the early summer, according to the characteristics of the Mediterranean climate in Italy, the summer should be dry and hot. However, these days, the Italian region is raining and seems to have entered the rainy season. When it rains, the road becomes muddy. Therefore, whether it is the French army or the anti-French coalition forces, the speed of marching has been affected. The Apennines are only 1,000 kilometers long, and the city of Naples is not at the southern end of the peninsula. It is about the northernmost tip of the peninsula, but six or seven hundred kilometers. If you follow the speed of the 50-kilometer daily march of Marin’s “Black Cross Square”, the French army can finish in this distance for up to ten days.

However, the French army all the way to the north, while also taking care of the robbery of the Italian farms along the way, by the way, looking for those Italian peasant women well you know what happen. Therefore, the march of the French army is not fast. It can be expected that they will arrive near Parma in early July, as in history.

Seeing that the French did not go to the north because of their own crossing, Marin sighed. Then, he paid more attention to the interception of the French army. Although it is said that even if the French army is eliminated this time, it will not have much impact on France’s national strength. However, if this war defeated the French army, it could greatly reduce the morale of the French.

Be aware that in war, especially in this era when cold weapons dominated, morale is very important for combat. An army with high morale can completely press the number of people who are more than themselves, but the morale is low. On the contrary, morale is low and people are dangerous. In the original history, Charles VIII did not take up too much mistake in the Battle of Fornov, but this war proved that even if the French army was in the middle of the withdrawal from the North, it would still be able to take care of itself (the casualty ratio of the French and Italian coalition forces in the war was 1:2). Therefore, the French were naturally very confident, and then invaded Italy many times. Of course, all of the above are virtual. What Marin really wants is to make a name for himself by damaging the French army. Then, relying on the war and the emperor for a higher title. After all, the offical knight’s title is too low, and it can’t be hereditary. Every generation needs the lord to re-enclose. The baron or the sealed knight is hereditary, so they don’t have to go to the fight every time, it is like tossing a coin; you win or you lose in this context you live or you die.

However, what makes Marin depressed is that the people sent by the Empire and the 4,000 Italian small state army attached to the army, under the leadership of the unseen Count Alfred, are actually behind Italy. According to Count Alfred, he was waiting for the emperor to come and lead the group. But Marin had long known that the emperor would never return in a short time. You know, the emperor’s current situation is very bad. In the Holy Roman Empire, only the minority of the Swabian League and the Duke of Saxony supported him, while the other powerful princes and their younger brothers fought to jointly block the Habsburg family and prevent Habsburg. The family is too strong to weaken and deprive them of their autonomy. At present, the dukes and counties of the Empire are basically equivalent to the emperors in their own territories. But if the Habsburgs are strong, and they have to take back some of their rights, they will certainly not be happy. You know, this is a precedent. It was similar to the French kingdom before, and it was a sub-sealing of rights. However, after the efforts of previous generations of French kings, France has gradually embarked on the road of centralization. And Maximilian I, who envied the authority of the French king, had the intention to do so. This, the princes in the Empire are very worried, they are not willing to be deprived of their authority. Therefore, they worked hard to give Maximilian I a handicap and avoid the Habsburg family being too strong.

Maximilian I was prepared to oppose the French invasion of Italy very early, but the Dukes, turned a blind eye to France’s invasion of Italy. After all, the aggression is not the Empire. Although some of the states of Italy used to belong to the Empire. But later, the Holt Roman Empire focused on the affairs of the German region, and with the agreement with the Pope, he had already asked the affairs of the Italian region. For the threat of the French, the Dukes and the Earls were more worried about the threat of the Habsburgs. Therefore, it is too difficult for Maximilian I to ask them for help. The emperor did not come, and Earl Alfred seemed unwilling to move. After all, the count is clear in his heart, and he can’t do it. But on the loyalty, Count Alfred is nothing to say. Therefore, the count was very honestly carrying the army behind the main force of the coalition, waiting for the emperor to lead them. However, the count can wait, Marlin can’t wait. He also counted on this battle to be able to mix a battle. If you can’t even participate in the battle, then Italy is white. Therefore, he must find a way to participate in the battle. However, it is not realistic to convince Count Alfred to lead the army to Parma and the coalition. The count himself did not like the Italians, and he wanted to wait for the emperor to return with loyalty. Regardless of how the Marquis of Mantova urged him, he refused to continue south.

In fact, the Marquis of Mantova and the Venetians hoped that the army of the Empire would go to the army of France. Because the Italians themselves know that the German army is more powerful than the Italian army. Therefore, they invited the count to bring the soldiers down south. However, the Italians are not the coalition leaders, and the Earl Alfred actually looks down on the Italians. Therefore, the army is still far from the Italian coalition forces.

Marin left to think, decided to take the initiative to “assisted” the Italian coalition. However, how to tell the count is a big problem. After many inquiries, Marin learned that Count Alfred had no ambitions and was not very good. However, for money, there are some preferences. In desperation, Marin decided to temporarily put down the principle and do a few votes to rob the evil, so that it would be enough to bribe the count’s money. According to the quoted Earl’s attendant, I want to buy the Earl, which is estimated to be more than 1000 Ducat (Venice gold coins). In order to make up the money, Marin selected a group of people in the army who were obedient to himself. About 100 people, led by Sauer, all covered in black cloth, staying up late, and doing a few votes at the stationed Venice border. Robbery. Soon, Marin won 1,000 gold coins and 5,000 silver coins. Marin gave 1000 Dukat gold coins to Count Alfred and took the initiative to request the support of the Italian coalition. The Earl of Alfred was greedy for money, and he was taken care of by the Italians for help. He sent a square to “reinforce”. So the count agreed with Marin’s request and issued a document requesting Marin to lead the “Black Cross phalanx” to the south to reinforce the Italians and accept the dispatch of the Marquis of Mantova.

At this time, it was already June 20, and the outbreak of the Battle of Fornovovo was very soon. After Marin got the order, he immediately went south. However, Marin did not intend to go to the Italian coalition, but wanted to act alone. Therefore, his march is also hidden, not taking the Roman Avenue, but taking a more remote road. And these roads, before Sauer explored. Marin believes that if he rushes to the Italian coalition with his documents, there will be no good fruit to eat. Because, the Italians who are afraid of death, may be arranged to use this square as a cannon fodder, to the first line. Moreover, once the leader of the army of Marquis of Mantova accept, then he is involuntarily under his command. Because once you are under the command of the Marquis of Mantova, you can’t act without authorization. Otherwise, it is a violation of the military regulations, and the troops will be sent without authorization. If they are serious, they will be executed. If they are light, they will be killed by the sticks. However, he was “ordered to help” the Italians, but before his phalanx arrived at the Italian camp, he was free. Because he is the commander of this phalanx. The only trouble was the three “spys” of the Emperor and the Earl of Hohenzollern. They may be dissatisfied with their failure to be ordered, and even confess their secrets afterwards. But Marin didn’t care about their whistle, because even if the three were whispered, they had to wait until after the war. In the military, they can be dissatisfied, but they dare not resist. Otherwise, Marin has the full power to do them. Even if they can’t kill them, they can be temporarily imprisoned. Moreover, the three people are not good at their own company. Because, Marin also mixed his own “spys” in their company.

The three knights who were sent to be the captains of the company all had their own followers. The 10 squads under their command, each with 5, are naturally their own attendants. The remaining five are all assigned by Marin. The knight’s attendants naturally follow the knight, but the captains assigned by Marin will also follow Marin. Usually, when it’s okay, Marin also openly invites the captains who are being mixed into the other three knights to drink and eat meat. In this regard, the three knights have no way. Because Marin used the invitation to invite the old brothers to gather together, can you still block? Moreover, Marin is willing to let them control the half of the soldiers, it is already the face of the emperor and the count.