The Rise of the European Emperor

A few days later, Marin received word of war in West Friesland. However, there was no news that the allied forces of Saxony were soon defeated. Since the last defeat, Duke George has been much more cautious this time, without Meng Lang. And Bonitz, the commander of the army of the Principality of Gede, also wanted to use the fortified city to deplete the morale of the Allied Saxony army. Therefore, in a short time, there will be no results.

Of course, this short period of time refers to three or five days. Neither side will be happy if it drags on for too long. Because it's already February. Next month, that is, March, it will enter the spring ploughing stage. Both sides are obviously not willing to affect spring farming because of the war. Therefore, after the initial tentative phase has passed, it must be a violent collision. By March, the outcome will inevitably be decided. At that time, Marin can also go back to preside over the spring ploughing plan. By the way, talk to the defeated George about buying West Frisian...

After reading the information from the country, Marin also planned to leave for Venice. This time, as a mediator, he was entrusted in writing by Julius II to negotiate with Venice.

Before leaving, Marin suddenly said to Julius II:

"Giuliano, I intend to incite Venice to dig a canal to the Arabian Sea in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula..."

Julius II was stunned for a while, but after opening the map drawn by Marin, his face changed:

"Marin, are you trying to make Venice rise completely? If Venice rises completely, the Holy See will not be suppressed to death?"

Venice now occupies two large islands, Crete and Cyprus, which are relatively close to Egypt. If the Venetians and the Egyptians had dug a canal connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, Julius II could be sure that Venice would develop more rapidly and more difficult to contain than it is now.

"Giuliano, don't get excited, let me explain first..."

Marin pointed to the map and explained to Julius II:

"Even if the canal is dug in the western part of the Sinai Peninsula, the shortest distance, the canal will be about 200 kilometers long..." Julius II nodded, indicating that he understood. Having spent some time in East Friesland, he naturally knows what a kilometer is. Also, Julius II now likes to replace the ancient unit of distance calculation such as the rig with the kilometer in Rome.

"To dig such a long canal and let the big ships pass through... Giuliano, how many years do you think it will take?"

"This... I'm afraid it will take twenty or thirty years..." Julius II said uncertainly after thinking for a while.

Marin nodded, Julius II's speculation is not outrageous. In the mid-19th century, when the French presided over the excavation of the Suez Canal, it took 11 years. Moreover, in the mid-19th century, many machines were used. One of the most important is the large-scale application of water pumps. Digging canals, dug deep, easy to seepage. If it rains heavily, there will be serious water accumulation.

And once the river accumulates water, then, in the era of relying on manual excavation, it is impossible to continue excavation, and the water must be pumped out first. Then, workers can go down to the bottom to continue digging.

In the middle of the 19th century, steam engine and pump technology have been greatly developed, and water is naturally fast. Moreover, at that time, relying on the huge profits of colonial plundering and usury, the French paid a huge sum of 18.6 million pounds to dig the Suez Canal.

The 19th century was the era of the gold standard, and 1 pound was equivalent to 7.322 grams of pure gold. 18.6 million pounds, which is equivalent to 38.255 million ducats.

Even if the price of goods in the mid-19th century was much higher than it is now, Venice still needed nearly 10 million ducats to dig such a canal.

However, in Venice now, the total annual financial revenue is only one hundred and several hundred thousand ducats. Moreover, its own institutions and military, it will cost more than half. Therefore, the spare money that Venice officials can take out every year is only hundreds of thousands of ducat gold coins.

Let Venice repair the Suez Canal, which may cost nearly ten million ducats,

Definitely a giant pit. At least, during the construction of the canal, the Venetians will be emptied of their savings, and don't think about doing anything else for the time being. Moreover, such spending will continue for twenty or thirty years.

Therefore, as long as the canal is built, the Venetians will be stumped and unable to do other things...

Moreover, the Venetians had to make such a choice after learning that Spain and Portugal were jointly attacking the Arab merchant ships in India. Because, this is the only way out for the Venetians. Otherwise, decline will be inevitable.

The most depressing thing for the Venetians is that when Spain and Portugal intercepted those Arab merchant ships in the Indian Ocean, the Venetians did not even have an excuse to send troops. Because the Spanish and Portuguese attacked the ships of the Arabs, not the ships of the Venetians, what excuse should the Venetians use to fight Spain and Portugal?

And when the Spanish and Portuguese fleets have cleared the Arab merchant ships, the Venetians will no longer be able to obtain spices and lose millions of gold coins a year. And this is absolutely unbearable for the Venetians.

However, the Venetians did not have the ability to send fleets to the Indian Ocean to challenge Spain or Portugal. After all, Venetian ships can't go beyond the Indian Ocean. The only export is the Strait of Gibraltar, which is Spanish territory. If you want to detour to India like Spain and Portugal, you have to ask Spain and Portugal whether they agree or not.

If nothing is done, the Venetians will completely lose millions of gold coins a year from the spice trade. Not even a mouthful of soup. And the Republic of Venice will gradually decline, just like in the original history.

And if the Suez Canal is dug, then Venice will still have a chance. After all, Venice is a sea superpower with 3,300 galleys, more than Spain and Portugal combined.

Even without the use of advanced tactics such as broadside artillery (mainly the side of the galley to paddle, there is no room to install broadside artillery), relying on the large number of ships and the artillery at the bow and stern, it is possible to defeat the Spanish and Portuguese expeditionary fleets . In the original historical battle of Diu, because the ships could not be transported to the Red Sea, the Venetians could only provide a few large ships, and the Egyptians could disassemble the ships into wood and send them to the Red Sea for reassembly. Such a method naturally cannot provide many warships.

But if the Suez Canal is opened, the Venetians can send thousands of warships into the Indian Ocean, and they can kill the Spanish and Portuguese expeditionary fleets by stacking them.

Therefore, after Marin provided an idea, the Venetians knew it was a pit, but in order to ensure that the Republic of Venice would not decline, they also had to jump in. Because, if you jump down this pit, you may be unlucky, but if you don’t jump in this pit, you will surely die.

However, in the years of building the canal, Venice will definitely tighten its belt and live a difficult life. Because the cost of digging the Suez Canal is too great.

During this period of time, Venice will definitely not be able to make waves in Italy, and Julius II can also take advantage of the opportunity that Venice is temporarily unable to take care of him, and plan the expansion of the territory.

As for Julius II's concern about the prosperity after the opening of the Suez Canal? Marlin reassured:

"Giuliano, you can see the great significance of the Suez Canal to the Venetians, but the Spaniards can't? I'm sure Spain and Portugal will try their best to prevent the Venetians from digging the Suez Canal. These twenty or thirty years , the two sides will be in a death battle. Everyone wants to take the huge profits of the spice trade, and no one will give in. At that time, Venice will definitely engage with Spain. Maybe, you can also use Venice to get Naples occupied by Spain The kingdom..."

"Kingdom of Naples?" Julius II was a little puzzled.

"Don't you look at the location of the kingdom of Naples? It blocks the exit of the Adriatic Sea! When Venice and Spain go to war, they will certainly not be willing to let Spain choke on their throats. At that time, you will It is entirely possible to unite with Venice and try to drive the Spaniards out of the Italian peninsula..."

"It seems to make sense..." Julius II said after thinking.

A Suez Canal, involving the three major powers of Venice, Spain and Portugal, is also a very powerful strategy. Marin did this to distract Spain and Portugal. When the three major maritime powers were torn apart in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, Marin could quietly colonize and develop in the Americas.

Moreover, this strategy actually included Ottoman Turkey...

why? Venice's digging of the Suez Canal in Egypt must have been tied to the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt. When the Ottoman Turks wanted to annex Egypt in 1517, the Venetians would definitely help the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt. Even if it can't help Egypt defeat Turkey, it will help Egypt defend against the Turks' attack. And, the Venetians will do their best.

Otherwise, once the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt, which has a good relationship with Venice, loses, and the Ottoman Turkey, which is hostile to Venice, is in charge of Egypt, the Turks will definitely take the Suez Canal. Then, Venice is over...

Therefore, Marin's idea will force Venice to do its best to help the Egyptian Mamluk Dynasty against the Turkish attack. And if Turkey did not take Egypt, then it would not be as terrifying as it was in the original history. After all, Egypt is a rich and affluent region with developed agriculture, which is of great significance.

In addition, Marin itself has its own interests in Egypt. That is, the purchase of natural caustic soda and Glauber's salt. These two things, but the core raw materials of glass and paper making, are indispensable.

Although the Mamluk Dynasty in Egypt was also a pagan country, it had frequent trade with Europe and was an important trading partner of Venice. Turkey and Europe are mortal enemies. Historically, after Turkey occupied Egypt, trade between Egypt and Europe was interrupted. In that case, Marin's glass-making and paper-making industries would be greatly affected.

However, Marin was not willing to send troops to help Egypt against Turkey. Because that's too much investment. Moreover, a labor expedition is required. Therefore, it is the best choice to use the opportunity of the Venetians to dig the Suez Canal, let the Venetians be cannon fodder, and help the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt to withstand the attack of the Turks together.

As for the Venetians digging through the Suez Canal to keep prosperous, what's the matter with Marin? Anyway, the Venetians are very powerful now, and they don't seem to affect Marin...

Well... it might affect the hegemony of the Papal State in Italy... But, by then, his father-in-law Julius II had long since passed away...