Chapter 219: Africa's 2 Golden Countries

After Columbus's fleet returned to East Friesland, Marin quickly signed an exchange agreement and sealed the land with a fertile baron from Columbus to Cuba. Moreover, the title of the baron was directly attached to the head of Columbus's second son Fernando.

After learning that his own son, Fernando, had won the title of hereditary baron, Columbus's current wife Beatrice was very excited.

You know, the title of Columbus must have been inherited by his eldest son, Diego. Therefore, in general, Fernando, the younger son of Beatrice, has no future guarantee. Today, the husband has given the younger son a baronial title and a fief, which is no worse than the eldest son will inherit in the future, making Beatrice very excited.

You know, Columbus is 16 years older than his second wife, and it is very likely that he will die in front of Beatrice. Moreover, the relationship between Beatrice and eldest son Diego is average, and Beatrice is afraid that after Columbus's death, Diego will be bad for her and her son Fernando. Therefore, she has always urged Columbus to make meritorious deeds, so as to give her dear son Fernando a knighthood. Originally, she thought it would be good to have a hereditary knight. Unexpectedly, her husband overachieved the task and directly got a baron back.

Right now, Beatrice is cogent with Columbus. Even, with the encouragement of his friends, Columbus wanted to go to Las Vegas to find Mao Mei for a full set of health care, but Beatrice did not object.

...

On Marin's side, after signing the exchange instrument, the title and territory of the second son of Columbus could be implemented immediately. However, the title of Baron Marin Cuba still needs to go to the Spanish capital Toledo to file and obtain the signature of Queen Isabella I to take effect.

However, Marin is not worried about this. Because now the American continent has been upgraded from a "barren continent" to a "syphilis continent". According to Columbus, the Spanish government and opposition are now in a panic. At this time, I asked to be a baron of Cuba, and I think there was no objection. Therefore, it is not anxious to report the matter to Spain.

Marin is now worried about another matter.

This matter is how to make Spain and Portugal completely give up their peeping at the Americas and put all their focus on the eastern hemisphere.

Marin hesitated at the world map he drew himself ...

An Indian trade, of course, makes Spain and Portugal rush. But the problem is that India ’s trade alone does not attract the full attention of both countries.

Although it is said that because of the competition for Indian trade interests, the Portuguese did not send a fleet to occupy Brazil in 1500 because of the butterfly effect. However, that is because Portugal is understaffed and has penetrated the west coast of Africa on a large scale, consuming a lot of manpower and material resources. Moreover, they also need to meet the challenges of the Spaniards.

But the Spaniards are different. They are currently mainly involved in the Indian spice trade, and only the colony of Hispaniola is left in the Americas.

It can be said that the Spaniards still have a lot of energy, manpower and material resources to do other things.

After seeing the new year, Spain and Portugal will definitely find the new Pope Julius II to request a revision of the Treaty of Todes Silas. Marin must find a way to use Spain ’s energy in other ways Place to go. In this way, they have no time to toss in the Americas.

Even Marin ’s intention was to allow Spain to let the Americas out and lead them to the east when the new treaty was revised. At the same time, it does not put Portugal in the Americas.

Therefore, Marin needs a point of interest that is sufficient to attract the attention of the Spaniards and allow them to devote their human and material resources to the past. In this way, they will not be able to freely come to the Americas.

Initially, Marin intended to throw out Daming's trade to attract two teeth. However, after thinking over and over again, Marin gave up. Because the profit from the trade with the Ming Dynasty was too great, giving two teeth, I could not bear it.

Similarly, with so many gold and silver mines in Japan, Marin was reluctant to throw it to attract two teeth.

So, what else can be used to attract Spain and Portugal?

Spice Islands? It seems to be a very good choice. But the problem is that the Spice Islands have crossed the Strait of Malacca. As long as you are here, you have already entered the influence of the Daming Empire. With the sense of smell of the Spanish and Portuguese colonists, they certainly will not miss the opportunity of going north to Daming trade.

Therefore, after thinking about it, Marin gave up this method.

So, the best option is to attract Spain and Portugal to the African continent ...

But what attracts Spain and Portugal on the African continent?

South African gold? Marin directly rejected it. That's the meat in his bowl, never give it to others. South Africa ’s gold reserves are too scary. If Marin is not strong enough now, he is worried about the looting of groups across Europe.

So, besides South Africa ’s gold, where else? Marin began to close his eyes and recall the knowledge of the world history he had learned in his previous life ...

A few hours later, Marin finally opened his eyes, took out his quill, and drew a circle in each place on the African continent in West Africa and northern South Africa ...

If you understand these two circles of world history, two names will immediately appear in your mind-West Africa (Mali / Sanghai) Empire, and South Africa's Great Zimbabwe Empire ...

Both of these countries are famous for producing gold. Among them, the Sultan Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire took a lot of gold when he went to Mecca in 1324 ~ 1325, and then squandered it in Cairo and Mecca, which caused the price of gold in the Arab region to depreciate It took only 20 years to recover. This also won the title of "Golden Sultan" for Mansa Musa.

At that time, how much gold did Mansa Musa bring? It is said that there are 500 guards with sticks (golden ceremonies), each carrying 6 pounds of gold. These guards carried a total of 3,000 pounds of gold (not counting the gold ceremonies in their hands). In addition, there are 100 peak camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold. This part of gold, a total of up to 30,000 pounds of gold ...

In other words, the amount of gold that Mansa Musa brought to the Middle East for consumption is as high as 33,000 pounds, equivalent to as much as 15 tons ... It is no wonder that Cairo ’s gold price will fall sharply and will not recover in 20 years. Too. You know, so much gold can make 4.276 million Ducat gold coins ...

Therefore, the gold production of the West African Empire is very impressive. Such a golden country is absolutely enough to attract Spain and Portugal.

Moreover, this is still a big pit. Because the West African Empire is in the hot interior of West Africa, where it is dry and hot, and the climate is extreme. Whether they are Spanish or Portuguese, to conquer the West African Empire, the biggest enemy is not the Mali Empire or the Songhai Empire, but the extreme climate there.

Therefore, if you want to conquer the West African Empire, you will inevitably consume a lot of manpower and material resources. If you fall into such a pit, don't think about having the spare time to do other things.

As for the Great Zimbabwe Empire, although gold production is not as great as the West African Empire, it is also very impressive. The Monomopata dynasty in Zimbabwe is rich in precious materials such as gold, ivory, copper and tin. Arab merchants in West Asia built many forts and trading points in the eastern coastal region of Mozambique to trade with merchants from Zimbabwe. The Arabs used cheap fabrics, glassware, and other items to collect valuables such as gold and ivory from the Zimbabweans, which was almost a profit. Even for the sake of trade, the Arabs have established some regimes along the coast of Mozambique and have long dominated the area to facilitate gold trade with the Kingdom of Monomopata in Zimbabwe.

It is also a big pit to want to occupy the ancient Zimbabwe Empire. First, you have to capture the cities and regimes established by Arab merchants along the coast of Mozambique and drive away all Arab merchants in order to swallow Zimbabwe ’s gold alone.

This alone, whether it is Spain or Portugal, has to pay a huge price.

Then, from Mozambique deep into the interior, to reach the Zimbabwe empire, also separated by thousands of miles. Moreover, the local climate is also very hot.

So ~ www.wuxiaspot.com ~ capturing the ancient Zimbabwe Empire is also not a simple errand.

Although the ancient West African empire and ancient Zimbabwe were rich in gold, the cost to control these two places was also great.

Of course, if you choose to trade instead of conquering, the risk is definitely much smaller. However, Marin knew that with the urinary nature of the Spaniards and Portuguese, he would definitely choose to conquer these two countries and then monopolize gold interests. Therefore, they will surely fall into the pit and will not be able to get out in decades.

Therefore, after thinking over and over again, Marin decided to throw these two African golden nations as bait, and let Spain and Portugal devote all their attention to it, sinking deeply into the African continent and having no time to look after him for a long time.

Then, he secretly ran to conquer the Aztec empire and the Inca empire in Mexico to obtain gold and silver mines there. At the same time, he also ran to the East to trade with Daming, and while Japan was in the chaotic stage of the fighting of the warring village chiefs, it captured Japan's Ishimi Yinshan and Kagoshima gold mines and secretly made a fortune ...

When Spain and Portugal settled the West African empire and the ancient Zimbabwe empire, they already firmly controlled the trade interests of the Americas and East Asia. At that time, the plump self, even in the face of the union of Spain and Portugal, do not have to be afraid ...