Chapter 148 Marriage and Alliance

The Chamber of Commerce is no longer the small chamber of commerce it was before. At this time, it has covered the entire Eastern and Central Europe. A large amount of goods are circulated through the hands of the Chamber of Commerce, which will be turned into a large amount of gold coins and flow into their pockets.

Peter no longer interferes with the affairs of the Chamber of Commerce, as long as the dividends are paid to him on time. There are also taxes to pay, but Peter still has the final say. He cannot allow the Chamber of Commerce to grow. He is still aware of the consequences of the wild and skyrocketing capital.

The basis of commerce and trade is agriculture and handicrafts, and the expansion of handicraft workshops is the result of trade prosperity. Peter found that it was too troublesome for a worker to carry out various procedures to make one thing.

So, Peter asked the workers to be responsible for only one process. In this way, production efficiency can be greatly improved. More products are produced, which results in more profits.

The Chamber of Commerce also undertakes intelligence, colonial and other functions. They are active in the Ottoman and Crimea regions and continue to exert Wallachia's influence. The Cossacks are potential partners for long-term cooperation. Those who do not want to become slaves also seek refuge in Wallachia.

Aaron's local office receives news of many people entering every day, ranging from dozens to hundreds. They were all farmers and serfs who couldn't stand the oppression. They came to Wallachia, a paradise on earth, and were very happy. They finally got rid of those vampires.

After they were freed from slavery, they worked very hard. The speed of urban construction has increased a lot. Not only has a relatively complete defense system been established, but the shipbuilding industry has also begun to take off. The Chamber of Commerce also contracted the tax revenue of the local Tatar tribe, taking this opportunity to better control the local area.

In addition, the intelligence function of the chamber of commerce is even more important. They are responsible for collecting front-line news, including military use, policies, riots, etc., and the representative office in Crimea brought back a special news to Peter: in Persia, an invincible general was attacking cities and seizing territory. We are almost arriving in Baghdad.

"Looks like there's going to be prison lightning soon."

Peter knew that this date would be brought forward because the Ottoman lands in Europe had been greatly reduced and had to be recovered from the east. And that one is also continuing to expand westward, and the two sides will meet one day. At that time, Wallachia can sit back and enjoy the gains and officially participate in the competition.

Everything seemed to have calmed down, but the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess were still busy with their marriage.

The eldest son's marriage was settled, but he still had other children. You should know that they have a total of 6 children, and the remaining five children are not engaged yet. Not to mention free love, in this era it can only be decided by parents.

Mihai said that the Grand Duke of Moscow had a sister who was older than him, but there was no problem. What's more, such a marriage can also improve the relationship between the two countries.

As for the other children, it is still pending. There are no suitable partners in Eastern Europe, and due to their young age, they have been shelved for the time being, but envoys from other countries are still mentioning marriage between the two countries. No, here comes another one.

"Dear Grand Duke, on behalf of the King of Sicily, I propose a marriage request to your country." (After the uprising in Sicily and its suppression by the Kingdom of Aragon, Sicily separated and became the Kingdom of Sicily. Naples is still officially called the Kingdom of Sicily, and Naples is still used below. title)

"How did the king of Naples find his way here?" Mircea was a little surprised. Naples and Wallachia didn't have much contact. The two countries were maritime neighbors, and trade had just begun. Why does the king want to marry Wallachia?

At this time, King Laszlo of Naples was an 18-year-old adult, three years older than Peter. In September 1386, he succeeded to the throne under the regency of his mother Margarita. At this time, with the support of Pope Urban VI, a rebellion broke out among the princes in Naples and faced an invasion from France. In 1385, the Pope even appointed Louis II, Count of Provence, as the King of Naples. The Pope did not recognize Laszlo and organized a holy war against him in 1387. Until the new pope recognized it.

To say that the marriage with Wallachia was the result of his consideration, an additional country like Wallachia appeared overnight. Moreover, it is impossible to win consecutive battles against the heretics without winning over them.

It happened that he heard that the Grand Duke had two daughters and he had no wife, so he decided to marry the two countries. Because he wanted to obtain the throne of Hungary, and Wallachia and Hungary were enemies. If they used their power, it would not be a problem to drive Sigismund away.

The messenger was dealt with by Mircea, and he began to think about the reason why the other party did this. The marriage between the two countries indicates an alliance. Naples is a strong ally, but it may also be a strong enemy.

After an ideological struggle, Archduke Mircea decided to send his 11-year-old eldest daughter Mary to Naples for marriage. Because the envoy also brought a condition: if we want to fight Hungary in the future, Naples can help. Then Transylvania can give to Wallachia, and Naples can take the rest.

Such generous conditions cannot be afforded by other countries. Although the probability of implementation is a mystery, it has been said at least. However, it cannot be sent yet because Laszlo is still fighting for the kingdom with Louis II, Duke of Anjou. It’s not yet known who will win, and this matter hasn’t spread yet. If he wins, the daughter is his; if he loses, then it’s nothing.

At this time, Wallachia and Hungary were almost mortal enemies. Because of the sudden rise of Wallachia, the situation of the small Balkan countries paying tribute to Hungary had changed. Except for Bosnia, other small countries all regarded Wallachia as their suzerain. And Hungary was once the suzerain of Wallachia. How could Hungary feel at ease when the former younger brother was now on equal footing with him?

The two countries will fight one day. Although Naples is not in the competition, it can also become a potential ally against Hungary as long as Laszlo can deal with his enemies.

Mircea also told Peter the news, and Peter also thought that the request for marriage with Naples was feasible. It is just that it will be difficult to annex it in the future, but if he can deal with Hungary, Rome and Venice, it is not impossible.

Peter also received many letters from Mary asking for his help, but Peter adopted a delaying tactic and avoided all questions about Hungary. Now is not the time.

Although there are some emergencies, Wallachia's foreign policy has not changed. It focuses on the East and defends the West. With the help of the spread of Orthodox Christianity, the local culture and religion will be cleansed. If there is cooperation from those in power, it should be faster.

Peter has a longer-term vision than other rulers, but only a little. This is his advantage, but he is also a human being. He does not know what will happen to the world he has changed. Everything has to be done slowly.