Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 855

855. Their Ambitions (6)

While the Ouchi clan was seizing control of Japan, the existence of the Empire, Sejong, and Hyang remained hidden from public view.

However, the young ‘Unificationists’ of Florence managed to uncover traces of the Empire, Sejong, and Hyang in the historical records they examined.

“You’ll never find them if you look at each piece separately.”

“But it all changes when you examine everything together. It couldn’t have succeeded without the intervention of the ‘Land of Flowers’ [a poetic name for the Empire, referring to its rich culture and beauty] and its rulers.”

The initial reaction of the ‘Unificationists’ who discovered the Empire, Sejong, and Hyang’s involvement in the Ouchi’s rise to power was frustration.

“Does this mean that unification is impossible without strong backing after all?”

“Is it impossible for Florence to achieve it alone?”

Despite their frustration, the Unificationists rallied and continued to study the unification process of Japan.

In doing so, they were struck by the slogan proclaimed by Ouchi Morimi of the Ouchi family, the man who had initiated everything.

“‘Datsu-Wa Nyū-Jo’?”

“‘Abandon all the old customs of Japan and learn the good things of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] to become strong.’…”

The ‘Unificationists,’ who had been contemplating the core ideology of the Japanese leadership since Morimi first voiced it, reconsidered their approach.

“We need to re-examine the unification process of Japan…”

At this point, a divergence emerged between the Unificationists of Florence and those from other city-states.

During this period, Florence wasn’t the only place where people were advocating for the ‘Unification of Italy.’

These were radical unificationists whom historians would later call the ‘Young School (Scuola Giovani).’ [a group of young, progressive thinkers]

* * *

As the Empire, symbolized by the ‘Land of Flowers,’ and other Eastern countries like Ming [ancient Chinese dynasty] and Japan actively engaged in trade, Europe experienced a surge of new ideas and influences.

This was especially true for Italy, which was divided into numerous city-states at the time.

Young intellectuals living in powerful city-states such as Genoa, Venice, and Florence were inspired by the culture and institutions of the East and began to dream of ‘Revolution.’

The first to publicly call for ‘Revolution’ and ‘Unification’ were the young intellectuals of Venice.

During this period, Venice was in a state of decline.

Venice’s renowned glass industry was gradually being overtaken by the Empire and other countries, and it lost its dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean to the Ottomans.

However, the most devastating blow was, of course, the opening of the Suez Canal.

As spices and Eastern goods were brought in large quantities through Suez and distributed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean region by the Ottomans, Venice’s trade empire crumbled.

Faced with the rapidly deteriorating situation in their homeland, the young intellectuals of Venice desperately sought a solution.

The solution they desperately sought was the ‘Unification of Italy.’

-A unified nation, a unified system – this is the path to salvation that will lead all the people of Italy to happiness!

The call for the ‘Unification of Italy’ made by the young intellectuals of Venice gradually spread among intellectuals in other influential city-states.

It rose to the surface and became the prevailing ideology.

* * *

Even when Cosimo [likely referring to Cosimo de Medici] decided to send Florentine scholars to study in the Empire, the topic of ‘Unification’ was being discussed among university professors.

However, like Cosimo, who had heard the discussions at the time, most of the politicians who held vested interests reacted negatively.

This was partly to protect their own positions, but also because there were significant obstacles hindering unification, as Cosimo had pointed out.

-How can we make ordinary people, who only know their birthplace as everything, aware of being ‘Italian’?

-Who should we make the monarch?

In a situation where everyone considers those outside their own city or town as enemies, does a monarch exist who can satisfy everyone?

Whenever the word ‘Unification’ was mentioned among university scholars, the ruling classes of the city would ask these questions, and each time the scholars were silenced.

The same questions were posed to the young intellectuals.

To find an answer, the young intellectuals turned their attention to the East and studied the case of Japan.

“Japan is the answer!”

* * *

Before unification, Japan was divided into large and small domains. There were governments and monarchs symbolized by the shogunate [military dictatorship in Japan] and the emperor, but the actual rulers who controlled various parts of Japan were the daimyo [powerful feudal lords].

This was also the case in Italy.

No, it was even worse than Japan. There was no monarch in Italy.

There was a Pope, but the Pope was just the Pope.

The rulers of Italy were powerful city-states such as Florence, Genoa, and Venice. The rest were subordinate cities and towns under their control.

Thanks to these similarities, young intellectuals delved into the unification process of Japan and discovered traces of the Empire, Sejong, and Hyang.

And as they discovered those traces, they became frustrated.

“Did we need backing after all?”

Here, a divergence was born between the ‘Young School’ of Florence and those of other city-states.

The Young School of other cities began to focus on the existence of ‘backing.’

“We must succeed in unification and revive Italy, even with the help of powerful countries!”

“There will be interference at first! But it’s insignificant compared to the ‘great cause’ of ‘Unification’!”

“If Italy’s own power becomes stronger, we can get rid of interference! Unification comes first!”

They sought out the monarchs of powerful countries who would become their sponsors, shouting ‘Unification first, then independence.’

The young people of Genoa headed to Spain, which had already risen to the ranks of a powerful country, the young people of Venice sought the Holy Roman Empire, and the young people of Milan sought France.

In their hometowns, these young people were called ‘traitors’ or ‘national traitors’ for their actions.

Meanwhile, the reaction of the kings of the countries who received their requests was mostly like this.

“I will seriously consider your proposal.”

“For our country and Italy, the support of Your Majesty and the kingdom is essential.”

To the earnest requests of the young intellectuals belonging to the Young School, the kings replied with the most serious faces possible.

“I will think as positively as possible. But it’s not something to decide right away, so please go back for now.”

The kings, who had sent the young people out like that, immediately sneered and looked around at the ministers around them.

“Huh! What should we call them? Stupid fools? Or naive guys who don’t know the world?”

“They are pigs who offer their necks to the chef themselves.”

“That’s the right answer. Italy… let’s make a plan. We can’t miss such a good opportunity, can we?”

The kings of the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and France began to plot with their ministers.

To seize the tempting prey called Italy.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Young School of Florence focused on ‘Datsu-Wa Nyū-Jo.’

“The most important thing is that they broke the old customs with their own strength. No matter how much the rulers of the ‘Land of Flowers’ supported them with weapons, it would have been impossible without Ouchi’s own capabilities.”

“But, no matter what, it would have been impossible without the support of the ‘Land of Flowers.’ I think the biggest support isn’t something visible like weapons. It’s the international students.”

“International students?”

“Did you forget? Ouchi was the first to send international students to the Empire.”

“And, unlike European international students, Ouchi’s international students learned about administration and politics. And, based on what they learned, they reformed the administration and the military.”

The young people of Florence focused on Japan’s administrative reform and military system reform.

The young people of Florence nodded as they investigated the administrative reform symbolized by ‘Abolition of domains and establishment of prefectures’ [replacing feudal domains with centrally controlled prefectures] and the military system reform symbolized by the ‘Japanese Army.’

“After all, in order to make it one Italy, the dominion of the city must be returned to the state.”

“I agree. Look at France. They are constantly reducing the territories of the nobles. As long as the territories are recognized, the control of the state and the central government will be weak.”

“An even better example than France is the ‘Land of Flowers.’ There is no such thing as territory in the ‘Land of Flowers.’ The officials who govern the provinces are always dispatched from the center.”

“I heard that there was a rebellion of nobles in the ‘Land of Flowers’? If we are thinking about unification and centralization, we need to purge the nobles.”

“Purge… then, of course, we need a strong military force, and we need to reform the military system.”

“Military system….”

The conversation, which had been going smoothly, stopped at ‘military system reform.’ As can be seen from the case of Ouchi, and the case of the Empire, no, even if it wasn’t those cases, they already knew the answer.

The answer was a standing army. And not mercenaries, but the Florentine army.

This is where the young people of Florence were blocked.

* * *

During this period, the main players in the war were mercenaries.

Of course, when a war broke out, the nobles conscripted the people of the territory to participate in the war. But the most important force was the mercenaries. Because they were the most familiar with war and combat.

But mercenaries were dangerous beings. There were cases where they changed sides even during battle at the word of paying a little more money, and there were cases where they attacked their employers if they did not receive payment.

Even Francesco Sforza, the ruler of Milan, became the ruler of the city as the leader of the mercenaries. Of course, he gained justification by marrying the daughter of Filippo, the Duke of Milan.

Despite these many dangers, many nobles and kings preferred mercenaries.

Operating a standing army required enormous finances.

Clothing, feeding, and training soldiers all cost money. The common way of thinking at this time was that it was wiser to hire mercenaries when needed than to spend this amount of money on a fixed basis in preparation for a war that might not happen.

However, the young people of Florence were realizing that they had to break this common sense.

Because the beings who broke that common sense were right next to them.

They were Charles VII of France and his successor, Louis XI.

-France, the king, the monarch of France, an army that only receives the king’s orders, the Ordinance Army [France’s first permanent army].

-The Ordinance Army, summoned by the king’s decree, is the true French army.

As the perception of the French people changed like this, the position of the French nobles decreased.

“Certainly, a standing army is the only answer….”

“The problem is finance….”

“In the end, is it Medici?”

“Do we have to collude with the dictator’s family?”

At that time, Florence was under the rule of the Medici family, but there were many families who opposed the Medici family. In order to survive in this competition, the Medici family had no choice but to carry out a dictatorship, and many intellectuals rebelled against this.

However, the young people of Florence had no choice but to form a relationship with Lorenzo de Medici.

For the sake of the great cause of unification, they came to hold hands with the dictator.

Lorenzo de Medici, who was in his 20s and full of energy and ambition, immediately accepted their offer.

“‘The ruler of a unified Italy’… what a beautiful title that is?”