Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 463

463. Caesar’s Things, God’s Things (3)

“Ottoman?”

“Ottoman.”

Enrique was more curious than angry at Cosimo’s answer.

“Look here. You haven’t forgotten my title, have you?”

“I know it well. Commander of the Order of Christ.”

“Then you must know how my homeland, the Kingdom of Portugal, was born, right?”

“I know that well too. Reconquista….”

“Reconquista.”

“Ah! Corrected. It was born while recovering the Iberian Peninsula through the Reconquista [the historical period of the Iberian Peninsula when Christian kingdoms reclaimed land from the Moors].”

Cosimo immediately corrected himself at Enrique’s prompting, muttering inwardly.

‘Reconquista or Reconquista….’

At Cosimo’s answer, Enrique looked even more dumbfounded and asked again.

“And yet you’re telling me to join hands with the Ottomans?”

At Enrique’s question, Cosimo leaned back deeply in his chair and began to ask questions in return.

“Then can Portugal alone take over the area?”

“….”

Enrique’s mouth immediately closed at Cosimo’s question. Watching Enrique unable to answer, Cosimo pointed out the reality one by one.

“Even if Portugal alone takes over the area, what about after that? The Mamluks, as well as the Ottomans, will continue to rush to take over the area. Are you confident you can defend it? How will you maintain the troops in charge of defense, and how will you raise the war expenses? Are you going to make it another Ceuta [a Portuguese territory in North Africa], a costly possession?”

Searching for an answer to Cosimo’s question, Enrique stammered.

“If we organize a crusade for the troops….”

“Then you won’t be able to secure much of the railroad rights, will you? Even if we consider the troops, what about the war expenses?”

“If the head of the family invests a little more….”

At Enrique’s words, Cosimo took out a gold coin from the pouch he was wearing on his waist and showed it, answering.

“Merchants are a kind of people who risk their lives to get even this one gold coin’s worth of profit, and even sell their souls if necessary. And I’m a well-known merchant. Do you know what a merchant like me cares about most? It’s distinguishing between investment and speculation. But what the Duke just said is neither an investment nor speculation, it’s just delusion.”

“I’d rather seek cooperation from Joseon! Not Islam!”

Cosimo shook his head at Enrique’s urgent words.

“Impossible. I don’t have the conviction that Joseon’s capabilities are as great as the rumors I’ve heard and what the Duke said.”

“Joseon is powerful!”

“Then, why has such a powerful country been standing still until now? Haven’t you considered that Joseon has already calculated the gains and losses and judged that there is no profit for them?”

“….”

Enrique’s mouth closed again at Cosimo’s point.

Cosimo’s point was a harsh reality. Even now, Joseon was taking enough profit. In that situation, even if he were the ruler of Joseon, there would be no reason to take a risk at all.

Cosimo continued to point out the harsh reality.

“The Duke’s dream can never be realized with Portugal’s ability alone. Only the ‘Tragedy of Tangier’ [a reference to Portugal’s failed attempt to conquer Tangier in the 15th century] will be repeated.”

“Kuh!”

Enrique gritted his teeth at Cosimo’s point. Although he was upset, he didn’t have the proper material to refute Cosimo’s words. However, there was no justification for organizing a crusade, and the timing was late. The Holy Roman Empire, Poland, and Albania had already moved to support the Hungarian, Serbian, and Karaman forces fighting the Ottomans in the Balkans.

‘Wait!’

Analyzing the overall situation, Enrique found material to refute it.

Finding the material to refute, Enrique looked at Cosimo with a smile of satisfaction.

“I heard…. Crusaders are moving to fight the Ottomans in the Balkans. In that situation, Portugal joins hands with the Ottomans? Do you think that’s possible?”

At Enrique’s point, Cosimo answered with a comfortable face.

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible.”

“Huh?”

At the unexpected answer, Enrique momentarily fell into cognitive dissonance. Seeing Enrique’s expression full of confusion, Cosimo chuckled and continued.

“Hmph! The conflict in the Balkans is due to the Thessaloniki area. To be precise, it started because the Ottoman ruler began to expand around Thessaloniki. So, if the Ottoman ruler, Murat II, gives up the northward advance, the primary justification disappears. And, the Holy Roman Emperor, who is the main force of the Crusaders, owes me quite a bit. So, in that situation?”

“Damn it!”

Cosimo trailed off, but Enrique recognized the situation and immediately cursed.

* * *

There was no ruler in Western Europe who didn’t owe the Medici family. During this period, the rulers and nobles of Europe had almost no concept of finance. Rather, they believed that the more splendid they were, the more authority they would have, and they pursued splendor more and more. Naturally, it was overspending, and the insufficient funds had to be borrowed from large merchants such as the Medici family.

And, in return, all sorts of privileges were given to the large merchants.

In this situation, if someone like Medici stepped forward, even a war with the heathens would have to stop.

No matter how noble the cause of the war, it could not be done without money.

* * *

Even after cursing like that, Enrique did not back down immediately.

“Do you think Murat II will listen?”

“Which would the Duke choose, money, a lot of money, coming in steadily, or a northward advance that he has barely obtained and has to share with the nobles?”

“….”

After refuting this way and that, Enrique eventually waved the white flag.

“I know that’s the best way too. But the problem is persuading the parliament. The parliament will not welcome joining hands with Islam.”

“That’s just a matter of handing over a suitable carrot [an incentive or reward].”

“Carrot?”

“There are things that can be used as justification, aren’t there? For example, Jerusalem.”

“Jerusalem? Isn’t Jerusalem ruled by the Mamluks?”

“Have you forgotten that the Ottomans have to go through Jerusalem to get to the area the Duke wants?”

“Even so, would the Ottomans hand over Jerusalem, which they barely got?”

“What is needed is the right for Christians to safely pilgrimage to the holy city and the right for the Order of Christ, the Order of Santiago, and the Order of Avis to reside and protect the pilgrims. I think that’s enough, right?”

“Hmm….”

At Cosimo’s words, Enrique stroked his beard and pondered.

The Order of Christ, the successor to the Knights Templar, was nominally an order under the command of the Vatican. If the Order of Christ could establish a base in Jerusalem, the Vatican would likely support it. In particular, Eugene IV, who needed political achievements, would certainly give his full support.

Of course, Eugene IV was also supporting the Crusaders moving to the Balkans, but the Balkans and Jerusalem were incomparable in terms of name value.

“Hmm…. The problem is that it still feels insufficient to persuade the regent.”

At Enrique’s words, Cosimo smiled slyly and asked a question.

“Do you know what the common point between the Ottomans and Portugal is?”

“Common point?”

“Both sides are trying to suppress the nobles. And, the most necessary thing in this process is economic power.”

“Ah….”

Nodding his head, Enrique’s face became much brighter than before.

“Duke Pedro would accept it. But there are several problems. It takes a considerable amount of time, and the carrots you mentioned, starting with the Jerusalem issue, must be guaranteed for sure.”

“Frankly, it’s a matter of time. It’s impossible to solve it in just a few days or months. But is that a big problem? If the Duke goes to Joseon once, almost a year will pass, and if he goes to Joseon two or three more times, the result will be out, right?”

Enrique, who was nodding his head without realizing it at Cosimo’s words, demanded confirmation from Cosimo.

“But, are you confident that you can get those things from the Ottomans?”

The smile on Cosimo’s face grew thicker at Enrique’s question.

“Have you forgotten? I’m a merchant. What is a merchant’s specialty? Bargaining. I’m very good at bargaining.”

“That’s true….”

* * *

Cosimo, who was watching Enrique’s back as he left the mansion through the window, turned around and looked at the map.

“If this works, we can keep the economic center of Europe tied to the Mediterranean for at least 50 years.”

Looking at the map, Cosimo analyzed the situation coolly.

The sudden appearance of Joseon, whose existence was not even known in the Middle East and Western Europe, plunged Western Europe into shock and greed.

The strange and splendid, and even incredibly practical, products of Joseon have become something that Europe cannot live without.

Naturally, there were more than one or two people jumping into the route to Joseon.

Starting with Portugal and Spain, the amateurish France and the rustic England jumped into the competition, and as a result, large-scale colonies were created here and there in Africa.

However, the colonies were additional, and the main purpose was still the road to Joseon.

And, as Portugal pioneered this route for the first time, a strange story began to emerge among the countries that were lagging behind in the competition.

-If the world is round, as the scholars say, can’t we reach Joseon by going west?

This story was gaining momentum little by little and rising to the surface.

“This is dangerous.”

Cosimo de Medici was the first to recognize the danger signal.

“Alexandria is taking a little too much, but the current situation is the most profitable for me. The trade going back and forth between Europe in the Mediterranean is almost entirely controlled by my Florence, that damn Genoa, and Venice. But if the western route is discovered, we’re done.”

Explaining the situation, Cosimo ordered his subordinate merchants.

“Contact the cardinals and bishops who are connected to us and ask them to shut the mouths of those who are talking nonsense.”

“Yes, I understand. But….”

“But what?”

“Do you really think the western route exists?”

When one of the subordinate merchants expressed such a question, the other subordinates nodded as if they agreed.

Cosimo’s expression turned sour at the reaction of his subordinates.

“What do you think of the information I got from the Joseon sailors in Alexandria?”

“….”

The mouths of the subordinate merchants closed at Cosimo’s question. Looking at those subordinate merchants, Cosimo muttered a small curse.

“You pathetic guys….”

* * *

As trade between Alexandria and Joseon continued regularly, interest in the Joseon people staying in Alexandria faded a lot. The Joseon people were regarded as just new neighbors by the residents and merchants of Alexandria.

However, Cosimo found something strange here.

“Huh? It’s not the captain who came last time?”

Mansur answered politely to Cosimo’s question.

“Yes, he is the captain who newly commanded this voyage.”

“What about the last captain?”

“I heard he was assigned to another mission.”

“Another mission? Then is the ship a different ship too?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm….”

Questioning, Cosimo ordered his subordinate to continue to watch the Joseon sailors coming to Alexandria.

As a result, Cosimo learned something surprising.

-The number of non-Joseon sailors is increasing.

-Joseon is advancing further east!

“But still, no Joseon people have appeared.”

Analyzing the situation, Cosimo came to a conclusion.

“Then there are two possibilities. The sea to the east is wider than expected, or there is a new continent in the middle that we didn’t know about. Either way….”

Cosimo muttered with a serious face.

“The moment Europe’s eyes turn west, the Medici family is finished.”