While the North Sea Country was in full swing to carry out research on the cowpox method, the Spanish who won in Naples, Italy, did not feel happy at all. Because, their coach Gonzalo was excommunicated by the Pope.

Although it is only three years, it is very fatal. For, according to the canon, no believer can associate with the excommunicated, and no other believer is allowed to obey the command of the excommunicated. In other words, for three years, Gonzalo was no longer eligible to be the commander of the Spanish army.

However, after the previous defeat, the Spaniards realized that if they wanted to confront the powerful France, they could not count on others, and they had to rely on famous generals like Gonzalo.

Although smallpox temporarily pushed the French back, the French army suffered little damage. As long as the smallpox epidemic passes, it will inevitably make a comeback. When the time comes, who will lead the Spanish army against the counterattack of the French?

It is foreseeable that once the epidemic ends this year or next year, the French will definitely take advantage of Gonzalo's absence to launch a fierce counterattack. After all, it was impossible for the French to abandon the volcanic ash of Naples.

The Spanish government and the opposition were in a hurry, and even Ferdinand II, who had a holiday with Gonzalo, had to admit that only Gonzalo could lead the Spanish army to defeat the French.

At this time, Queen of Colora, Margaret of Austria, the daughter of Maximilian I, suddenly suggested:

"Father, Juan (Juan III), I heard that Marin, Grand Duke of Beihai Kingdom, has a very good relationship with His Majesty the Pope, why don't we ask him to intercede with His Majesty the Pope? Not to mention that the expulsion can be waived, as long as it can be reduced to less than a year. Smallpox is expected to be difficult to end this year, so we just need to let General Gonzalo end the excommunication next year and go out of the mountains to take charge of the army......"

The father and son's eyes lit up - yes, that guy Marin has always had a good relationship with His Majesty the current Pope, Julius II. In the first place, Marin's army escorted the Pope into the city of Rome. Ask him to come forward to make peace, there is a play......

Therefore, the two kings of Spain contacted Reed, the ambassador of the North Sea State in Toledo, and asked Reid to contact Marin with a carrier pigeon and asked him to help mediate the matter.

After receiving the letter from the two kings of Spain, Marin thought about it for a long time and decided to help. Because he was indeed worried that Spain would lose to France, which would lead to France's strong rise.

France has a very rich heritage, they have a large population, many knights, and the number of war horses is also the highest in Europe. Once the French have enough food, it is not a matter of raising an army of 100,000. And Spain, although rich, did not have much potential for civil war. Mainly, the knightly class, which was the backbone of the army, was not strong enough.

No way, France is not only covered in area, but also mostly plain. This gave the French monarch the capital to canonize knights on a large scale, so that there were 10,000 or 20,000 knights in France. And the children of the knight family who can go on horses and fight are estimated to be tens of thousands.

However, due to the lack of food and grass supply, France dispatched more than 10,000 knights at most for each battle. No more, you can't afford it. Mainly, the war horse is too good at eating food!

If the problem of grain and grass is solved for them, it is estimated that the whole of Western Europe will tremble under the iron hooves of France.

On the Spanish side, although the land area is not much smaller than that of France, most of it is mountainous! The mountains obviously could not be used as fiefdoms for knights, so the Spanish knights were always smaller. Moreover, under the influence of the Moors, who once ruled southern Spain, the Spanish knights were more like a class between the plate knights and the light cavalry, which was more than enough to deal with the light cavalry, but not against the French knights, neither in terms of combat effectiveness nor size.

Therefore, Marin preferred the Spanish to occupy the Kingdom of Naples and let the French attack. He naturally agreed to the request of the two Spanish kings......

……

So, Marin passed on the news and contacted the Pope's father-in-law, who was far away in Rome. When Julius II received the letter from his son-in-law, he thought twice and replied.

He told Marin that it was impossible to pardon Gonzalo casually. After all, he is the Pope, and he also wants to save face. If the excommunication is easily withdrawn, it will be a blow to the Pope's WeChat.

However, it can also be flexible. However, Spain and Gonzalo, on the other hand, must make a gesture to give the Holy See a step. Otherwise, casually commuting the excommunication will inevitably make people look down on the Holy See.

Therefore, Julius II told Marin that he could learn from the "insult of Canossa" of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV, who was excommunicated that year, and come to the Holy See to ask for his forgiveness. In this way, after having the stairs down, Julius II could take the opportunity to reduce the excommunication.

However, Henry IV, as emperor, also stood in the wind and snow for three days and three nights before being forgiven. Gonzalo, on the other hand, was only an earl, several levels lower than the emperor. Therefore, Julius II demanded that Gonzalo kneel in front of the Holy See for three days and three nights before he could forgive. And letting the commander of the Spanish army kneel in the Holy See for three days and three nights is also a huge boost to the prestige of the Holy See.

Of course, Julius II also gave a second option, which was also a way to reduce the excommunication - the cane, in which the penitent would be executed in public, and 3,000 rods would offset the excommunication for one year......

Marin received a letter from the Pope's father-in-law and felt very tricky. Why? Because the punishment is a bit harsh. If it's a young man, it's fine, but Gonzalo is 62 years old!

Originally, General Gonzalo died in this winter. It seems that it is because of malaria infection. After all, he is no longer young and is more prone to illness.

Even for the "humiliation of Canossa", Henry IV only stood for three days and three nights, which was much easier than kneeling. Moreover, when Henry IV repented, he was only 27 years old, and he was a strong young man, where was Gonzalo, who was already 62 years old?

But the other option is even more unacceptable, and that is cane punishment! 3,000 rods can be worth a year, and three years is not 9,000 rods? Isn't Gonzalo, a 62-year-old man, going to be beaten to death?

If the Spaniards themselves carry out the cane execution, and if it is not carried out publicly, they can also release the water to make people feel good. But it was a public execution in the Holy See, or a confessor of the Holy See. Even if the penitents were bought, they had to make a noise in front of everyone. With a few rods, this kind of punishment that only listens to the sound and does not cause serious injuries may be easily passed. But if it is 9,000 rods, no matter how foolish you are, you will kill people, especially an old man like Gonzalo.

Marin didn't know what to choose, so he left the choice to the Spaniards. After receiving Marin's carrier pigeons, the two Spanish kings were both happy and worried, happy that the excommunication could be commuted, and worried that the two excommunications, one would be too shameful and the other would be easy to die......

The two kings had no choice but to give Gonzalo the choice again......

Gonzalo received a letter from the two kings, and after much thought, decided to accept the punishment of kneeling for three days and three nights......

This punishment, although humiliating, is at least stronger than being beaten with 9000 sticks. It was not that he was afraid of pain, but that he was afraid that if he was killed, Spain would lose to the French in the next war.

As for the loss of face or something, the emperor once bowed his head to the pope and admitted his mistakes (Henry IV not only stood in the wind and snow for three days and three nights, but also knelt on the ground and cried for mercy), he was an ordinary earl, kneeling for three days and three nights was not particularly aggrieved.

Moreover, this seemingly humiliating punishment of kneeling, while giving the Holy See face, can also be exchanged for the Pope's complete pardon of him, which is still more cost-effective.

So Gonzalo informed the two kings of Spain that he was going to the Holy See to be punished for kneeling. At the same time, he also flew a pigeon to pass a letter to Marin, begging Marin to help clear up the relationship in the Holy See. For example, give a cushion when kneeling so that you can kneel more comfortably. Also, he was allowed to go to the toilet halfway...... If you don't eat or drink for three days, you may be able to persevere, and you won't go to the toilet for three days and three nights, but you will suffocate people......