Ludovico. Sforza's escape without a fight left Louis XII somewhat at a loss. However, if you think about it, this is also normal. Who went out of his way to send the French 60,000 troops? This scale, for the first time ever, is it good?

In the face of these fifty or sixty thousand troops, not to mention Ludovic. Sforza is just a Milanese duke, that is, the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I will be afraid when he sees it.

If it weren't for the last time he hid in the Müstair Valley, Ludovicco. Sforza may not have given up on Milan so simply and fled. The experience of successfully escaping last time and coming back quickly made Ludovico . Sforza saw hope and decided to repeat the old trick.

After all, the 60,000 French army is really the front, and there is really no chance of winning......

Although the Duchy of Milan also recruited 30,000 troops to prepare for resistance, it was on the premise that the other side only had 30,000 troops. If it's 60,000 troops, I'm sorry, Ludovico . Sforza had no confidence. After all, the French army has always been stronger than the Italian mercenaries. 60,000 French troops, can be used as 120,000 Italian mercenaries, how can it be called Ludovico. Sforza is not afraid?

And, if the French were really targeting the Duchy of Milan, Ludovico. Sforza's choice is indeed not a problem. Isn't it a fool to know that you will lose, but still go to be tough?

However, under the guise of the French attacking the Duchy of Milan, it is even more foolish than a fool to abandon the city and flee......

John who followed Louis XII south to Italy. Rafi's face darkened - Nima, it's self-defeating! I knew it earlier, so I sent someone to inform Ludovico first. Sforza ......

……

However, Ludovico. Sforza did more than one ridiculous thing......

After abandoning the city of Milan and fleeing to the camp in the Müstur Valley in the direction of Switzerland, Ludovico . Sforza suddenly realized that the camp in the valley did not seem to be able to accommodate too many troops. Moreover, with an army of 30,000, the consumption of money and food is really huge. As a result, he dismissed 22,000 horses, leaving only 8,000 elites to stay in the Müstair Valley......

So, soon after Louis XII reluctantly entered the city of Milan with an army of 60,000, he was met with 22,000 Italian mercenaries who had come out of the Müchtier Valley with severance pay......

Louis XII was stunned at first, then ecstatic. Then he sent for the leaders of the 22,000 Italian mercenaries, intending to hire them......

……

John. Rafi was so angry that she almost jumped up and scolded her mother—Nima, Ludovico. Sforza, you pig's head, you lost Milan City in vain, not to mention, you sent 22,000 troops to France for nothing, are you a pig?

Originally, the reason why Louis XII hesitated was that he was afraid that the strength of the French army would decline after the division of troops, and it would be difficult to successfully conquer the Kingdom of Naples. After all, in the Battle of Capitanata, the French were knocked out of self-confidence by the Spaniards.

Moreover, this time the attack on the city of Naples was mainly a siege. In the art of war, it is said that "ten rules of siege" means that besieging a fortified city requires ten times the number of troops.

At the moment, the city of Naples has about 10,000 garrisons, which is relatively elite. In order to conquer Naples, Louis XII had to take an army of 60,000 to siege the city to ensure success.

Of course, those 20,000 French knights would certainly not have been used in the early sieges. Because, it will be given to the musketeers of the Neapolitan defenders as a target for nothing.

Now, with 22,000 Italian mercenaries on the door, Louis XII smiled crookedly. Why? Because he found the ideal siege cannon fodder......

Originally, Louis XII brought 40,000 infantry with the intention of using it to deplete the small reserves of gunpowder in the city of Naples. Now, with Italian mercenaries there, he could send a few fewer French to die. As for the Italian mercenaries killed by the muskets of the defenders? When those Italians died, Louis XII would not be distressed......

So, Ludovico. Sforza's dismissal of Italian mercenaries was even more stupid than his voluntary abandonment of Milan, which was simply cannon fodder for Louis XII......

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A mercenary is a mercenary, that is, a group of goods who see money. This kind of person has no faith and is mercenary. Therefore, the provisions of the Geneva Conventions that later protected captured soldiers did not apply to them. In later generations, if a mercenary is caught, no one will blame him for killing the prisoner......

When Louis XII offered the big contract, the Italian mercenaries, who had planned to help Milan against France, signed the contract. Unbeknownst to them, they were just cannon fodder used by Louis XII to consume the bullets of the defenders of Naples......

Louis XII hired the 22,000 Italian mercenaries at no cost. The money for hire, which was obtained after the sacking of the city of Milan......

With a population of 100,000, Milan was the largest city in the Holy Roman Empire. Ludovico. Although Sforza took all the money from the treasury when he withdrew, he was not embarrassed to attack the merchants and workshop owners of Milan as the Duke of Milan. After all, he still wants to come back and rule the local area.

Unlike Louis XII, although he also wanted to be the ruler of the Duchy of Milan, but not now. Now, no one can stop him from his determination to conquer the kingdom of Naples. Therefore, he did not hesitate to order his cronies to carry out a city-wide robbery in Milan and hand over half of the looted money. Then, half of the money turned over from this was used to hire the 22,000 Italian mercenaries......

As for the money and food needed for these 22,000 mercenaries? One truth - rob!

The Po Plain, where the city of Milan is located, is the largest plain in Italy and the center of Italy's grain production. Grab food here, that's called a cool......

Speaking of which, this part of Italy is really sad. Obviously at a low latitude, it is one of the warmest in Europe, and the sun is extremely abundant. This is a unique condition for crops that require adequate photosynthesis and accumulated temperature. Sadly, this part of Italy is mostly mountainous. The entire Apennine Peninsula, which is obviously larger than the United Kingdom, is mostly mountainous, and only a small part is a coastal plain and a river valley plain that can be used for agriculture. The Po River Plain, on the northern edge of the Apennine Peninsula, is Italy's main granary.

This may not be much in modern times, but in ancient times, when agriculture was the mainstay, it was simply the best treasure land......

However, for now, the Po Plain is not the best place to be. Why...... There is a lack of volcanic ash here......

In this era, the Golden Basin of Sicily was the first treasure of Italy. Because, there is no need to apply fertilizer there, and the crops can be highly productive. Duran wheat, which was used for pasta in later generations, was mainly produced in the Sicilian Golden Basin.

Wheat is actually produced in the Po River Plain of the Duchy of Milan, but due to the low level of management, the production here is not high at present. For now, the main focus here is on growing barley, which is easier to manage. In addition, some rye, which is stronger than weeds, is also planted. Wheat is also grown, but the yield is generally not high. No way, Europeans don't know how to fertilize and are not good at field management, so wheat yields are very low. Only Sicily, with its fertile volcanic ash soils, and the valley plains of the Kingdom of Naples can produce high wheat yields.

So, in the eyes of Louis XII, the Po plain of the Duchy of Milan was a good place, but compared to the volcanic ash of the Kingdom of Naples, it was still a lot worse. Not to mention anything else, just the French secretly bought Vesuvius, so much volcanic ash can make a large area of Louis XII's estate prolific. Then, get a lot of money and food......

Louis XII is now very grateful to the stupid Ludovico. Sforza, because, this time, Louis XII took the city of Milan without spending a single soldier. Moreover, 22,000 Italian mercenaries who can be used as cannon fodder were easily obtained. Therefore, now Louis XII is grateful to Ludovico for sending him troops and money and food. Sforza. Although most of the money and food were looted, Ludovic. If Sforza hadn't given up the city of Milan on his own initiative, the French army wouldn't have been able to enter the city and loot......