Just when Zhao Hongyu arrived at the camp of the Cook tribe stationed in the depression in the valley, it was already in flames on the distant European continent.

After months of preparation, the Church finally assembled an army of 100,000 men and entered the territory of France.

France and Portugal joined forces to defeat the Spanish Empire and occupy Madrid, the capital of Spain.

Even the Spanish royal family is nowhere to be found, which the Church cannot tolerate.

In order to help the Spaniards recover, and to prevent Portugal and France from rising, the Church could now only begin to fight on two fronts.

Fortunately, the Protestant coalition forces in the Netherlands were not strong enough, and the eastern front was already in a state of truce, and although small-scale fighting still occurred from time to time, it did not cause any trouble in any case.

Confrontation!

Historically, such a confrontation has lasted for more than a decade.

It is precisely because of this that the Church and the Habsburg vassal states have additional energy to deal with Portugal and France.

It was especially important that Portugal and France defeated Spain, which the Church and the Habsburgs could not tolerate.

Because of the geographical location of Portugal and France on the European continent, if the Church and the Habsburgs did not deal with it, they would have to be trapped in the Mediterranean and would not be able to break out.

This was an era of great navigation, and the eyes of all countries were on the ocean.

The ocean carries the dream of a strong country and the ambition of wealth.

However, the access to the Mediterranean Sea is controlled by Portugal and France, how can they tolerate it.

This is absolutely intolerable.

Besides, Portugal and France were on the western side of the European continent, and they would no longer have any enemies after Spain disappeared.

As long as the two countries were given a period of development and the former Spanish lands were stabilized, their rise would pose an extremely dangerous threat to the Church and the Habsburgs.

Know the way. When the Spanish annexed Portugal, the Church played a very dishonorable role.

It can be said that the people in Portugal are very unfriendly to the church personnel and even the church.

The Church cannot tolerate this.

Europe, belonging to the Church.

The people are governed by the church in place of God, and they are just lambs.

Moreover, Portugal and France, which controlled the territory of Spain, were extremely vast, occupying almost one-third of the European continent.

If the two countries do not apply color to the church, then the financial loss of the church is immeasurable.

Know the way. In many cases, churches deceive the populace to get money to splurge on themselves.

Now, after the Portuguese re-established the country, the church is no longer able to collect funds in Portugal.

Indulgences, basically no one in Portugal will buy them.

Therefore, how can the church not be in pain?

For its own benefit, the Church will also give the Portuguese a little color.

As for the means, there is no effective way other than force, is there?

In France, the power of the Church still exists. But there was also a split between the church and the church in France.

The teachings of Protestantism are very popular in France.

At the same time, the priests and priests in France are more enlightened and friendly than the Vatican. And he will not excuse God at every turn, or impose random accusations on ordinary people.

Most importantly, the Church in France no longer wants the Vatican to hand over funds.

The independent nature of the country is very obvious.

During this time, Protestantism has also been attracting priests and pastors in France. All of this was well known to the spies of the Church.

All this is slowly carried out under the leadership of the French regent Mary.

Seeing that the French are likely to be co-opted by Protestantism. At the same time, Portugal, which had signed an alliance agreement with France, was also unfriendly to the Church, so if the two countries switched to the Protestant side, it would be extremely disadvantageous for the Habsburgs and the Church militarily.

Fortunately, France's co-optation of the Protestant coalition is always not salty or light.

Otherwise, the Church and the Habsburgs would certainly be even more on fire.

In fact, no one knew what was going on, and Portugal and France had no intention of joining forces with Protestantism to deal with the power of the Church.

Because they know that Protestantism and the Church, although they have two ideas, their doctrines and beliefs are the same.

No matter which side wins, it is God's men and horses who will come out in the end.

And, to put it bluntly, the war between Protestantism and the Church was nothing more than a matter of internal struggle within the Church that involved the interests of the Habsburgs.

In such a matter, there is no benefit in the slightest benefit of Portugal and France participating in the merger.

When it comes to the victor at the end of the game, he will definitely have to deal with Portugal and France in the future, and this can be understood with his ass.

The vassal states of the Habsburg family, don't look at the fierce fighting with each other now, but they are all relatives.

Therefore, Mary, who was well aware of this, was in vain with the Protestant side, and was given as much time as possible to prepare, and at the same time vigorously purged the opponents in Spain.

For France, only the alliance with Portugal is the most stable.

The reason is simple, because of the fall of Spain, the two countries have already boarded the same ship, and no matter who the enemy is after defeating France, then the next target will definitely be Portugal.

Therefore, Portugal can only stand with France to fight all the storms.

Moreover, if the Spanish Empire had indeed succeeded in recovering the country, the Portuguese would certainly not have had enough of it.

Besides, Portugal and France also have a bond, and that is the Song Empire in the Americas.

It can be said that with the existence of the Song Empire, the alliance between the two countries is more stable.

At least, in ten years, the alliance of the two countries is iron-clad.

After all, now they all have a common enemy.

And the same threat from the outside.

Under such a threat, the two countries can only stay close together and deal with all dangers and enemies from the outside world.

What's more, both France and Portugal are now financially strained.

Grain! Weapons! Clothing!

Now they all need assistance from the Song Empire in the Americas, and the Song Empire has made it clear that only when Portugal and France are in alliance will these aids be delivered endlessly.

Otherwise. There will be no aid.

As the saying goes, the hands are short, and the mouth is short, how can Portugal and France not be closely linked under such circumstances.

France is okay, but its finances are also beyond its means.

And outside there also owed a lot of money to the Jews.

Fortunately, with the support of the Song Empire in the Americas, that kind of usury has been repaid.

But in turn, France was also in debt to the Song Empire.

Although the Song Empire's was not usury, the debts that France now owed were enough for them to pay off without eating or drinking for more than ten years.

Fortunately, France has financial revenue, and as long as you tighten your belt, it will not be a problem to pay back.

As long as their nobles are thrifty for more than ten years. You will definitely be able to pay off the arrears.

It's just that such a thing is probably not too likely.

But, there's hope, isn't it?

Therefore, it is a bit miserable on the Portuguese side.

Portugal owed more debts, basically from the formation to the formation of the army, until the beginning of the restoration of the stable regime, and the shadow of the Song Empire was everywhere in Portugal.

Moreover, Portugal has been ruled by the Spaniards for decades, and the country has long been a rag.

After the restoration of the army, Portugal was really poor and white. A lot to do.

Everything needs financial support to stand up properly.

At the same time, after the restoration of the country. The immediate task of the Portuguese government is to find food to feed the people.

After all, the war has left many people from their homes, and many villages have become ghost villages. The peasants are not on the run. It's to join the army.

The land is deserted, and there is no one to cultivate it.

It's a big deal if no one farms, because if no one farms, there is no food. Without food, people will go hungry.

But any normal person knows that if people can't eat enough and are hungry, they will definitely do some extreme things when they are hungry.

So, Portugal needs a lot of food.

And food, there is also a shortage on the European continent.

Historically, even Europeans discovered the American continent and began to colonize it.

However, the crisis of insufficient food has also been suppressed on the heads of Europeans.

This problem, only in the nineteenth century, was alleviated a little.

Moreover, it continued until a certain agricultural genius in China made high-yield rice, which can be regarded as a complete solution to this crisis.

In seventeenth-century Europe, there was not enough food for each of them.

Therefore, the Portuguese could only count on food aid from the Song Empire in the Americas, as well as financial support.

Therefore, the debt owed is turned over and over again.

Even so, the Portuguese had no choice but to keep signing new arrears and then receiving aid from the Zhao and Song Empires.

Seeing that the Portuguese would become vassals of the Song Empire in the future.

However, the Portuguese could not do anything about it.

Who left them without money.

Portugal and France now needed the Zhao and Song Empires, and they both had common enemies and dangers.

Therefore, both countries know that the other is the most reliable.

In addition, none of the countries on the European continent can be trusted.

It is precisely because of this that Mary is not salty and indifferent to the Protestant side, while the Portuguese simply do not bother with the Protestant side.

Although the alliance of the vassal states on the Protestant side did not go well to win over France and Portugal, they were also very happy.

For, the Church and the Habsburg princely states, who were now overwhelmed by them, had turned their gaze to Portugal and France, and had begun military operations.

In this way, there will definitely be fewer wars in the Netherlands, because the focus of the war has shifted to teach them.

It can be seen that in three years the Netherlands can get a respite, and this is not a good thing, but it is a bad thing.

The Protestant side can take advantage of this opportunity to recuperate, right? (To be continued......)