Chapter 243 Bureaucrats and Nobles
In Nicosia, Mikhail was excited every day after learning that he had been crowned Duke of Ukraine. He couldn't wait to see what the land he ruled was like.
According to others, this is a land several times larger than Cyprus, bordering Lithuania and the Mongols, and it is difficult to rule it well.
But Mihai likes to take risks, and this land of opportunity is also his experience. The time has come to test him.
After dealing with the two in-laws in Italy, Peter left Genoa and headed for France. Milan and Naples both started their own performances, and Laszlo began to kill the nobles in the country. Whether it was poisoning or accidents, he used all possible methods. He was also preparing to expand externally, and the first one to bear the brunt was the Papal State.
King Martin of Aragon kept an eye on Naples. The Sicily he ruled was only separated by a strait. If Laszlo was ready to go south, this would be a good target. His navy was on standby to block the strait if necessary.
Due to the turmoil in southern Italy, the shipping routes in the Eastern Mediterranean have been affected to a certain extent. Western ports like Turachion have been significantly affected. Merchant ships have to bypass Sicily to reach other Western European countries.
In fact, they could also ask Venice to do the work for them, but the commission required by the other party was too high. This led many businessmen to follow their example and form a shipping company, using the strength of others to open up shipping routes. The goods produced in Rome were also squeezing the Italian country. market, especially textiles.
Thessaloniki was already an important cotton trading and transshipment port in the Roman Empire, with half of the country's cotton raw materials and finished products exported from here. The exquisite finished products have suppressed the exports of many Italian regions and bulged the pockets of many businessmen.
The textile industry in Central European cities such as Florence and Augsburg has been hit to varying degrees. The finished products from the East are not only exquisite, but also low in price, completely surpassing the products in Italy. Driven by the Chamber of Commerce, the sales of textiles have increased. Still expanding.
The Greek region was the largest cotton-producing area in Rome. Due to the high demand for textiles, the cotton planting area continued to expand. The cotton textile industry soon surpassed the linen textile industry, but it has not yet surpassed the wool textile industry because of raw materials. If we get Andalusia and Syria, we should be able to surpass them.
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At the University of Constanta, the annual results release has begun. More than 700 people are vying for 100 places. The competition is fierce.
"Nicopol, have you found your name?"
"Not yet, but I saw your name, Alphonse."
Under the ranking list, many people want to put their eyes on it for fear of missing something. Some nobles and businessmen are also looking for people on the list and plan to make friends with them.
This list has been going on for several years, and people have long been accustomed to such days. Not only can they gain popularity, but they may also get investors.
Nobles and businessmen began to look for people suitable for investment. In their view, these were potential future high officials. If the investment is successful, it will be a huge benefit to the family.
Alphonse jumped for joy when he saw his name. This is the starting point for their family's rise. As long as they are on the list, they can enter the bureaucratic class. Although their status is low at the beginning, they can still rise.
Examinations enrich the bureaucracy, and surprises are taking place not only in Constanta, but also in Bukur Yesti, Iasi, Sofia and other cities with universities. Most of these people came from the small and medium-sized nobles and the citizen-landlord class. They did not have the strength of the big nobles and basically supported the imperial power. The emperor also relied on these future bureaucrats to control every inch of land.
Mircea's increasing control over the government makes Angel, the prime minister with whom he has worked for ten years, tired. This emperor likes to expand the army too much. It doesn't matter if the treasury has money, but the annual income and expenditure are roughly equal. If he wants to expand the army at this time, he will burden himself.
Another day of arguing with the emperor, Angel thought in his heart.
"Father is back." Angel's son Emilian stepped forward.
"Well", Angel didn't want to speak at this time. At today's meeting, Mircea directly proposed that he would continue to fight in the future, and he had to talk hard to get it under control.
Thanks to Angel's always standing on Mircea's side during the Kemplonga coup, the family survived and became the prime minister with one person under ten thousand people. But in the past ten years, he has increasingly felt that this position is difficult to hold, especially after the Grand Duke was crowned emperor, countless government affairs and orders to expand the army bothered him all the time.
"His Majesty has always been enthusiastic about the army. If it were not for the armistice agreement with the Ottomans, the fighting would still be continuing."
Angel also wanted to declare war on the heretics, but at the moment there were a lot of things to deal with within the empire, including the management of new territories, diplomacy with European countries, and also to meet the needs of the emperor. He, the prime minister, was really tired.
"Father, why don't you dissuade His Majesty from suspending the expansion of the army?" Emilian asked.
"You don't understand." Angel paused and continued, "His Majesty's war against the Ottomans began ten years ago. The spoils obtained by the empire were enough for the entire country's subjects to live for several years. His Majesty will not give up such a harvest. In addition, Pagans still hold large tracts of land.”
Angel analyzed Mircea's ambitions to his son. This monarch probably wanted to restore the glory and territory of the period of Emperor Justinian, coupled with the sacred mission of the Orthodox Church, so he was keen on expanding the army.
However, the rapid expansion of the land was not in line with the developing national power. What was needed most now was recuperation. For this reason, Angel repeatedly dissuaded the emperor at the meeting. Fortunately, Mircea still listened to the advice and did not continue to insist.
Moreover, in the past few years, he has also seen that Peter's reputation has also increased, and has even threatened Mircea. The original harmony between father and son can no longer be maintained. This is why Peter volunteered to go to the West to do diplomatic work. To avoid suspicion.
"Although His Majesty requested to expand the army, fortunately, the government can operate stably only with His Majesty's persuasion." Emilian suddenly interjected. After all, he served in the New Wallachian Yamen controlled by Peter and was considered a subordinate of Caesar.
"Well, fortunately God gave the empire a calm and wise prince."
Angel also agreed with his son's statement. Peter has also contributed a lot to the construction of the empire in recent years. He also discouraged Mircea from cooling down when he was a little fanatical, and was a qualified heir to the empire.
If Angel wants to continue the family legacy, he must have a good relationship with the next emperor and other royal members, because he has to consider any factors, and eggs cannot be put in one basket.