I Am Louis XIV

Things turned out as Louis XIV expected. When he was still seven days away from Rome, news came out that Clement X was seriously ill and dying; on the fifth day, the respectable old man went to After seeing God; on the third day, the door of the Sistine Chapel was closed (the papal election began); on the last day, Louis XIV entered Rome and heard bursts of cheers, crying and laughing, They also passed along a small note, the name on which was Benedetto Otezcalchi.

Louis XIV couldn't help but smile when he saw it. It seemed that the cardinal leader had finally succeeded in pocketing the papal crown. He did not wait to congratulate and flatter the new pope. Instead, he immediately stationed himself in the territory of the Colonna family. ——The Colonna family was once a powerful family in Rome between the 12th and 15th centuries. It once had a pope and many cardinals, but this power has disappeared with the decline of the church. Without a trace, they can only ensure the peace and prosperity of their ancestral land, the town of Colonna.

That is to say, this town can afford the garrison of Louis XIV, the Dauphin Louis the Younger, and the accompanying five thousand elite soldiers, guards, musketeers and dragoons, because they just came from the battlefield with the Ottomans. Come down - although this battle, which everyone thought would be difficult and long, ended a bit anticlimactically, it did not hinder people's respect and fear for them at all.

The Colonna family offered everything they could, food, wine and even traveling girls, but the latter two were refused.

But another gift really made Louis XIV overjoyed, because the person who came was none other than his most beloved eldest son Luciano Jr., Duke of Colonna. The Duke was accompanied by his young fiancée Anna Medici, his fiancee's uncle Francesco, and the future Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand, the eldest son of Cosimo III, who was also Anna's brother. . Cosimo III asked Ferdinand, who was still underage, to come to Rome, partly to seek the Pope's blessing, and partly to meet the Sun King Louis XIV. Whether the Medici family can be preserved in the future or go further will depend on It depends on whether France is willing to lend a helping hand.

The head of the Colonna family had just left Louis' room. The connection between them was caused by the deceased Bishop Mazarin. Now that he has passed away, Louis XIV has also invested part of Bishop Mazarin's feelings in him. On his body, not to mention that his eldest son still occupied a title of the other family's children. Of course, the parents of Colonna could feel the kindness of Louis XIV. After receiving a verbally promised Duke title, he was so excited that he trembled - don't be surprised. , compared with a dukedom in France and a duchy from the Italian war period, everyone knows which one is more important.

The Duke of Colonna is so respected because everyone knows that his father is Louis XIV, not because of the Colonna family.

After the head of the Colonna family said goodbye and left, Bontang put away the tea cup, and Louis looked out the window: "When can little Lucy arrive?"

"The Duke of Colonna will probably arrive in the afternoon," Bontan said: "He was in Naples before." Gathering the otherworldly forces there: "I prepared a lot of cannoli, fried potato chips and cherry jam cake." These are all. The Duke of Colonna likes: "Of course, I also remind him to brush his teeth."

Louis's smile is much more real now. The Duke of Colonna was also looked after by Bontang for a while. Louis XIV is the king and cannot be with his son anytime and anywhere: "Then what do you think of Mr. Colonna's proposal?" Sample?"

"There are advantages and disadvantages." Bontang walked to the door with the plates in his hands, handed them to the attendants outside the door, and then came back: "It depends on what you are going to do."

Louis pondered for a while. The head of the Colonna family proposed that the pope preside over the wedding of the Duke of Colonna and the daughter of Cosimo III. The advantage of this is that no one can question the wedding blessed by the pope. The legitimacy of the Duke of Colonna's identity can also give him an advantage in legitimacy in the battle for the throne of Naples; the disadvantage is... what Louis promised to the Duke of Colonna was not Naples, but the whole of Italy. .

Yes, Louis never thought of stopping at Naples. There was always only one choice between reunification or division, and division was never-ending. Hundreds of years later, there would still be a huge country spanning Europe and Asia due to division. Complete destruction, not to mention Italy, which has long been accustomed to disputes and separatism. Louis XIV worked hard for a unified France, and he would not watch his children and their descendants being dragged into a quagmire of filth and chaos.

But Cosimo III not only had a daughter, but also two sons. The eldest son was Ferdinand and the youngest son Ji'an. No matter which inheritance law was followed, their inheritance rights were before Princess Anna...

But let's put this behind us. The Duke of Colonna and his wife are not yet married, and they have no heir. Louis puts aside those cruel thoughts that belong to kings and rulers - it is the end of summer, the gorgeous red The sun is no longer so hot, and the green shade at dusk still makes people feel comfortable and pleasant. Artificial streams flow in the courtyards built by the ancient Romans. Fountains jump out from the goddess's water bottle or from the flower branches. At the end The light refracted like a diamond in the peripheral vision.

When Anna was still a child, she stayed in Paris and Versailles for a long time on the pretext of escorting her mother back to her motherland. Her studies in Paris and her close relationship with the Duke of Colonna made her more optimistic about her future marriage. Not only did she not feel nervous or fearful, but she was very much looking forward to it - Rome had once been prosperous, and Florence was also the center of the Renaissance. But since returning to Florence, Anna has felt that although it still retains some of the colors of the past, it has become dim. Obsolescence is only worth remembering, not worth enjoying and pursuing.

This palace has been completely decorated according to the preferences of the French king. There are not too many colors, no excessive decoration, and no cumbersome curtains. Everything is elegant and comfortable, with countless flower branches from water bottles and drawers in the corner of the room. Hanging from the end of the armrest, it brings a sweet atmosphere to the air here.

Even more anxious than her is the Duke of Colonna. Since leaving Versailles, he has not been able to see his father for three or four years. Was he injured in the previous battle, or was he tired? Has your temperament changed? Are you satisfied with what he has done since arriving in Italy? While he was feeling uneasy, he involuntarily quickened his pace.

Louis wasn't even in the room waiting for his son. While the head of the Colonna family was talking, he had been looking out the window at the courtyard. This mansion originally belonged to a prominent Roman general. This living room was also the original dining room. After the ancient Romans' seats were removed, , the owner here still retained this part facing the courtyard - this part only has columns and no walls, but replaced the hanging curtains with louvered wooden doors.

Louis walked out of these wooden doors and walked under several large laurel trees. The ancient Romans woven laurel branches and leaves into laurel wreaths and put them on the heads of victorious generals. Now it has passed the laurel flowering period, but the laurel leaves are still beautiful. The fresh smell was also refreshing enough - Louis was just lying under the tree to take a nap at first, but as soon as he heard that the Duke of Colonna was coming, he immediately jumped up from under the tree to meet his son.

At first glance, both Louis XIV and the Duke of Colonna were slightly startled. Although the reasons were completely different, Louis was because the Duke of Colonna had actually grown a lot taller in just a few years. Maybe it was because of Naples. Thing is, he's thinner and paler. He once resembled his father, but now he doesn't - he now looks more like his mother, Mary Mancini, especially with his light hair. As it grows up, it gradually becomes darker, darker than Louis' golden brown, and can almost be said to be dark brown.

As for Louis, people in Paris and Versailles believed that Louis XIV was not an ordinary person, and his enemies even fabricated (not entirely fabricated) rumors that he might be a wizard. It was not groundless, mainly because compared to Queen Theresa , Louis' appearance does not seem to have changed much in the past ten years, his body has not become bloated, his face has no wrinkles, and his hair is still shiny and thick. For a moment, the Duke of Colonna felt as if a few years had not existed at all. He was still in the Palace of Versailles, with his father and the king.

However, while the Duke of Colonna was still stunned, Louis had already followed his instinct, stepped forward and hugged the Duke of Colonna tightly. The current Duke of Colonna was only slightly lower than Louis, but Louis still did not hesitate. After struggling to lift him up, Duke Colonna immediately blushed and shouted, while Anna behind him was completely stunned.

Louis' reckless behavior suddenly broke the alienation caused by several years and long distance. He put down the Duke of Colonna, took his hand, walked to the laurel tree, and sat on a fine silk carpet. The silk carpet has a distinct Ottoman style. Due to religious issues, most of the silk carpets in Ottoman Turkey do not have characters and animals woven like the tapestries of Europe. Most of them are geometric patterns and flowers: "How about it?" Louis asked with a smile: "It was originally laid in the Grand Vizier's tent."

Although the Ottoman Turks said they were negotiating peace with the coalition, in fact they were surrendering. They had to bring the remaining people back to Istanbul so that Mohammed IV could focus his anger on Ahmed alone - if Louis was not France The king was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire or the Archduke of Austria. He would have to at least take a big bite before allowing these Ottomans to leave, but since he was not any of the above, and Leopold I After this war, not only will there be no gratitude towards him or France, but there will only be greater fear and anger - of course he will not be too harsh.

During this peace negotiation, the coalition forces gained a large amount of wealth - although most of it came from the plunder of the Ottomans, Louis' gain was undoubtedly the most huge. In addition to war reparations, income from the arms trade, and Leopold I The debts owed by Louis XIV - those cement, kerosene, white phosphorus bombs and flour, as well as artillery, guns and ammunition. If Louis XIV was willing to take it out, people would say that he was generous. Could Leopold I still shamelessly refuse this debt? Can't settle the account?

Even Leopold I's own generals said that it was lucky that the city of Vienna was safe and that the war did not even break out in Austria. It was too unbecoming of a king to grumble about some small debt. Such demeanor...

Leopold I faced a bill of 1.5 million livres...Louis XIV graciously allowed him to pay it in installments.

Pulling his thoughts away from the heavy stack of bills: "Get ready," Louis said to the Duke of Colonna: "You have to accompany me to attend the high mass later."

The Duke of Colonna raised his head while biting the cannoli, but could not understand what Louis meant for a while, "There is also a small pilgrimage." Louis added, while Anna Medici on the side clapped her hands happily, "That's great. Your Majesty, that’s great!”

"That's great," Louis took off the Duke's cannoli and threw it on the plate: "Why, don't you want to, my little Lucy?"

"I do!" Duke Colonna finally understood what the king meant, and his cheeks suddenly turned as red as a healthy young man: "I do, father, of course I do." He clenched his fist tightly and said, What was unsatisfactory about Duke Colonna's life was probably his origin. He knew his father's helplessness and his mother's sorrow, but he understood their difficulties, but it was impossible not to feel resentful about it.

It has always been his greatest desire to follow his father and the king to attend the High Mass, let alone serve the king to complete the minor pilgrimage (that is, the pilgrimage limited to Rome). After being ecstatic for a moment, he suddenly calmed down: "What about little Louis? ?”

"When I was in Italy, it was yours, little Lucy," said Louis.

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The crown prince Louis already knew this, and he also knew that it would be difficult to sway Louis XIV's decision, and to ensure that the Bourbon bloodline continued in Italy, Luciano, Duke of Colonna, must be firmly tied to Louis XIV. Four Hands - Sometimes, chains are not only made of steel, but also made of emotions. At the same time, this is also building momentum for the Duke of Colonna, at least to win the support of those descendants of Anjou.

It's just understanding. When the Duke of Colonna accompanied his father to St. Peter's Basilica for mass, but he had to stay in the room, the Crown Prince still couldn't help sighing. He put his head on the desk and pillowed it. A book that records the deeds of Saint Louis - the people around Louis XIV, the Marquis of Loise, Monsieur Bontan, the Vicomte de Turenne, etc., seem to intend to make it a second Saint Louis.

If they can succeed, that's not a bad thing. Now little Louis already knows that if those rumors are allowed to spread, it will indeed cause some trouble-the bad thing about the identity of the wizard is that it is innate. And there is no way to get rid of it, which is destined that wizards will always gather in one place and be distinguished from mortals-once a ruler or powerful person is also a wizard, things will become very troublesome, because he will inevitably Subconsciously prefer wizards to mortals, but the base of mortals is destined to be greater than that of wizards. Therefore, let alone the king, even the people around the king, such as Merlin who was once beside King Arthur, even if he has such achievements, in the end Wouldn't it just end up being imprisoned by the students forever, and his people and his kind all being expelled from the capital?

Not only was Louis XIV unwilling to become a wizard, he even further wanted to take control of the other world in his hands. It was also for this reason.

At this time, an entourage knocked on the door and asked the Crown Prince if he would like to meet the person who wanted to visit him. The Crown Prince shook his head, "No." He said that Louis XIV's meaning was obvious. France is his and Italy is. His brother, Luciano Jr., was the Duke of Colonna. Although his father was a benevolent king, it was difficult for him to tolerate smart fools.

There are quite a few smart-alecked idiots. Everyone knows that today’s King of France is not the St. Louis of the past. He is more like the beautiful man Philip IV of the past (King of France, the architect of the shame of Avignon). He led When the army came to Rome, the red princes were terrified, fearing that the king would anger the church because of what Clement X had done and move them to a new home - the "palace" in Avignon, France. But it still stands in their hearts, which is why the leader of the cardinals, Benedetto Otezcalchi, successfully overwhelmed other candidates and stepped onto the papal throne in just two days and one night.

Everyone knows that when Clement X was still dying, he not only gave away his illegitimate daughter as a hostage, but also gave up Barras, the leader of the monks on the island of Japan, as a bribe. After the Avignon incident, France The Cardinal has been excluded from being a candidate for the Pope for three hundred years. The person supported by His Majesty will definitely not be the hopeless Cardinal Larivière, so besides him, the most likely There is only the Cardinal leader.

After Benedetto Otezcalchi was crowned, he chose Innocent as his holy name, that is, Innocent XI. There were ten popes with Innocent as the holy name before him, but the most famous None more so than Innocent III and Innocent X. When Innocent III was on the throne, the power of the church reached its peak. He forced the king to surrender to him, declared that divine power was higher than royal power, and called himself "King of Kings." , and taxed the entire Europe; when Innocent X was in power, the church had fallen from the peak of power, but this did not hinder the expansion of the pope's ambitions at all, and he was also a supporter of Habsburg in Europe .

Because the cardinal leader chose such a holy name, some people can't help but think that he is a supporter of Habsburg and an opponent of the French King - not to mention how he became the pope, anyway, he is a Roman priest who burns bridges and is ruthless. One of the traditional skills of Because he was afraid that his deep sins would lead him to hell, he rushed to confess.