165 Plans

Just don't laugh, just don't laugh... Me? Wife? Maybe he's taking some drugs or he's just crazy, although I've never heard of it that Charles I had problems with his head.

"Your Majesty, I am not husband material, and if I am to have a wife, I prefer to find her myself. Second, I really think that the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kingdom of England should live in harmony, but apart." (MC)

"I don't know why, the Prince is hostile, is there any personal grudge against my country?" (King Charles)

"No, this is not a personal grudge, but rather a good memory... Back when your father was still king, he wanted to form a coalition against the Ottoman Empire. However, these were just empty words, as the Levant Company supplied the Turks with weapons and helped train their soldiers... sometime later, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth waged war against them, even our ambassador asked your father to support our efforts, unfortunately he was refused." (MC)

"We were not allies and we had no duty to support you." (King Charles)

"It is true, Your Highness, but we have the right to remember who supplied our enemies with the weapons from which our soldiers died." (MC)

"Prince do you really think what happened twenty or thirty years ago should have an impact on our present relationship?" (King Charles)

Yes, you can forgive, but never forget... although I would not be in a hurry with this forgiveness.

"I do not know, you could ask the Irish about it... but we deviate from the topic of the conversation. You want to regain the throne of Bohemia for your nephew, so that he would not threaten your position, in return you offer me a wife? Is it the only one who can see the disproportion here? I am neither Paris nor Menelaus." (MC)

"So what do you expect in return?" (King Charles)

It never hurts to listen to an offer, even if you intend to decline it, and knowing the value of the offer, you can ask for more.

"First, I want to know why me? Second, who is this mysterious wife and how can you be sure she'll agree?" (MC)

"I considered many possibilities, but your name was the most obvious... prestige. There may be many rulers or princes in the east, but not many of your kind... Writer, commander, inventor, magnate... and the candidate for your wife will be my niece, Elisabeth Simmern van Pallandt..." (King Charles)

What??? He must be really crazy... the woman who rejected King Władysław's proposal was now to become my wife?

"Your Majesty, with all due respect... have you really thought it through?" (MC)

"Of course. I know my niece rejected your King's proposal, but it was impossible to avoid it, she did not want to change her faith to Catholic. You have a lot in common, books... you will surely communicate with each other." (King Charles)

Yeah, like Israel and Palestine.

"Please forgive me, but no. I will not put my country into conflict with the Emperor... Your niece may be beautiful like Aphrodite and smart like Athena, but she is not worth the war." (MC)

"What would you like in return? Money, lands, titles, colonies?" (King Charles)

"I have to rethink it, if Your Majesty has time tomorrow, I will say what I decided, but to be honest... No, will be my answer." (MC)

I said goodbye to the King and made my way back to Hampton Court, but I kept thinking about this insane proposition.

I have to approach it rationally and logically ... Austria is our opponent, or at least it will be in a hundred years, and I have plans to destroy it myself... but I cannot come out officially against the Emperor, I would lose all my influence.

So the only thing I can offer is food, weapons, gold and several thousand Tatars who are not subject to Crimea... but what if the nephew of the King of England turns out to be a greater threat than the emperor... I can't risk it.

And what is good for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?

A friendly Bohemia independent of Vienna... The king's nephew may take this throne, but then he may have an accident and die. No, it won't help, the Winter Queen has several sons... unless I kill them all, but I'll also have to control her daughters, let at least one of them marry someone ambitious... and I'll have another problem. I can also refuse, but then I will lose control of the events... Think Fuck.

Agree or not? Emotions say no, reason says yes... If I agree, I need a plan.

The emperor has many enemies, so it will be much easier to find someone to help. I will tell the King to allow his nephew to recruit Scottish mercenaries, but not more than 2,000 people, then let the Kingdom of France add another 2,000... but only infantry, and I will hire 5,000 Nogai Tatars. I'll also provide food, gold and some weapons. So much officially...

And less officially. I will send Wroński to Rome to hire no more than 200 Italian mercenaries and he will do it on behalf of the Emperor. Saddat will go to Crimea and borrow several thousand Tatars from the Crimean Khan... then I'll prepare a trap for everyone.

However, the most important thing will be appearances, so I have to agree on the wife... but if Elizabeth herself does not agree to the wedding, then my plan will not be needed.

The question of price remains... what should I ask for. The king will lose his head in 1649, and knowing Cromwell's character, no further cooperation will be not possible.

Gold, titles, colonies... it's for kids.

Maybe... a 10-year trade agreement, Polish and English ships will receive preferential treatment, lower customs duties and taxes. Another thing can be the Levant Company... Trade with the Ottoman Empire can only be carried out in form of transit through the lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. What else?

Maybe 20 large ships, preferably Galleons. The Kingdom of England has a strong fleet, so 20 ships shouldn't be a problem.

To think that I quit politics and that I had to go back to it so quickly.