My British Empire

  Chapter 501 Dissolution of the Alliance

   "Damn the Englishman, dare to rob my treasure ship!"

  Philip II has been on the throne for a long time, and his authority has become more and more important, and his words and deeds have more and more influence on others.

  For example, when he heard that England rejected Spain's request at this time, His Majesty the King frowned and snorted coldly.

  The maids serving at the side immediately bowed their heads and bowed their heads, cautious in their words and deeds, and buried their heads in their own broad stalwarts, not daring to pull them out easily.

  Because the matter was so important, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance rushed over to help the king.

   "Your Majesty, with all due respect, the strength of the English navy has been rising over the past few years. New ships are launched every month. Today's strength is already comparable to that of the Portuguese!"

  Hearing the words, Your Excellency the Prime Minister bowed slightly, and immediately echoed, saying in a blink of an eye the strength of the United Kingdom.

   "Can it compare to our navy?" Philip II smiled, his face slightly dignified. Although he knew that the strength of the British was growing stronger, it was difficult to understand the specifics.

   "This, I can't!" Your Excellency the Prime Minister was choked by the king's words. He felt a little inexplicable, but he still said truthfully:

   "No, Your Majesty! However, the navy has reached half of our level! It deserves our high vigilance!"

  The Prime Minister said solemnly to His Majesty the King's dignified face, expressing deep vigilance against the rise of England in his words.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the Chancellor of the Exchequer continued after the Prime Minister had spoken: "The English have intervened in the slave trade and made a lot of profits. And most importantly, we found that the Dutch have, in recent months, Plenty of muskets and other weapons in possession!"

   "We have imposed a ban on the Netherlands, and the German princes will definitely not be able to send weapons. At present, the biggest possibility is England!"

   "Is what you said true?" Hearing this, Philip II couldn't believe it. Did that conservative Englishman do it? It was beyond his expectation.

   More importantly, England dared to support the Dutch rebels, which was no less than challenging the majesty of the Habsburg family!

   "The English are getting bolder!" Philip II sneered when he thought of the information he had ignored before.

   "Edward VI! A fight seems inevitable between us!"

  Business interests and political provocations made Philip II furious!

   "Go, my lord, go and tell the English that the alliance between Spain and England is no longer necessary in view of their bad attitude!"

  Your Excellency the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer glanced at each other, and then they agreed in unison with joy.

  In this era, nobles are merchants, but merchants are not nobles. Among the huge interests, the nobles are the ones who benefit the most.

  The rise of capitalists may have to wait until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

  The prosperity of England's business has caused an unknown number of pink eyes.

   And at this time, London, Whitehall Palace.

   In the haze of misty rain, His Majesty the King met two famous figures in history: John Hawkins and Francis Drake.

   After a set of etiquettes went down, Edward really had a conversation with them.

  The content of the conversation was nothing more than the pirate career and ocean-going career of the two of them.

  Knowing that both of them had privateering licenses, His Majesty the King was even more satisfied, and his interest became even higher.

  Although the privateer license allows robbery to be legal, it requires half of the income to be paid to the royal family. Although most pirates will tacitly conceal most of the income, the remaining income that is turned over is still surprising.

  As far as Edward knows, the issuance of the privateer license has brought an income of 50,000 pounds to the royal family for more than half a year. Given time, the future can be expected.

  After talking about John Hawkins, His Majesty the King expressed his approval for his courage to break the slave monopoly of Spanish merchants.

   It is precisely because of his bravery that he brought a lot of benefits to the English people, created a lot of jobs, and made outstanding contributions to the construction of the kingdom.

   At the end, it is natural to say that Drake found Magellan's route and found a new strait.

   "Your Majesty, this strait is so wide that you can't see the edge, the waves are choppy, and the storm is raging. Small boats can't pass through it! It's easy to fall apart!"

   "Besides, there are constant icebergs, huge waves, and thunderstorms. One of my ships sank with a crew of one hundred. I walked hundreds of miles, and I dare not go on!"

  Talking about the end, Drake couldn't help but feel a little frustrated and lost, but obviously he knew where it was, and immediately adjusted his mood.

   "Has the chart been drawn successfully?" Edward asked quickly.

   "All maps have been completed, including the newly discovered Barton Strait!"

  Hearing that the route has been drawn, His Majesty the King breathed a sigh of relief.

   Still, when he heard Barton Sound. Don't be so awkward.

   "Barton Strait? This name is not very good!" His Majesty the King shook his head and said softly. When the two heard this, they nodded immediately, saying that His Majesty was right, and asked His Majesty to rename it.

   "Since it was discovered by you, Drake, let's call it Drake Strait!" His Majesty the King stood up, pretending to think about it, and then said.

   "However, this chart must be kept in a safe place, and no one else, including English businessmen, may know about it!" Turning his head, His Majesty the King said in a deep voice.

   "Yes, Your Majesty!" The two looked at each other, their faces darkened, and they agreed.

   "Francis Drake, originally you robbed the Spanish treasure ship and committed a great crime, but you discovered the Drake Passage and made great contributions to the Kingdom in discovering a route to the east!"

  Looking at the eager expressions of the two, Edward continued:

   "So, I will confer you a lifetime knight and give you a thousand acres of land as a fief!"

   "As for you, Mr. John Hawkins, thanks to your contribution to the kingdom's business, I think the House of Commons should need a talent like you!"

   "Thank you, Your Majesty! It is our honor to serve you!" The two suppressed their excitement and bent down to salute.

  After seeing the two off, His Majesty the King, who was in a good mood, returned to his study. When he was about to deal with some government affairs, the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister suddenly asked to see him.

   "Your Majesty, the Spanish ambassador sent a letter of credence announcing that the treaty of alliance will expire immediately! He also warned us not to send weapons to the Netherlands!"

  The Foreign Minister said out of breath, his face full of anxiety, while the Prime Minister was a little nervous, quietly waiting for His Majesty's reaction.

   "Since this is the case, we can only agree!"

  (end of this chapter)