Super Chief

Chapter 408: Opportunity

  In fact, throughout the eighteenth century, Spain was in an awkward position.

  From the end of the fifteenth century to the beginning of the seventeenth century, Spain’s invincible fleet shocked the whole of Europe! How powerful was the Spanish Invincible Fleet at that time? Just enumerate a piece of data.

  At that time, the Spanish Invincible Fleet had more than 150 warships, more than 3,000 cannons, and tens of thousands of soldiers! In the heyday of the fleet, there were more than a thousand ships, which is the greatest guarantee for the invincible fleet to run across the Mediterranean and Atlantic!

  So at that time, no country in Europe dared to touch the **** of the Spanish tiger easily.

  But with the continuous rise of other European countries, Spain's dominance in Europe has been greatly threatened, and many European countries have made it their goal to surpass Spain.

   Although the Spanish Invincible Fleet was invincible at the time, the Royal Spanish Navy also had a fatal weakness, that is, there was no outstanding commander! This weakness has not been resolved in Spain for hundreds of years, which also led to Spain's decline after more than a hundred years of glory.

  The rise of the Netherlands, Britain, France, and Prussia posed a great threat to Spanish rule in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. These countries are also constantly challenging Spain's sea power. In order to protect its own sea power, Spain is also constantly using naval warfare to deal with its enemies.

One after another naval battles continue to weaken the strength of the Spanish Invincible Fleet. From the Battle of Gravolina in 1588 to the Battle of Downs in 1639, Spain's Invincible Fleet was finally consumed in war after war. The vitality was finally pulled down by the Dutch navy in the Battle of Downs, and the sea coachman began to cross the Atlantic.

   Throughout the seventeenth century, the Dutch, British and even French navies began to become stronger, especially just entering the eighteenth century. At that time, the Habsburg dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Spain was extinct, leading to the outbreak of the Spanish throne war.

That war completely decayed Spain, which was still barely able to remain a first-class power. Of course, although the French won the war in the end, the French were also greatly injured and did not complete the annexation of Spain at the beginning of the war. Strategic objectives in Europe.

Anyway, this war completely plunged the European powers into disputes, and the signing of the Utrecht Treaty also allowed the British to obtain the greatest benefits-the British acquired the strategic location of Gibraltar from Spain and the Spanish Americas. The colony monopolized the right to sell black slaves, acquired Newfoundland, Arcadia, and Hudson Bay and other North American territories from France, retained its maritime advantages and gradually increased its international status!

  This battle for succession to the throne became the last straw to crush the camel, and Spain, which even Gibraltar had lost, was completely reduced to a second-rate country in Europe.

After poor Philip V came to power, the situation in Spain did not get any better in the first half of the eighteenth century.

  It can be said faithfully that Philip V is not a very good monarch, at least in his hands, Spain has not recovered. Even in 1724, Philip V, who was under great pressure, controversially passed the throne to his eldest son, Louis I, who was only seventeen years old.

  It’s a pity that Louis I had not proved whether he was a qualified or even an excellent monarch. He was infected with smallpox and was killed by smallpox.

  In desperation, Philip V, who had already abdicated, could only re-seat the throne of the King of Spain again until his death.

Although Philip V was suffering from severe manic depression, it did not improve the situation in Spain, and even broke Spain in 1739—yes, the King Philip V was indeed the one that year. He tossed Spain into bankruptcy-but he couldn't hold back and gave birth to two good sons.

  After the death of Philip V, his son Fernando VI became the third king of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty. Although the King has only reigned for fourteen years, Spain began to recover in his hands.

After Fernando VI came to power, he took many powerful measures and began to slowly bring vitality to this declining country.

Although Spain has declined, after all, this country has many colonies in the New World of America. Whether it is silver in Central America or gold in South America, or tobacco and sugar cane in the West Indies, they are constantly supplying the Spanish ship. The broken ship without a captain continued its life desperately.

  When Fernando VI, the wise captain, began to completely control the ship that was about to sink in Spain, the ship began to miraculously recover with the help of the continuous transfer of property from the colony.

  Although Spain’s sea power has been lost since the beginning of the seventeenth century, and despite unprecedented difficulties, the newly appointed Spanish ruler is still trying to revive the huge fleet that they used to be proud of.

  After Fernando VI came to power, he began to try to build a new type of warship in order to beat the opponent in quality-by the standards of the time, they did. Compared with the British battleships in the same period, the Spanish battleships had higher gun positions, wider beams, better stability, and more guns; they had a certain advantage in single-ship confrontation-it can be said that starting from Fernando VI, Spain The Royal Navy gradually embarked on the road to recovery.

  Later, after the death of Fernando VI, his half-brother Carlos III became the new King of Spain.

  The equally ambitious Carlos III adheres to his brother's philosophy and vigorously develops Spain, so that this once glorious country continues to grow stronger.

  This is not just casual talk. With the launch of the first-class battleship "Royal Philip" with 114 guns~lightnovelpub.net~, the former invincible fleet began to have a backbone. Immediately afterwards, second-tier battleships with eighty guns such as the "San Padro Lightning" were also launched, as well as other third-tier battleships.

The addition of these two-tier and three-tier battleships brought the once invincible fleet to life again, and when the first-tier battleship "San Carlos" with 114 guns was launched last year, the Spanish navy in the mid-eighteenth century had once again Owned the glory of the invincible fleet that was once invincible across the ocean.

  It is no exaggeration to say that even if the rise of Britain and France is so rapid, the two countries that have just experienced the Seven Years' War now dare not fight with the Spanish Royal Navy over the ocean.

  The navy has restored its former glory, but the Spanish Army, which was invincible in continental Europe, has always been in a half-dead condition.

  All of this, Major Felisa knew that although he was a naval officer, he was also very eager for the Royal Spanish Army, which was invincible in continental Europe, to regain its former glory.

  In this way, both the navy and the army have become extremely powerful. Who else is the opponent of the Kingdom of Spain in the entire continent?

But it’s not so easy for the army to regain its glory. Now, on the New World side, there is finally an opportunity for the army to recover, and it is also an opportunity to bring the family’s arms business to the next level. How could Felisa Fernando give up?