My British Empire

Chapter 115 London Iron Yard Merchant

ps: It’s a daily routine, everyone votes if you have a vote, if you don’t have a vote, you can also vote! I disagree (*^ω^*)(*^ω^*)

"Okay, go and change it! Three days later, I need to see this playbook in my study!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I promise to give you a perfect answer!"

Udall was very attentive to Edward's instructions, so he couldn't help but patted his chest and agreed with a confident look on his face.

"Very good! Mr. Udall, your attitude is very satisfying!"

"I look forward to your performance!"

As he spoke, Edward returned to his room, leaving behind Udell writing.

The next day, in the morning, Edward was enjoying the oatmeal while listening to his young servant Andre's report.

"Your Majesty, the four theaters, including the Rose Theater and the Swan Theater, have been completely acquired by me in accordance with your instructions. They are completely the property of the royal family!"

Andre turned a blind eye to the delicious food in front of him, and reported solemnly.

"Really? Isn't there any twists and turns?" Edward's attention was focused on the dishes on the table at this time.

Picking up a piece of green vegetables stir-fried by an English chef, he looked at the darkened color, chewed it in his mouth helplessly, and swallowed it.

"Yes, although there are still some twists and turns, relying on His Majesty's majesty, I have successfully acquired four theaters!"

Andre felt a little embarrassed, but he still reported to Edward seriously.

Edward didn't care about Andre's emotions, and was still eating under his own guidance, the craftsmanship of the royal chef.

They are just a few minor nobles, they are not worthy of letting Edward know their names.

"The acquisition of four theaters cost a total of 220 pounds, including the real estate of the theaters, and the signing of more than 60 actors and screenwriters."

"Your Majesty, this is the result of my one month's work!"

After Andre finished speaking, he stood aside with a low eyebrow and a pleasing look.

After eating a bowl of oatmeal, Edward wiped his mouth with a towel, then looked up and looked at his young servant.

"Andre, you did a good job!"

"After all, it's the first time you've done this kind of thing, so it's understandable!"

Edward said noncommittally.

"Okay, since you have completed the task well, then, let you be in charge of running the four theaters!"

"This is another test for you!"

"By the way, since this is the case, you will have a salary, so two pounds a month!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Great King, I will definitely not disappoint your expectations, and I will definitely increase their profitability!"

Hearing that Edward handed over the business of running the theater to himself, Andre couldn't help but be overjoyed, and promised again and again.

Especially the first time he had a salary, and it was a huge sum of two pounds, which made his excited heart even more excited.

"Okay, you go down first! Remember, profit is not the main thing. At present, you just need to cooperate with Udall to put the play "Henry VII" on the stage!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Andre retired slowly, but his ambition was more than that. How would he reflect his level if he didn't make a profit?

Edward watched Andre leave, looked at Lucy beside him, and asked helplessly:

"Lucy, who are the rest?"

"Your Majesty, Mr. Parker Matthew, the acting speaker of the London City Council, has something to see!"

Lucy stood aside, bent slightly and said, Edward could see the two jade plates of some size from the corner of his eye.

"Does he have anything to say?" Edward asked calmly, pretending not to see it.

"It seems to be about the Hanseatic League, I don't know the specifics!"

Lucy had a confused look on her face, and then said to Edward.

"Well, then you can invite him in!" Edward looked like I knew it, which made Lucy a little silly.

The Hanseatic League is a commercial and political alliance formed between cities in northern Germany.

The word Hanse means "public office" or "guild hall" in German.

This business alliance was gradually formed in the 13th century, and reached its prosperity in the 14th century, with a maximum of 160 joined cities.

And in 1367, a leadership organization headed by the city of Lübeck was established, with rich merchants and nobles from big cities such as Hamburg, Cologne, and Bremen participating.

It not only has its own armed forces and treasury, but also defeated Denmark in 1370 and concluded the Treaty of Stralsund, which directly led to the decline of Denmark's maritime hegemony.

Moreover, the Hanseatic League monopolizes trade in the Baltic Sea region, and has established commercial stations in the coastal areas from London in the west to Novgorod in the east, with strong strength.

It declined in the 15th century and disintegrated in 1669.

So at present, Edward has to pay attention to the matters related to this huge organization.

Soon, the servant cleaned up the dining table in front of Edward, and he straightened his clothes to maintain his demeanor.

Led by Lucy, an old gentleman dressed as a gentleman with a Mediterranean hairstyle, gray beard and hair, and black-rimmed eyes walked in with a cane.

"Good day, Your Majesty!"

"Good day, Speaker Matthew!"

Edward stood up and returned the salute to show respect, and the two sat on chairs and began to communicate face to face.

"My Mr. Speaker, I don't know what brought you here?"

"Your Majesty, I am here this time not on behalf of myself, but on behalf of the majority of London citizens and businessmen, to sue you against the Hanseatic League together!"

Mr. Speaker coughed, then put his hands on the crutches, and said righteously.

"Oh? Really?" Edward pretended to be surprised.

"So, what did the Hanseatic League do that made the whole of London so indignant?"

Regarding Edward's question, Mr. Speaker was already prepared, drank some tea, moistened his throat, and then spoke in an orderly manner.

"Your Majesty, the whole matter still begins with His Majesty Henry II."

After a group of businessmen from Cologne had long-term commercial relations with England, they finally accepted the invitation of the King of England in 1250 and set up a foreign commercial agency in London, named "The Steel Yard" (The Steelyard).

Henry III specially set up an institution for these Orientals, giving them special treatment, and they were exempted from all other restrictions and import taxes that foreign businessmen were subject to.

The Hanseatic merchants and Britain were full of passionate and enduring conflicts and struggles from top to bottom.

At that time, the British were completely inexperienced in business, so from Edward II onwards, Hanseatic merchants monopolized all the foreign trade of the kingdom under the title of "Merchants of the Steelyyard" (Merchants of the Steelyyard).

They used their own merchant ships entirely in their business, so the British shipping industry was in a state of extreme decline at that time.

The relationship between Britain and the Hanseatic League in the past is similar to the relationship between Poland and Holland and between Germany and Britain; the British export is wool, tin, leather, and cream.

When Britain was still in a rather backward state, because it did not have any means and awareness of trade, it was satisfied with giving itself hunting grounds, pastures, forests and agricultural products, in short, all kinds of raw materials. , to find a way out; and glad to be able to exchange for better clothes, implements and utensils, and precious metals, thinking that this trade brought them considerable benefits.

But when the exchanges deepened and the British understood the transaction flow of the Hanseatic merchants, a natural change of thinking appeared-why can't we do the same thing ourselves?

So, at present, businessmen in England are dissatisfied with their position in the low-end industrial chain.

Moreover, since the Hanseatic merchants have tax-free rights in London, the cost of the items of the English merchants is completely higher than that of the Hanseatic merchants, so basically, they were defeated by the Hanseatic merchants.

For the current situation, the merchants have no choice but to see Edward's drastic reforms, so they pin their hopes on Edward.

In fact, in the early sixteenth century, the Hanseatic League began to decline. During the period of Henry VII, Britain began to prohibit the direct export of precious metals, and required Hanseatic League merchants to use the profits to buy local products in England.

During Edward's period, the Hanseatic League suffered major blows everywhere.

In the eastern Baltic Sea, the traditional ally of the Hanseatic League, the Teutonic Knights, began to decline in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Poland took this opportunity to take measures that harmed the interests of the Hanseatic League.

In 1478, Tsar Ivan III occupied Novgorod and expelled all Hanseatic merchants.

In Flanders, the powerful Burgundy duchy in the 15th century and the interprovincial republic that emerged in the 16th century threatened the Hanseatic League by building the port of Antwerp and encouraging pirate attacks.

Currently, Edward can't bear the existence of a duty-free zone on his own territory.

However, things cannot be done all at once.

"Your Majesty, a group of Hanse merchants acted recklessly in London. For example, when Earl Edward Seymour went to Scotland last year, these Hanse merchants wanted to drive up prices!"

"The citizens of London are not only suffering from it, but the price of supplies shipped to the front has also increased by three levels!"

"The rapid drying up of the treasury is not unrelated to their price manipulation behavior!"

Finally, Mr. Speaker concluded that this was a burst of bitter tears, which made Mr. Speaker himself very sad, and his eyes were moist!

The old Chairman Matthew looked at Edward with expectant eyes, as if seeing a savior.

"Okay, Mr. Speaker, I already know the specific situation, and the specific meaning of the treatment will be released in a few days!"

Edward couldn't stand this kind of look, and then said with some embarrassment.

"Your Majesty, in order to congratulate you on your recovery, our merchants in London specially gave you a small gift, please accept it!"

(end of this chapter)

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