To the southwest of the Red Sea was Egypt, which was controlled by the Romans.
Egypt was also one of the most important grain producing areas for the Romans, and the Red Sea and the Suez Canal were the most important trade routes, and the Tang Dynasty merchant ships transported spices, silk, porcelain, tea, sugar, paper and even weapons and armor from the East to the Mediterranean Sea to Constantinople.
The merchant trade with the Tang Dynasty, the huge customs duties it bringed, etc., were now the main income of the Romans.
And the various armors and swords sold by the Tang Dynasty to the Romans made the Roman army even more powerful.
If the Red Sea is cut off.
For the Romans, it was even more terrible than Egypt being taken by the Persians.
Although there is still a land route to the north, the transportation capacity of that Silk Road cannot be compared with that of sea transportation.
This time, the prince of Heracronas came in the hope that his ally Datang could join the battlefield.
It is hoped that Datang's navy can escort Datang's merchant ships in the Red Sea, and even help them recapture the Sinai Peninsula in order to seize control of the Suez Canal.
"We have always had good relations with the Ethiopians of the Axum Empire on the southern shore of the Red Sea, and they are willing to ally with us against the Arabs."
The state of Axum ruled the Ethiopian plateau on the southern shore of the Red Sea, and later conquered a number of southern Arab kingdoms on the northern shore of the Red Sea.
Because of the maritime trade in the Red Sea, the strength of the Axum Kingdom is also very good, and in the past, it was considered a top three in this region with Rome and Persia.
Due to its strategic location, the Horn of Africa has become a gateway to ships in and out of the Red Sea, and even Axum has periodically invaded the Arabian Peninsula for hundreds of years.
The rise of the Arabs was also a great threat to them.
The Romans were interested in the sea power of the Tang Dynasty.
The merchant ships of the Tang people were huge, especially those armed merchant ships, which were big and fast.
Compared with the Mediterranean, the Red Sea region, the Roman, Axum, Persian, and Arab warships and technology are undoubtedly much more advanced.
"We are willing to cede the Sinai Peninsula to the Tang Dynasty as a territory, jointly guard the Suez Canal, and protect the trade routes."
Zhang Chao smiled slightly.
Emperor Heraclius is old, but he is still very smart.
The Sinai Peninsula is on the north bank of the canal, the area is not very large, and the key point is that it is still occupied by the Arabs.
Give this peninsula to Datang in exchange for Datang to protect the canal, of course they will not lose.
In particular, the peninsula is located right next to the Arabian Peninsula.
If the Tang Dynasty was stationed here, it could also become a barrier to Egypt in the Eastern Roman Empire.
Together with the Axum Empire to the east of the South Bank, Roman Egypt had two guards.
The end is a good calculation.
But for the Tang Dynasty, if the canal is controlled by the Arabs, it is indeed a bad thing.
Trade between the East and the West was equally important to the Tang Dynasty, and if the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea were controlled by the Arabs, trade with Rome and other Western countries would have to be blocked.
Rome and the surrounding countries of the Mediterranean are the largest trading partners of the Tang Dynasty.
The route was blocked, and in the future, Datang's spices, silk, tea, sugar, and porcelain were sold to whom If they sell it to the Arabs, they will definitely monopolize the trade, and then they will decide the price, and let them make all the money, and play.
Let the Arabs monopolize the profits of the trade between the east and the west, and then develop and grow, and then go back to fight for the credibility and middle of the river controlled by the Tang Dynasty This is not a financial enemy.
"If the Tang is to intervene in the Red Sea, then it is not enough to have the Sinai Peninsula, which is now in the hands of the Arabs.
We can send a fleet there, but then Rome and Axum will have to send troops to help capture the Lower Sinai Peninsula, and then hand it over to the Tang Dynasty, and in the event of an Arab attack, the two countries will have to defend it. ” "In addition."
Zhang Chao put down his wine glass and took out a map of the Red Sea coast.
"This area east of Axum must be assigned to the Tang Dynasty, and the two countries will recognize it as the territory of the Tang Dynasty so that the Tang Dynasty can garrison it."
The place Zhang Chao refers to is the Amazon Peninsula, also known as the Horn of Africa.
It's a big place, but it's very desolate, and there are many large and small indigenous states, and they are not strong and poor, and even the Axum Empire does not occupy this side.
Zhang Chao proposed to include this Horn of Africa in the territory of the Emperor so that he could garrison troops.
Prince Herakronas pondered for a moment, but did not object.
Anyway, it was a barren land, poor and backward, with few resources.
Although from a military point of view, it guards the eastern entrance of the Red Sea and is known as the Red Sea Bolt.
The Romans, the Axumes, or the Persians or the Arabs, none of their ships were capable of blocking the mouth of the Red Sea.
They generally guard the inside of the Red Sea bays, especially the narrow canal that connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
If Datang is really willing to send a fleet to occupy the Horn of Africa, and is willing to send a fleet here, repair a castle or something, then feel free.
Anyway, as long as the east-west route can be maintained, this is a guarantee of economy for the Romans.
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At the same time, Datang is really stationed here, and the more troops are stationed, the stronger the force against the Arabs will be, so why not.
There are several important locations in the Red Sea, such as the Suez Canal, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the east, the port of Aden, and the Horn of Africa.
On land, the Tang Dynasty really does not have the ability to go to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa to compete with the Arbi, the Romans, Axum, etc., after all, it is too far away.
But if it is only to occupy some bay ports, or even to occupy offshore islands, this Datang is really operable.
Protecting important shipping routes to the Mediterranean Sea is protecting Datang's important maritime trade.
It is even a disguised protection of the Tang Dynasty's territory in Central Asia.
The prince was very happy that Zhang Chao was willing to send troops.
"This time we have another request, I hope Datang can agree."
The prince was in a good mood and took the opportunity to propose to add more arms purchases to Datang, including but not limited to armor, swords, bows and crossbows on the military purchase list in the past, and he also proposed to buy warships from Datang, including muskets and artillery, which are rumored to be very sharp firearms.
"Swords, armor, bows and crossbows are fine, and if the quantity increases, we can also guarantee supply.
Battleships, too, but it will take time, if you are in a hurry, we can convert some merchant ships into armed merchant ships, or we can pull out a few warships for you to use first. ” In the Tang Navy, there are also some old warships, all of which are early products, and now they are relatively small and old.
It would be good to take the opportunity to eliminate and sell to the Romans.
But they don't have to think about firearms.
Even if it was a musket and artillery with little power, Zhang Chao did not plan to sell it to them.
If they have the ability, they will make it themselves.
"Settlement uses gold, silver, copper and iron, and slaves are also fine," Zhang Chao made a request.
"Yes" The prince only cares about whether he can get warships, armor, weapons, etc. from the Tang Dynasty, as for the price, this is not a problem, and it doesn't even matter what kind of settlement is used.
The Arabs are indeed putting them under great pressure now, and how to hold on to Asia Minor and Egypt has become a top priority.
Datang's advanced galleons, sturdy and light armor, and sharp swords have all become the equipment they urgently need.
As long as the trade routes of the Tang Dynasty continued, and the Tang ships continued to transport spices, silk, etc., the Romans would not be short of money.
They took these commodities traded with the Tang Dynasty and traded with other European states, and even with the barbarians in the north, and made even more money.
Turning over is a few times or even a dozen or dozens of times the profit.
They are only afraid that Datang will be out of stock, and they are not afraid that Datang will sell expensive.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Chao took his wife, concubines and children into the palace to pay New Year's greetings to Chengqian's family.
In the second year of junior high school, Xia Hua took her sister Ruohua and her son Xiaolong out of the palace to return to her parents' house to pay New Year's greetings.
Cheng Qian also came over to sit together for a long time and had a meal.
After the meal, Zhang Chao talked about negotiations with the Roman prince.
"Sending troops to the Red Sea" Cheng Qian wondered while peeling melon seeds.
"I know that the imperial court is using troops in several places now, and the pressure is still relatively high.
So this time, I'm going to take a different approach to this important issue at hand.
Your Majesty should know how important trade with the West is to us, and if we lose the trade of the Mediterranean countries, we will suffer greatly, and our economy will suffer greatly. ” "What is the best way for Wenyuan?"
Zhang Chao said, "I propose that the imperial court authorize some maritime merchants to unite and set up some maritime security companies to be responsible for the safety of overseas shipping routes and protect the safety of Datang's shipping routes and merchant ships." ” "Be specific" Zhang Chao's security company is actually similar to those East India companies in European countries during the Age of Discovery.
Historically, the East India Company was established in several European countries.
One of the most important privileges granted to these companies by various countries is the right to colonize overseas.
They even had the right to go to war overseas, to conclude treaties, and even to issue currency.
It is equivalent to a small subject country overseas.
Zhang Chao proposed that the imperial court recruit shareholders to establish a joint-stock maritime security company, authorize them to purchase warships and weapons from the imperial court, and allow them to recruit and train a group of sailors, sailors, and soldiers.
Grant them the right to establish a stronghold on the sea trade routes.
Their responsibility is to protect shipping routes and protect merchant ships at sea.
All merchant ships on all routes were required to pay them a pian's premium, and the port bases they established could be taxed according to the tax laws of the Tang Dynasty.
Cheng Qian's brows furrowed, this security company is a little too powerful.
"Your Majesty, you can actually recruit in sections.
For example, from Funan to the Wolf Tooth Repair, a security company was recruited, and from the Wolf Tooth Repair to the death of Sri Buddha, a security company was recruited.
Recruit a family from the death of Sri Buddha to the Lion Country, and recruit a family from the Lion Country to the Port of Sindu.
Recruit another family from Xindu to this Red Sea Africa Corner. ” "We divide the sections so that we patrol the security in sections."
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This is also to make Cheng Qian feel at ease, if the entire east-west route is a security company, this is also too powerful, and I am worried that the tail will be difficult to fall.
"Your Majesty, the stronghold and port developed and established by these security companies can be regarded as the overseas territory of the Tang Dynasty, and the security company can own half of the tax revenue, and the other half should be handed over to the imperial court.
In addition, the imperial court can send officials to supervise, and the administrative and judicial power of the territory should belong to the imperial court. ” Recruit shareholders to establish a coast security company, and then let them buy ships to recruit sailors and soldiers to colonize overseas to establish strongholds, protect shipping routes, merchant ships, and the places they fight down are regarded as assets of their company, in fact, it is a disguised recognition that they have opened up territory.
These realms had similar rights to those of the nobility, with the only difference being that they were not owned by a single person, but by many shareholders of a company.
In the past, only nobles had feudal domains, but if this scheme was accepted, in fact, merchant landlords would have the opportunity to become shareholders of overseas territories as long as they had money.
Cheng Qian was considering the impact of this plan on the imperial court, and it seemed that in this way, the imperial court did not need to send troops and money, and it could protect overseas shipping routes.
Each security company is responsible for its own profits and losses, and if it can lay down its territory, it will also become the territory of the imperial court.
It has opened up the territory and increased the tax, and there seems to be no reason to refuse.
Cheng Qian smiled.
"Sounds like a good thing, Motosuke, you go back and write a detailed charter, take it to the cabinet and discuss it with the Hanlin Academy, and listen to everyone's opinions." t1706231537: