Bullying a Gomen lord and Count of Schaumburg, Marin's strength is obviously crushing. However, there are also some political risks. For example, it will find an excuse for some princes who are hostile to Marin to do it.

Therefore, while bullying Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin must also be prepared for battle. Of course, not really fighting with people, but putting on a tough posture.

Although Marin did not have any loopholes this time, he had already obtained authorization from the "landlord" of Recklinghausen, the Archbishopric of Cologne. However, in order to prevent complications, Marin still had to make some other preparations. For example, it is necessary to put on a posture of being ready to respond to the invasion of the princes' coalition forces, and say, "I am not afraid of you."

Therefore, while putting pressure on Gomen and Schaumburg, Marin also openly recruited strong men from all over the country to vigorously repair several key cities such as Aurich, Emden, Groningen, Oldenburg, and Schleswig, making a posture of preparation and death.

At the same time, Marin also revealed the 20,000 militia that had been secretly recruited, and together with the more than 20,000 regular troops in his country, the size of the army in the North Sea Country reached a terrifying level.

An army of more than 40,000 men was large enough to fight any state in Germany with the certainty of victory. Even in the face of the alliance of princes, it may be problematic to attack, but it is possible to hold on to important cities.

After all, there are only a few dozen of the two or three hundred princes in Germany who really have touched the scale of the army. Moreover, part of this is still from the Habsburgs. Then, the remaining princes can theoretically touch more than 200,000 troops. However, this is only theoretical. Because, these countries also have to stay behind to protect themselves, and it is impossible to send all the troops to fight Marin.

Then, if you calculate it this way, the alliance of the princes will dispatch a maximum of more than 100,000 people. With so many people, it does seem terrifying, but considering the combat effectiveness, it may not be stronger than Marin's more than 40,000 people.

The most important thing is that if Marin chooses to defend the city, it will cancel out the opponent's numerical advantage. Coupled with the difference in combat effectiveness, the alliance of princes may not be able to capture the Beihai Kingdom.

Moreover, the alliance of princes may not be united. The princes obviously have their own little calculations, and they will not really be stupid enough to send their own troops to fight Marin.

An obvious example is the crusade against Dong Zhuo by the princes of the Eighteen Routes during the Three Kingdoms period. Obviously, the overall strength of the coalition army was stronger, but because everyone had their own thoughts, Dong Zhuo's soldiers and horses retreated safely......

As long as Marin puts on a tough posture, the other party must have some scruples. Moreover, compared with the alliance between the North Sea State and the Habsburgs, the interests of the small princely forces of Gomen and Schaumburg are obviously not very important.

Therefore, Marin's public announcement of requisitioning strong men to repair several major cities and practicing defending the cities is actually just a political fraud, and he does not really want to turn against the princes.

After all, the acquisition of the Ruhr area was too important for Marin. If you can get to the heart of the Ruhr area, it's worth the risk.

In order to let the princes of various countries know Marin's attitude as soon as possible before the imperial conference, Marin directly sent a large number of his subordinates to various important cities in Germany to purchase saltpeter for gunpowder or finished gunpowder with great fanfare.

At the same time as the acquisition, these people will also send a message to the people that the North Sea Kingdom is ready to hold on for a long time......

In this way, the princes who will be attending the meeting will also learn about Marin's attitude as soon as possible......

……

Recklinghausen is a small area, but it is only a part of the area between the Ruhr and Lipper rivers. In addition to the land between the two rivers of Marin, which Marin had acquired, and Recklinghausen, there were two imperial cities, Dortmund and Essen, as well as the Hedong region of the Duchy of Criver and an enclave north of the Ruhr River in the Duchy of Berg.

Therefore, if Marin wants to occupy most of the coal-producing areas in the Ruhr area, he also needs to take the enclaves in the east of the Ruhr region of the Duchy of Clive and the north of the Ruhr River in the Duchy of Berg. There were also two imperial cities, Dortmund and Essen.

However, Marin had already planned to capture the two imperial cities of Dortmund and Essen during the Wars of Religion. Therefore, what Marin has to do now is to take the land east of the Rhine in the Duchy of Cleave, and the enclave north of the Ruhr in the Duchy of Berg.

The area of the Duchy of Cleaver east of the Rhine, south of the Lipper River, north of the Ruhr River, about four or five hundred square kilometers, is only a little smaller than Recklinghausen.

It was an important agricultural area in the Duchy of Cleaver, and after all, the land was exceptionally fertile. It was quite difficult for John II, Duke of Cleaver, to give up the land.

And the enclave north of the Ruhr in the Duchy of Berg is less than a hundred square kilometers. On this land, there is only one important town in Mülheim am Ruhr. At present, Mülheim is not even a city, but a bustling market town. Therefore, Marin is confident enough to take down the land in Mülheim. Moreover, this is also in line with the principle of easy before difficult.

To this end, Marin sent a representative to the city of Jülich to consult with William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg, about the purchase of the town of Mülheim.

However, because he spent money too hard, Marin now has no cash in his hands. After all, in this era, Europe lacked precious metals such as gold and silver, otherwise, it would not have gone on a great voyage. Therefore, Marin hopes that this purchase can use grain as a means of payment.

William IV initially rejected Marin's takeover, because he thought it would be good to keep the status quo.

He has no ambitions, because he has no male heir. As early as 1496, William IV allied himself with John II, Duke of Cliffor. It was agreed that John, the six-year-old son of John II, Duke of Clifford, and Maria of Hulich-Berg, the five-year-old daughter of William IV, were married. When the two little dolls reached the age of marriage and got married, the four big vassal states under the control of both sides were merged......

This is so because William IV fell from his horse in 1496 and injured his balls, which were damaged and could no longer produce offspring. Therefore, William IV had no choice but to accept the fate of having no male heir, and entered into a marriage contract with John II, Duke of Cleaver, early.

From then on, there was no hope for William IV's life. He lives in fine wine and food every day, and no longer seeks any imperial hegemony. Because, he doesn't have a male heir anyway. What if you get more territory? Isn't it a cheap Lamarck family yet?

Therefore, the current William IV has no desires and does not care about any interests. Even if Marin offered a high price, he didn't care much......

When he heard the messenger's return, Marin was a little speechless and felt very troubled. In this world, I am not afraid that people have thoughts and desires, but what I am afraid of is that people have no ideas. The ancients said that if there is no desire, then there is rigidity, and in the face of the desireless William IV, Marin is also a little blind...... What can you do in the face of a person who doesn't want any benefits?

But the location of this place in Mülheim is very important. It guards the lower reaches of the Ruhr and is the gateway to the Rhine waterway. Moreover, it is right on the edge of the imperial city of Essen......

The city of Essen was famous in Germany in later generations. Because, it is the location of the world-famous Krupp Arsenal in later generations......

The Krupp cannon is a super famous thing in China. That thing was basically regarded as an artifact by the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Of course, the Krupp artillery is indeed a cow, at least the Germans used the Krupp artillery to beat France to the ground......

Until the First and Second World Wars, including the German Empire, Essen was the center of German military manufacturing.

And, unlike Mauser, which specializes in the production of rifles, Krupp has a large-scale, technologically advanced steel plant as a support. Even the German Navy used Krupp armor from Krupp steel.

It can be said that the First World War and the Second World War provoked by the Germans would have been difficult to fight without the support of Essen's strong military industrial production capacity. For Essen, a world-class arms center in later generations, Marin naturally coveted it.

Moreover, Essen did not become a military manufacturing center in later generations. According to historical records, Essen became a famous military manufacturing center in Germany in the 16th century.

It is the 16th century, and it is also the time when Essen moved towards the military manufacturing industry. And according to the report of intelligence officers, Essen has opened the curtain on the manufacture of firearms......

It is said that the city hall of Essen has issued a decree announcing the support of the firearms manufacturing industry and recruiting musket and cannon craftsmen from all over Germany.

It is said that there are currently six blacksmiths in Essen that make arquebuses and one that casts Fran cannons...... And counting...... In this way, the rudiments of the German munitions manufacturing center have been revealed, and Marin has no reason to spare Essen......

The town of Mülheim is located exactly southwest of Essen and is the gateway to the Ruhr.

In this era, muskets could perhaps be transported by land. But artillery, if you want to transport it on a large scale, it is best to go by water.

Therefore, by controlling Mülheim and the territory of the original Macbeth country, Marin could block Essen's use of the Ruhr River to communicate with the outside world.

If you count Recklinghausen and get the land east of the Rhine from the Duchy of Cleave, Marin's territory can surround Essen. At that time, as long as Marin sets up a card, he can block the road between Essen and the outside world. It would be better if Essen resisted, and it would be ...... to directly send troops to occupy it

Of course, it's not that much trouble. If Essen was on the side of Protestantism in the Wars of Religion, then needless to say, he was directly on the side of Catholicism and exterminated Essen in the name of apologetics.

However, if history deviates and Essen does not join Protestantism, he will use the territory besieging Essen to block the outflow of Essen goods and force it to turn around...... It's the only means......

Mülheim is not only the southwestern land gateway to Essen, but also controls the shipping lanes of the lower Ruhr River, which can lock Essen. So, Marin has to take down the area of Mülheim no matter what.

However, William IV now has no desires, and Marin does not know what to do with him......