Though the Medici family ruled Florence, their competitors still existed.
Families engaged in banking and wool textile businesses like the Medici sought to defeat them in competition and claim the Medici’s enormous wealth and influence as their own.
However, the problem was that as Cosimo’s bold investments—deemed gambling by many—succeeded one after another, the possibility of winning through competition vanished.
Judging it impossible to defeat the Medici through competition, rival families decided to use the most time-honored methods.
The traditional methods they chose were assassination, kidnapping, and coup d’état.
The Medici’s competitors plotted secretly, but there was a critical flaw.
Insufficient funds, insufficient troops.
They too encountered the same obstacles the Youth School had faced.
As mentioned earlier, most competitors operated the same financial and wool textile industries as the Medici.
However, losing in competition had emptied their purses. In a situation where they could barely maintain the status quo, recruiting skilled professionals for assassination or kidnapping was no easy task.
Military force was the same.
They lacked sufficient funds to hire mercenary companies. Even if assassination or kidnapping succeeded, this meant they had no military power to expel the Medici family and seize Florence.
Eventually, they had no choice but to request support from tyrants of other cities.
They made the same choice as the Youth School members who had approached the kings of France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Spain.
And their choice ended in failure.
The tyrants who received their requests decided to provide support, but other city tyrants who learned of this informed Cosimo in advance.
Their informing Cosimo wasn’t out of goodwill.
If Florence’s Medici fell, it was obvious without looking that the other tyrant who supported the competitors would devour Florence.
If that happened, Italy’s power structure would be overturned, and they would lose their vested interests.
“I don’t care what happens to the Medici, but I can’t lose what’s mine because of it!”
To protect their vested interests, the tyrants informed Cosimo in advance.
And those who had plotted were immediately suppressed and disappeared.
As such attempts became frequent, Cosimo decided to go into seclusion.
Though he claimed ‘old age’ outwardly, in reality it was to escape the danger of assassination and kidnapping.
External activities required as Florence’s ruler would be handled by young and energetic Lorenzo, the family’s core financial business by the mature Giovanni, while he would coordinate the situation from a safe place and maintain the family’s dominance.
When this reorganization of the Medici family was complete, Florence’s Youth School approached Lorenzo.
“Lorenzo de’ Medici is young, and being young, he must have great ambition?”
“He’s someone who would do anything to surpass his grandfather’s achievements and reputation.”
“The cunning Giovanni de’ Medici wouldn’t even listen to us, but Lorenzo de’ Medici is definitely possible.”
Making this judgment, the Youth School contacted Lorenzo and drew him in.
They lured Lorenzo with the sweet bait of ‘Ruler of Unified Italy.’
***
“Hmm… Considering Japan’s case, it’s not impossible?”
“That’s right.”
“Do you truly think it’s possible?”
“It’s absolutely possible!”
“Sigh~.”
At Lorenzo de’ Medici’s answer, Cosimo put his hand to his forehead and sighed.
‘Oh, Holy Mother Mary! This fellow is the grandson who will lead our family! Holy Mother who raised our Lord! Grant me wisdom!’
After praying earnestly within, Cosimo glared at Lorenzo and began questioning.
“Do you know how many years it took for Japan’s Ouchi to unify Japan?”
“I know.”
“Then do you know how long they prepared before moving in earnest?”
“I know that too.”
“Hmm… Then do you know what they started with during that preparation period?”
“They sent talented individuals to study in the ‘Land of Flowers’ to learn what they lacked.”
“Correct. The important point here is that they first identified what they lacked. What do you think Italy, no, Florence lacks?”
“Education.”
“Education? Oh?”
At Lorenzo’s answer, Cosimo’s eyes gleamed.
“An interesting answer. Explain in more detail.”
“Yes.”
Seeing Cosimo’s somewhat positive reaction, Lorenzo brightened and began explaining.
To summarize Lorenzo’s explanation:
- The education level not just in Florence but throughout Italy is very poor.
Both absolutely and relatively.
- In other countries, local churches or monasteries educate children.
Of course, not deep education, just basic literacy and arithmetic. But our Italy can’t even manage that much.
- Italy’s churches and monasteries do educate children, but too many parents make their children work instead of getting education.
- Due to this poor education, residents’ perspectives have become too narrow. The reason commoners prioritize their hometown over thinking of themselves as ‘Italian’ is because of these narrowed perspectives.
- Therefore, we must force education for commoners. We must imprint in commoners the awareness of being ‘Italian’ and the legitimacy of ‘unification.’
Only then can we cultivate a proper standing army.
- Education is important for cultivating both standing armies and officers. Relying on mercenaries is very dangerous.
“Hmm…”
Nodding while listening to Lorenzo’s explanation, Cosimo asked again.
“Is the standing army also modeled after Japan?”
“No. It’s the Imperial Army. Since the Japanese Army also followed the Imperial Army, to do it properly, following the Imperial Army is best.”
“The Imperial Army is a money-eating monster. Wouldn’t it be better to hire competent and trustworthy condottieri?”
At Cosimo’s question, Lorenzo shook his head with a firm expression.
“The era of condottieri and mercenary companies is over. No, I don’t know about other mercenaries, but Italian mercenaries are finished.”
“Why?”
“Because of guns and cannons. And because they fear war.”
“‘Fear war’… Not wrong.”
Both Cosimo and Giovanni nodded at Lorenzo’s words.
Italian mercenary companies were becoming increasingly famous. In a ‘bad way.’
***
Italian city-states that had accumulated wealth through trade since the 13th century had military power far too weak compared to their accumulated wealth.
As discussed before, it was due to the problem of fixed expenditures.
To solve their weak military power, city-states contracted mercenary companies to handle city defense.
Early mercenary companies consisted of foreign soldiers and commanders.
However, as time passed and mercenary companies grew larger and more profitable, their composition began changing to soldiers and commanders of Italian origin.
Noble children who couldn’t inherit as they weren’t firstborn and commoners dreaming of striking it rich flocked to mercenary companies.
And Italian mercenaries’ notoriety began to rise.
Mercenaries gathered for money. This was the same for both Italian and other European mercenaries.
However, Italian mercenary companies extremely cherished themselves.
Battles between Italian mercenary companies looked grand and fierce on the surface, but examining the reality, most ended without significant damage.
Moreover, the mercenary commanders, the condottieri, were ‘symbols of fickleness.’ Even in the midst of ongoing war, they frequently switched sides to whoever offered more money.
Given this situation, even Cosimo had hired foreign rather than Italian mercenary companies for the past Suez War.
***
“I repeat, this is now the age of ‘guns and cannons.’ Italian mercenary companies are finished.”
Lorenzo firmly declared the end of Italian mercenary companies.
Neither Cosimo nor Giovanni raised particular objections to Lorenzo’s declaration.
Especially Giovanni had been the first to see the ‘age of guns and cannons’ on the front lines.
“Lorenzo is right. Italian mercenaries are now relics of the old era.”
Cosimo also nodded at Giovanni’s words.
The main force of Italian mercenary companies was cavalry. Specifically, heavy knights in full plate armor.
Naturally they looked splendid, and when battles occurred, they appeared to be fighting fiercely.
However, protected by sturdy armor, unless they met misfortune like falling from their horses, mercenaries rarely died or were injured.
But during this period, other countries’ mercenary companies were arming with guns and cannons.
Especially mercenary commanders who had experienced international wars like the Suez War mobilized all their connections to introduce the Empire’s Type 2 rifles or similar European rifles to organize their units.
However, Italian mercenary companies still remained stuck in medieval armament and warfare.
They were symbols of ‘frogs in a well.’
***
“Therefore, I need Grandfather’s decision.”
“My decision? What?”
“I want to select young people and send them to study at the Empire’s military academy.”
“The Empire’s military academy?”
“Yes, throughout the East and Europe, don’t they have the army that handles guns and cannons best, and aren’t the Imperial forces those who operate that army most effectively?”
Giovanni interjected at Lorenzo’s point.
“That’s right. I can guarantee that part.”
“That’s true. However…”
Pausing briefly to wet his throat with wine, Cosimo pointed out what they hadn’t mentioned.
“It’s also the army that spends the most money throughout the East and Europe. There’s even a joke that says ‘When the Imperial Army tries to move, the Empire’s Finance Ministry takes up guns first. Because that’s cheaper.’ Lorenzo, as you say, in ‘wars of guns and cannons,’ the strongest army is the Imperial Army. Therefore, sending students to the Empire’s military academy isn’t a bad decision. However, learning at the Empire’s military academy means matching everything to Imperial Army standards. The Empire’s weapons are the best but also the most expensive to maintain. How will you solve this?”
At Cosimo’s question, Lorenzo immediately looked at Giovanni. Receiving Lorenzo’s gaze, Giovanni answered with a somewhat troubled face.
“It’s possible to some extent, but not like the Empire. That would mean bankruptcy.”
At Giovanni’s words, Lorenzo actually looked relieved.
“If even some extent is possible, that’s fortunate. With a standing army armed with Imperial weapons and properly trained, it’s sufficiently possible even starting small. As the regions we integrate increase, we can secure more funds from there, and based on those funds, we can grow our military strength.”
If Hyang had heard this, it would have been an idea he’d have snorted at, saying “How exactly?”