Chapter 1126: The Handsomest Bourbon and the Fairest Habsburg

On June 7, 1660, Louis XIV, waiting on Pheasant Island in the Bidasoa River — the border river between France and Spain, at the foot of the Pyrenees near the Bay of Biscay — to meet Maria Teresa of Spain, was in a fine mood.

His fine mood was because his bride-to-be Maria Teresa had just lost her younger brother!

It had happened on October 22 of the previous year: Maria Teresa's half-brother Fernando Tomás Carlos had been summoned by the Lord and breathed his last at the age of ten months. Now Maria Teresa had only one brother left, Prince of Asturias Felipe Próspero. This brother was also in poor health, suffering from severe epilepsy, and his mind was very dull — at more than two and a half, nearly three years old, he still could not speak, could not walk, and could not even crawl properly.

Clearly, the Prince of Asturias was not fit to become king. Even if he were forced onto the throne, there was a high probability that he could not continue the Spanish Habsburg dynasty, and a high probability that he would die young!

When that time came, the only ones left able to inherit the Spanish throne would be Maria Teresa and Margaret Teresa.

Of course, Philip IV had foreseen such a situation. That was why the negotiations over this marriage had been extremely difficult!

The Spanish side insisted that Maria Teresa renounce her right of succession, while Cardinal Mazarin, representing France, displayed his cleverness and gambler's nature at the final moment — on the one hand he made concessions on Maria Teresa's succession rights, but at the same time he set a trap for the Spanish, demanding a large dowry as compensation.

However poor the Kingdom of Spain might be, it was not so poor that it could not scrape together a few hundred thousand écus in silver. But a person or a country deep in debt will always have the idea of defaulting on as much as possible.

Therefore, as long as France allowed Spain to owe the dowry on credit, there was a high probability that Spain would keep delaying and never hand over the silver.

And this dowry was the compensation for Maria Teresa's renunciation of her succession rights — if the compensation was not paid, then the agreement renouncing her succession rights was naturally void!

Therefore, as long as Philip IV had no male heir after his death, or his male heir died shortly after becoming king without leaving children,

then Maria Teresa could use the excuse that she had not received the compensation to overturn her promise!

At that point Louis XIV would have the legal basis to seize the Spanish throne — the matter of righteous cause exists not only in East Asian civilization; it exists in Europe too, and is taken even more seriously.

If Louis XIV had no legal basis for inheriting the Spanish throne and merely invaded by force, even if he won, it would be difficult to gain the recognition of the Spanish subjects and the Catholic Church. An invasion could only bring more loss than gain.

But if Maria Teresa were the first in line to the Spanish throne, then Louis's invasion would be fully justified — after all, the Habsburg dynasty were outsiders too; they had obtained the Spanish crown by marrying Mad Queen Juana.

If the Habsburgs could do it, why couldn't the House of Bourbon?

Moreover, Louis XIV had not only the righteous cause of marriage inheritance, but also the new army of the Prince of Condé and a secret treaty signed with Charles Cromwell across the English Channel!

According to the treaty, if Holland opposed France in a future "War of the Spanish Succession" or "War of the Spanish Inheritance," then England must join France's side and fight Holland and Spain!

Considering that the hostility between Austria and the Ottoman Empire was intensifying, in a future "War of Succession" or "War of Inheritance," Austria probably would not be able to help much.

So with the Anglo-French alliance, Louis XIV believed he was certain to win!

Now he was simply waiting for the arrival of Her Highness Princess Maria Teresa, the legendary greatest beauty of the Habsburg dynasty!

"Your Majesty, the Spanish have arrived!"

An attendant of the King of France suddenly shouted out.

Louis XIV, who had been sitting inside a tent, immediately stood up, strode out of the tent, and looked toward a pontoon bridge not far away. He saw a large crowd of splendidly dressed knights escorting several ornately decorated carriages onto the pontoon bridge, and in an instant they had landed on Pheasant Island, where Louis XIV was.

"Sire, that man with several large red feathers stuck in his hat is the august King of Spain!"

The aging Cardinal Mazarin, leaning on a cane, came to Louis XIV's side and raised his hand to point at a man wearing a large hat with red feathers.

Louis XIV craned his neck for a look and saw a long face with somewhat unbalanced proportions. He thought to himself: So this is what the loan-shark merchant who swindled half of Europe and then refused to pay his debts looks like!

At that moment Philip IV, the greatest deadbeat of the seventeenth century, also saw Louis XIV, that short little fellow who liked to wear high heels!

Philip IV was fairly satisfied with this son-in-law Louis XIV — although the son-in-law was not tall, his nose was excessively large, and he was said to be terribly vain, believing himself to be the most handsome man in France. But there was one thing that greatly pleased Philip: Louis did not press him to make good on the dowry. It seemed he truly loved Maria Teresa.

And Maria Teresa was indeed a lovely girl beloved by all, absolutely worthy of Louis's love. Philip IV thought to himself: Maria's rectangular face and plump double chin were simply enchanting, enough to captivate any man in the world. And her chin was merely plump, not large — she felt no difficulty at all when chewing food.

With the love between Louis and Maria as a guarantee, peace between Spain and France should be assured.

Of course, peace alone between Spain and France was not enough. They should further develop their relationship until they established an alliance that could ensure Catholicism ruled the world forever.

For many years past, the Kingdom of Spain had borne alone the heavy responsibility of defending the Lord. It had barely been able to bear it, but the rapid rise of that blasphemous Heavenly Principle Great Ming in the East had already made Spain somewhat unable to hold on.

The retreat from Manila meant that the banner of the Lord had been replaced for the first time by the banner of Heavenly Principle!

This was a religious war!

France, as the third strongest power in the Catholic camp (Spain first, the Holy Roman Empire second), had an obligation to stand with Spain and defend the Lord!

At the thought of defending the Lord, a sacred and solemn expression appeared on Philip IV's long face. By this time he had reached Louis XIV, dismounted with the help of an attendant, and stood before the King of France who had come to greet him.

Louis looked at his father-in-law's expression and was somewhat baffled — they had not even reached the church yet; was there any need for this?

"Greetings, esteemed King Philip, Your Majesty," Louis greeted his father-in-law in Latin.

Philip nodded as well, first removing his hat, then replying in Latin: "I am very well, thank you for your greeting, King Louis, Your Majesty!"

As he spoke, he waved a hand toward the carriage that had just come to a stop behind him, and then the carriage door was opened. First a petite and delicate maidservant stepped out, and immediately after, a young girl with a long face and double chin, wrapped in a voluminous white court gown, swayed as she emerged and stood upon the soil belonging to France.

"Allow me to introduce," King Philip said, pointing at the young girl, "that is Maria Teresa, the most beautiful treasure of Spain!"

"Maria, this is His Majesty Louis XIV, the most dazzling man in France!"

Louis XIV looked at the double-chinned Spanish princess, then turned an angry gaze on Mazarin — how did you handle this? This is the greatest beauty of Spain? She cannot compare at all with those Mancini girls! Far too inferior! If I had known, I would never have let Marie — Marie Mancini — go to China!

At the same moment, King Philip was also being stared at by two eyes full of reproach! It was his daughter Maria Teresa glaring at him — that man who had no height even in high heels and had an especially ugly big nose was the most handsome man in France?

The old man beside him even looked more handsome than he did — that was Cardinal Mazarin!

(End of Chapter)