Chapter 1243: France on Land, the Netherlands at Sea

Although John de Witt put on a helpless front before Bruce van Diemen, the representative of the East India Company, in reality this Grand Pensionary of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was resourceful and especially skilled at using diplomatic means to handle difficult problems on the European continent.

On the very same day that John de Witt was speaking with Bruce van Diemen, his elder brother Cornelis de Witt was in Brussels in the Spanish Netherlands with the exiled King of Scotland, Charles II — the very Charles II who, in history, had picked up the pieces after the younger Cromwell and successfully restored the Stuart dynasty to the English throne. But this time he was not so fortunate, because the elder Cromwell had served as "Lord Protector" for more than a year, then let the younger Cromwell take over ahead of schedule and build his prestige in the Battle of Dunkirk, so England was still a republic. Moreover, after the end of the "Anglo-Spanish War," the Republic of England, Scotland, and Ireland had won recognition from the major European powers.

So Charles II's title of "Crown Prince of England" was recognized by hardly anyone, but his title as King of Scotland could not be erased, because on February 5, 1649, he had been crowned King of Scotland in Edinburgh, and it was not until September 1651 that Cromwell's northern campaign forced him to leave Scotland and go into exile in France.

Therefore King of Scotland had become Charles II's formal title, but the Grand Pensionary of the Netherlands, John de Witt, had prepared another crown for this King of Scotland — King of the Kingdom of America!

"What? King of America? Mr. de Witt, are you joking?" Charles II, thirty-six years old this year, with a particularly large nose and a very imposing appearance, stared in astonishment at Cornelis de Witt, who had come from The Hague. For the latter had put forward a proposal that seemed utterly inconceivable to him — that he, the King of Scotland and the legitimate heir to the thrones of England and Ireland, His Majesty Charles II, should lead his followers to North America, and then seize the opportunity to take the ten self-governing colonies on the east coast of British North America and establish the Kingdom of America.

"No, no, of course it is no joke!" Cornelis de Witt shook his head. "Your Majesty, you may not yet know that you have many supporters in the ten self-governing British colonies in North America!"

"What? I have many supporters in America?" Charles II was taken aback. "Who are they?"

"They are all devout Catholics!" Cornelis de Witt said. "Ever since those fanatical Puritans seized control of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the Catholics there have become targets of persecution. Some of them have been forced to convert to Puritanism, while another group of especially steadfast Catholics have left England and gone to the colonies across the ocean to seek a way out."

Historically, the Thirteen Colonies of North America had been a haven for persecuted English Puritans, and so early America possessed an extremely strong Puritan tradition.

And now, with Puritans holding power in England, they naturally would not persecute their own kind, but their zeal for persecuting Catholics was no less than the zeal with which others had persecuted them.

Moreover, the ideal of the Cromwell family was to turn England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales into a unified republic founded on the Christian Puritan faith!

So many Irishmen and Scots who wished to preserve their own national independence also joined the ranks of those emigrating to America.

And all of these exiles held goodwill toward the Stuart dynasty.

Cornelis de Witt continued: "According to reports from our colony of New Amsterdam, since the younger Cromwell came to power alone, no fewer than 50,000 English Catholics have arrived at New Amsterdam and then moved on from there to the ten British colonies!

If one also counts the English Catholics who landed at other ports in North America, the total number of Catholics who have gone to the ten British colonies in North America over these past few years is probably above 150,000, and adding the population already settled there before, the total population of these ten colonies should now exceed 250,000. The overwhelming majority of them hate the Puritans and the Cromwell family, and they support you and the Roman Catholic faith you steadfastly defend!"

Charles II was somewhat moved. North America might be a remote and poor place, but it was better than nothing... At present Charles II and his band of English Royalists were clinging to Spain, that pauper, in the Spanish Netherlands, living a life little better than beggars!

And even this beggar's existence was growing precarious by the day!

For after the death of Philip IV, the Spanish Netherlands were already in grave danger. The Spanish kingdom's own strength was simply insufficient to defend the Spanish Netherlands, and it could only try to piece together an anti-French alliance. But to oppose France, England was indispensable, and England was under the rule of the younger Cromwell. If Charles II's Royalists remained in the Spanish Netherlands, how could the younger Cromwell possibly join an anti-French alliance?

Could the New Model Army and the Royalist army be expected to fight side by side? Impossible!

So after the death of Philip IV, Spain's attitude toward Charles II was rapidly cooling. Since November 1665, Madrid had not sent Charles II any further subsidy... Charles II's army was also made up of mercenaries, and without money it would disband!

But even with money, Charles II did not much dare to remain in the Spanish Netherlands.

Because Louis XIV had already prepared an army of 150,000 and was about to come sweeping in! With Charles II's few Royalist regiments, how could they possibly withstand 150,000 men? They would all be killed, and then the matter of restoring the monarchy would be even more hopeless.

"But North America is extremely desolate!" Charles II naturally could not agree so easily. "And besides... the younger Cromwell possesses the second most powerful navy in the world! If he learns that I have gone to America, he will certainly send troops there!"

Cornelis de Witt smiled: "The problem you raise is one that we and the Duke of Florida have long since considered!"

"The Duke of Florida?" Charles II narrowed his eyes.

"Yes," Cornelis de Witt nodded. "He looks forward to joining with you in defending the lands of the New World of America under God's protection!"

The Duke of Florida was Don Juan José, the present regent of the Kingdom of New Spain.

According to the will of Philip IV, the world empire he left behind was to have two regents. Don Juan José was to serve as regent of New Spain, responsible for governing the Kingdom of New Spain until Carlos II could rule the country.

And Carlos II's mother, Mariana, was to serve as regent of the Kingdom of Spain.

Cornelis de Witt added: "If you are willing to lead the English Royalists to the New World, then the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands will provide you with a one-time subsidy of 10 million guilders.

And once you are crowned King of the Kingdom of America, the Kingdom of New Spain under the leadership of the Duke of Florida will conclude a treaty of alliance with you.

In this way, if the younger Cromwell wishes to mount an expedition against the New World, he will have to go to war simultaneously against two New World powers, the Kingdom of America and the Kingdom of New Spain. Given the younger Cromwell's caution, he will not lightly provoke such an uncertain war.

Of course, you will also need to demonstrate a desire for peace... for example, by announcing that you renounce your claims to the throne of England and the throne of Ireland, and that you give up the throne of Scotland."

The ten British provinces of North America were at present nothing but wilderness, in even worse condition than at the time of the American War of Independence more than a hundred years later!

So the younger Cromwell might not necessarily fight the English Royalists to the death over this territory. If Charles II was willing to give up the throne and contentedly become King of America, then the younger Cromwell might well let this newborn Kingdom of America alone...

With Cornelis de Witt having spoken to this point, Charles II would have been a fool not to understand — the younger Cromwell, de Witt, and Don Juan José had very likely already reached an agreement, and now they were simply waiting for this exiled king to nod, so that they could bundle him and the English Royalists off to the New World!

If he refused, then he would be rejecting a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!