After discussing with Zieg, Zieg also agreed with Marin's plan. Because, under the muzzle of enemy warships, it is indeed dangerous to try to cross the 4-kilometer-wide Mars Channel. But fighting on land, the Swiss have never been afraid of anyone. Moreover, if you are lucky enough to capture Groningen, you can grab a lot of money...
After the discussion, Marin and Zieg, with 3,000 Swiss mercenaries, turned to the northeast and headed for Groningen...
In fact, what Marin didn't know was that the nine bigwigs of the Frisian aristocratic republic were all gathered at Harlingen, a small fishing port across the sea from Texel. Moreover, the nine councilors were only guarded by a few hundred serf soldiers with poor combat effectiveness.
If Marin can learn of this information, as long as he leads his troops to Harlingen and arrests the nine nobles, then all problems will be solved.
However, information transmission in this era is too backward. In Marin's hands, there is no intelligence agency for the time being. Therefore, Marin regrettably lost a great opportunity to capture the enemy chieftain. But he can't be blamed for this, who the hell knew that these nine bosses from the Frisian aristocratic republic would come to the seaside town if they had nothing to do? According to common sense, they should be in Groningen...
After passing through Zwolle, Marin did not directly enter West Frisia, but first passed through the Flevoland area under the control of the Geddes Company, and then passed through the Upper Ijssel area under the control of the Archbishop of Utrecht , to the Drenthe region, and finally to Groningen...
Because all the way was borrowed, the Friesian Noble Republic was not disturbed at all. Moreover, the Swiss mercenaries did not "take the sheep by the hand" and rob them halfway. Because, whether it is the Principality of Geddes or the Archbishop of Utrecht, they are all powerful forces. If you offend them, you will be surrounded and beaten. This point, Zieg, the mercenary general, is also very clear. Anyway, the Frisian noble republic is quite lucrative...
After passing through Drenthe, 3000 Swiss mercenaries finally appeared in Groningen. On the afternoon of March 17, 3,000 Swiss mercenaries rushed like wolves to the small town of Hallen, south of Groningen, and started their great robbery...
These Swiss guys are very professional. It took only half an hour for this group of guys to be covered with a wide variety of belongings... Many pockets with cutouts on their clothes were full of belongings...
After looting the town of Harlan, everyone did not delay, and rushed directly to Groningen not far away...
Groningen seems to have received the news that Harlan was looted in advance. Therefore, the gates of Groningen have long been closed. Seven hundred defenders in the city have already stood on the city wall. At the same time, a group of strong men in the city were also mobilized to the city wall to help defend the city.
However, Marin's main plan was not to capture Groningen, but to attract the main force of the Friesian Noble Republic and then destroy it.
If Groningen is captured, there will be no need for the Frisian army to return. At that time, maybe they will make a desperate attack on Texel Island, which is not what Marin wants to see.
Therefore, it is the best choice to besiege and not attack Groningen. Before, Marin also deliberately encouraged the Swiss to rob in Haren, not far south of Groningen. Moreover, during the robbery, Marin clearly saw someone secretly fleeing to Groningen on horseback. However, Marin did not send Schwartz to pursue with the light cavalry, but pretended not to see it, and let the man report to Groningen.
So, when the Swiss mercenaries arrived at the city of Groningen, the people of Groningen had already prepared for defense...
Seeing the 3,000 troops under the city, the Groningen general Edster, who was in charge of staying in the city, was taken aback. So, he hurriedly dispatched a fast horse, went west all the way out of the city, and asked for help from the Harlingen base camp...
Marin let go of the first batch of messengers, but ordered Schwartz to lead 50 light cavalry to intercept and kill the next messengers who wanted to pass...
The first group of messengers was spared to report to the Frisian army in Texel. But there is no need to let go of the next messenger. Moreover, if there is no follow-up messenger to arrive, the enemy general will have no idea, making him restless and losing his calm.
At the same time, letting Schwartz and others intercept and kill the messenger can also exercise their tactical level and psychological quality...
There is nothing wrong with Schwartz. After all, he has experienced the Italian War and is bearish on life and death. However, these 50 light cavalry are basically new recruits. Many of these people used to be herdsmen, or serfs who raised horses in the manor, and had no combat experience at all, nor had they seen blood. Therefore, taking them to intercept Friesland's distress messenger, in addition to combat needs, is also to let them see blood and adapt to the cruelty of war.
As the capital of the Frisian aristocratic republic, Groningen has very tall and strong walls. In the absence of heavy artillery, it is very unlikely that 3,000 Swiss mercenaries will capture the city. Even if it is taken down, it is unknown how many people will die. The Swiss had originally only agreed to help break the siege of Texel, and the contract did not state that they would storm the fortified city of Groningen. Therefore, even though they are greedy for the wealth in the city, the Swiss are not too happy to attack Groningen.
Marin did not intend to storm Groningen, although there were only about 700 defenders in the city. However, the defensive side of the siege battle has an advantage. Generally, without a few times the strength of a force, it is impossible to take down the city.
Therefore, Marin had planned a long time ago, preparing to ambush the main force of the Frisian noble republic halfway back. As long as the main force of the Friesian Noble Republic is defeated, it is entirely possible to take the opportunity to win the Frisian Noble Republic in one fell swoop. At that time, I will also be able to become a prince with a large territory...
When a group of local messengers for help arrived at the headquarters of the Frisian army in Harlingen, the nine Frisian MPs present were holding a barbecue meeting with the sheep snatched from the island of Texel. Poor Marin tried to secretly import hundreds of sheep for shearing from the UK at a high price, and all of them went into the stomachs of these bastards.
You must know that after Henry VII came to power in England, the export of wool began to be banned, and the export of woolen cloth and woolen cloth was changed. The export of British sheep is also prohibited. Marin spent a lot of money to secretly smuggle a batch of wool sheep, but unexpectedly, they were all eaten as food...
When the messenger entered the army tent, nine barons were holding a huge roast leg of lamb, eating happily...
"What? What did you say? There are troops attacking Groningen? Kid, are you kidding me?" Governor Fyskefrijheid reacted the most violently, and even dropped the roast leg of lamb in his hand to the ground. Because Groningen belongs to his fief. Although other people also have a lot of property in Groningen, how can it compare to his entire family property in Groningen
"Your Excellency, how dare a humble official lie? You see, this is a letter from General Edster!" The messenger hurriedly delivered Edster's personal letter.
…
"Sure enough, it's Edster's personal letter, with the seal of the Governor's Palace on it..." Governor Fyskefrijheid looked very ugly.
As for the other eight barons, their faces were also extremely ugly. Because, as the only Hanseatic commercial city in the territory, the other 8 barons also own many shops and other industries in Groningen, as well as a large number of real estate. If Groningen is breached, they will also suffer huge losses, much greater than the food and property they grabbed on Texel...
"Boy, how many troops are there in the enemy army besieging Groningen? What is their background?" Edster's first batch of appeal letters only said that Groningen was besieged, but did not make it clear. As for the second and third batches of letters that were more clearly stated, the messengers were all intercepted and killed by Schwartz, and they could not be sent to Harlingen at all.
"Humble staff estimated that there are about three or four thousand people. According to their attire, there are many cuts on their clothes, they seem to be Swiss..."
"Swiss..." All the 9 MPs gasped.
Since the Battle of Nancy, Swiss mercenaries have become famous and have become synonymous with "the strongest mercenaries". Hearing that the Swiss were attacking, everyone felt a little nervous...
"Why did the Swiss attack us?" Baron Zitter was puzzled.
"Someone must have hired them. Could it be that little thief Marin? Where did he get so much money?" Hood, Baron Colum guessed.
"That kid has so much money to hire the Swiss? The Swiss want double the commission, three or four thousand people, and generally the poorer counts can't afford that much commission..."
…
"Okay, stop arguing about those useless things!" Governor Fyskefrijheid waved his hand and continued:
"Our most important thing now is to rescue Groningen! If Groningen falls, our country will go bankrupt!"
Everyone nodded in agreement. In this era, the Friesian Noble Republic has only one commercial city, Groningen, which can provide a large amount of taxation. As for cities such as Leeuwarden, castles are more suitable, and the business situation is no different from that of larger towns. The city of Groningen alone can account for half of the tax revenue of the Frisian Noble Republic. Therefore, they must keep Groningen.
Therefore, Governor Fyskefrijheid immediately sent people across the sea by boat to inform Sivag who was besieging Den Burg, and ordered him to lead his people to retreat immediately and prepare to return to Groningen. At the same time, the fishing boats near the Harlingen fishing port were requisitioned again without compensation to transport the Frisian troops on Texel back to the mainland...