A commercial port at the mouth of the Ems River in the city of Emden. Although it is not a Hanseatic commercial city, it is considered very prosperous because of its important location.
Because the Ems River is a "long river" (in Europe) with a length of 371 kilometers. Even in later generations, its navigable distance is still 116 kilometers. You know, that is the later generations, and the displacement of shipping ships is generally several thousand tons. And in the Middle Ages, small boats of dozens of tons dared to be called shipping... Therefore, in this era, the navigable distance of the Ems River was almost 200 kilometers long...
What is the concept of 200 kilometers? In this era when there are many vassals, 200 kilometers may pass through the borders of several vassal states...
Emden is located at the mouth of the Ems River and can be regarded as an important entrepot for German trade with overseas. For example, Emden is also an important entrepot for British salt imports and an important import port for British woolen cloth. Although it is far inferior to Hanseatic cities like Bremen and Hamburg, Emden is relatively prosperous compared to other cities.
The prosperous port also brought a lot of taxes to Emden. With taxes, there will naturally be money to strengthen the city walls...
Therefore, the walls of Emden City are tall and strong, making it difficult to conquer. This is also one of the important reasons why the Saxon coalition forces were unable to capture the city.
In fact, Emden belonged to the Abdena family, one of the 13 East Frisian tribes, in the 14th century. However, because Emden is too prosperous, it has attracted covetousness. Therefore, after the Ukna family usurped the throne, they also seized it by the way.
The original home of the Ukner family was in Lyle County, which is the most developed agricultural area in East Frisia. Therefore, the Ukner family has always been relatively powerful. Relying on the well-developed agriculture, the Ukner family was able to overthrow the Brock family, and seized Emden, which was well-taxed, as the new capital.
However, the Seksner family, which originally nestled in the small town of Norden on the North Sea, suddenly emerged, replacing the Ukner family and becoming the new controller of East Frisia. The Sexner family is also envious of the prosperity of Emden, and still set the capital here, enjoying the wealth, taxation and prosperity here...
In fact, the Sexner family is quite prestigious in East Frisia. At least, they are much better than the rebellious Ukner family. At the beginning, they were able to seize East Frisia, and it was precisely because they took advantage of other tribes' dissatisfaction with the rebellious Ukner family that they seized power.
After decades of operating, Emden is now impregnable and difficult to conquer. Among other things, in the war of 1516, the Duke of Saxony struggled with tens of thousands of troops, but failed to conquer Emden.
Marin didn't think he had horns on his head. In the wild, he was confident that his Spanish phalanx could beat the East Frisian army. But Marin had no confidence in besieging the solid city wall.
For this reason, he can only think of a strange move, otherwise it will be difficult to quickly conquer Emden...
At this time, Marin remembered the fall of Groningen. It seemed that the businessman named Mayer led 260 guards, wearing armor, and stormed the gate of Groningen...
"The fortress is the easiest to breach from the inside? It really is a good way!"
However, it is very difficult to replicate Mayer's miracle. Because Groningen is much more prosperous than Emden, and there are so many businessmen in order to gather so many bodyguards. In Emden, it's hard to do that.
Moreover, with the lessons of Groningen, Edsard I will definitely make targeted defenses. Therefore, if you want to copy the original version and use this method, it will definitely not work. Therefore, Marin decided to revise the specific details...
Marin had also watched war films such as "Landmine Warfare" and "Tunnel Warfare" since he was a child, and he liked the plots in them very much.
Most of the city walls in Europe are made of stones, which are so strong that they cannot be blasted by ordinary artillery. It is also more difficult to imitate the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom army "carrying the coffin" to blow up the city wall. Because the city walls bombed by the Taiping Army were basically made of bricks, not as strong as those made of stones.
Therefore, digging tunnels is a very good choice...
Of course, Europe's walls are tall and its roots are deep. Therefore, digging tunnels is also a very troublesome and laborious thing. Because the tunnel needs to be dug very deep, and the amount of work is too large.
However, Marin is not in a hurry to attack Emden now. Therefore, he does not need to dig a tunnel under the city wall in a short time.
According to Marin's estimation, he has at least half a year to prepare. And this time period can be used to secretly dig tunnels...
Therefore, Marin decided to send a group of people to rent a courtyard outside Emden City, and then arrange for people to secretly dig tunnels leading to the city every day. When the tunnel is almost completed, send someone to buy a house in the city, and let the tunnel entrance be opened in the house.
When Marin officially leads troops to attack the city, he can directly send an army to seize the city gate from the inside while the East Frisian army is not paying attention, and enlarge the army to enter the city...
Of course, this sneak attack must have happened at night. Moreover, Marin's main army will certainly not attack the city blatantly.
Under such circumstances, the East Frisians would certainly not specifically block the city gate with stones and other things inside the city gate. Because they didn't expect that someone would come to attack them.
Therefore, for a small group of troops entering the city through the tunnel, as long as they seize the city gate, and then open the door bolt from the inside, and open the city gate, they can enter the city with a larger army.
Of course, before entering the city, Marin also plans to send spies to get the distribution map of the troops stationed and deployed in the city, so that Marin's army can focus on attacking and intercepting, and ensure that the Earl's family can be captured quickly...
To this end, Malinte sent two teams of spies to Emden. A team was in the city, professional spies, to scout out news and buy a house inside the city walls as the entrance to the tunnel.
The other team, except for the leader, is mainly composed of well diggers. Under the leadership of the leader, they were responsible for digging tunnels inside the city wall in the yard purchased outside the city wall. It doesn't need to be dug fast, as long as it can be dug through within half a year. Moreover, in the operation of excavating tunnels, confidentiality is the first priority. Therefore, they need to quietly transport out the excavated soil in batches in the middle of the night, so as not to be discovered by the East Frisian army. Otherwise, it would be a failure...
As long as this tunnel is opened, then Marin's army can enter the city as quickly as possible. Then, with superior military strength and tactics, destroy the defenders and capture the whole family of Edessaad I...