The Rise of the European Emperor

The North Münster area has a large assault area, but, because of its population, it is less developed. Moreover, the developed area is mainly located in the Ems River basin in the western part of the North Münster region.

Other areas, which have been developed, are also mainly on the banks of some smaller rivers than the Ems, and areas near some freshwater lakes.

The reason for this is actually very simple - that is, the problem of irrigation technology. In this era, European farming techniques were extensive, sowing the land was to sow seeds and then water them. Then, it doesn't matter. Wait until the fall, and then grab a wave...

As for irrigation, although skilled craftsmen in Europe have invented waterwheel irrigation that does not use human power. However, even if the waterwheel does not use human power, it needs water power to propel it. Therefore, in the area near the river, there are waterwheels irrigating continuously day and night, and agriculture is relatively developed.

In areas far from rivers, irrigation is very inconvenient. Moreover, at this time in Europe, the ditch irrigation technology was not popular. In fact, from the late Middle Ages, Europe began to import advanced irrigation technology from the Arab region. However, this advanced irrigation technology is mainly applied in southern Europe, such as Italy. In Germany, waterwheels are mainly used for irrigation and natural rainfall.

Therefore, in this era of Europe, most of the farmland was concentrated near rivers and lakes to facilitate irrigation. As far as the river is concerned, even in the plains, the farmland is not much cultivated. Because, irrigation technology is not good.

Like before Marin, in East Frisland, the introduction of a large number of laborers, extensive excavation of irrigation canals, and in farmland, between small fields, excavation of moisture ditches to divert water for flood irrigation, is the European era of this era. popular. At least, it's not very popular in Germany. This "advanced" irrigation technology from the Arab region is popular only in the Italian region, which has more exchanges with the Middle East. It is the technology brought back from the Arab region by Venetian and Genoa merchants.

Therefore, Italy in this era, with developed agriculture, is a treasure land in the eyes of Europeans. As a result, the two great powers, France and Spain, broke their heads in order to compete for control of Italy. Even Maximilian I, if it were not for the constraints of the domestic princes, I am afraid that he would have joined the struggle for hegemony in Italy.

The reason why the South Münster area is more developed than the North Münster area is because the rivers in the South Münster area are vertical and horizontal, which is convenient for the erection of waterwheels. For example, the southern border of Münster is the northern border of the Ruhr region - the Lippe River. Moreover, the Ems River also flows through the South Münster area. At the same time, there are also many natural creeks in the South Münster area, which are convenient for the erection of waterwheels. Therefore, its agriculture is more developed than the North Münster area.

In the Bieminster area, the most developed agriculture is the Ames River basin in the west. As for the east, there are large plains, but due to the lack of natural creeks, irrigation is inconvenient, and it can only rely on rain. Therefore, there is less arable land here.

However, for this situation, Marin is very clear about the solution - organize manpower to excavate irrigation ditches on a large scale...

Marin clearly remembered that in his hometown in later generations, there were irrigation ditches running from north to south, and they were basically dug out by hand. And without these irrigation canals, plus a slender moisture ditch that appears every few meters in the field, the crops in the field can be fully irrigated.

The reason why rye was popular in ancient Europe for a long time, rather than wheat, was because of the lack of moisture ditches to divert water. Wheat requires much more water than rye, which can be irrigated by rain, but not wheat. Therefore, the wheat yield in Europe in this era was extremely low, and most of the yields per mu were less than 100 catties. Therefore, the price of wheat is very expensive, five or six times the price of rye. After the "price revolution", it will reach more than seven times that of rye.

In other words, the irrigation canals and ditches that Marin promoted in East Friesland were actually ahead of most of Europe in this era, except for Italy, which had introduced irrigation technology from the Arab region.

In fact, advanced irrigation technology in West Asia and Egypt,

Already in Roman times. But after the barbarian invasion, these technologies were lost, and European technology went back hundreds of years...

Therefore, while others find it difficult to develop the North Münster area without a river, Marin finds it easy. At that time, as long as a large number of people are organized to dig irrigation canals and moisture ditches, a large number of fertile fields can be reclaimed from those plains that lack rivers.

In fact, we know that in the 1980s and 1990s, Huaxia was still in the winter slack season, and often organized farmers to engage in "big battles" to dig new irrigation canals and open up new farmland to solve the population explosion and food supply shortage. The problem. It was not until the 21st century that mechanization was fully realized. Since then, there has been no such labor in rural areas. Because the work of digging rivers has changed from manpower to excavators.

It can be said that organizing farmers to concentrate on digging rivers and opening canals during the winter slack period, or clearing the silt in irrigation rivers, is also an important task in rural areas. In ancient China, the so-called "construction of water conservancy" by a competent official was not the construction of dams and reservoirs as imagined by the city people, but the main purpose of digging ditches and opening canals to clear the silt in irrigation channels. Dams and reservoirs can only be built in mountainous areas where water is scarce. "Building water conservancy projects" in the plains means digging trenches, clearing silt, and dredging rivers. Moreover, this kind of labor is without any remuneration and is an obligation. Of course, the common people also know that digging trenches and clearing silt is also for their own good. Therefore, no one will ask for compensation. Generally, they bring their own rations and rice bowls, and even bring their own shovels to participate in labor.

In this era of no excavators, Marin wanted to reclaim farmland in the riverless areas of the North Münster area, and he had to organize a large number of laborers to dig trenches and open ditches. Otherwise, there is no water to irrigate the farmland, and once the rainfall is not enough, you will wait for the harvest.

Therefore, Marin arranged for Kohler to go to other parts of Germany to recruit a large number of surplus young and strong labor force. After recruiting these people, the first thing to do is to organize them to dig ditches and open ditches, and divert the water from major rivers such as the Ames River into irrigation canals, and lead them to the plain areas without rivers, so as to reclaim new arable land.

As for the cost of digging the river, the main thing is that Marin has to prepare a batch of shovels, poles and baskets. The shovel is digging the soil, and the pole and the basket are naturally picking soil. In addition to these tools, the biggest expenditure is probably food.

When digging ditches and opening ditches, the peasants consume a lot of physical strength, and they are especially able to eat. For example, a farmer usually only needs a piece of bread for a meal. But during the river digging, a meal of three large brown breads may not be enough. And European grain prices are so expensive, even if they know that digging ditches and canals is beneficial, ordinary nobles may not be able to supply so much grain. After all, if tens of thousands of people go to dig ditches and open ditches, the food consumption will increase by two or three times. The poorer nobles, even the big nobles, cannot afford it. Only a great noble like Marin, who is full of grain, can afford such consumption. After all, as long as the ditches are dug and the arable land is reclaimed, with the advanced farming and fertilizer technology that Marin has mastered, all the cost of digging the river can be recovered in one season of grain, and there is a lot of profit.

But if it was replaced by other nobles, at the level of more than 100 pounds of rye per mu at that time, a large number of people were organized to dig ditches and open ditches. God knows how many years it will take to recover the cost...

Marin intends to recruit 50,000 young and strong laborers this year to dig trenches in the North Münster area, and then reclaim at least 50,000 Ugram arable land...