American Demons

Coup de main

"In history, there are only two real wonders of the world: the spirit of the age with its fabulous energies and genius with its magical effects." Egon Friedell

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"The successes of the great conquerors and kings are nothing compared to the effect of a single great thought." Egon Friedell

Basically, violence seems reasonable - and justified - to the "conquerors", as they save pagans from eternal damnation. The most obdurate idolater begs to be strangled at the stake. However, something must be done for a merciful death. After completing his conversion, the spiritual leader wipes the sweat from his brow. That was a close call, he thinks. The poor devil was already halfway to hell.

Diego de Almagro is burning with ambition. He annoys his boss Pizarro. The governor of New Castile is in danger of falling behind because his hyperactive captain ignores the guidelines of modern risk management and constantly goes all out. Almagro dreams of world domination. He forges an alliance with a Norman adventurer of dubious nobility. Verlaine is nicknamed Longue Èpée - long sword. He is the first man on the moon of America to wield two swords according to the Bushido (samurai code).

But what diminishes its origin?

Leading Vikings who had established themselves in Western Europe before the year one thousand, having become Christians and counts, remained committed to polygyny. "According to Danish custom" (more danico), sons from Friedelschaften were equal to the sons of the most important woman for the continuation of the dynasty. - And then again not. See game changer William the Conqueror, disreputable as "Guillaume le Bâtard".  

Verlaine knew Japan in 1535! The first documented contact between Japanese and barbarians took place in 1543. At first, the Japanese only differentiated between the barbarians (Europeans) according to the cardinal points. The Portuguese, who benefit from Magellan's discovery of the Estreito de Todos los Santos (Strait of All Saints) at a southern tip, were "southern barbarians" and are chased out of the country less than a hundred years later.

How Verlaine became the first barbarian to reach Japan is a story in itself.

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Emperor Charles V separates the combatants at the head of his overseas viceroyalties. Pizarro should continue to exploit New Castile and Almagro should sack New Toledo instead.

"The old brothers in arms," writes Blattschneider, "did not take their master's good will as an example. They probably wanted to die in conflict."

In any case, they are unable to reach an agreement when the border between the territories was to be drawn up. Pizarro claims Cuzco as his capital. He has trampled states into the dust and put a century in its place. No man can impress him. 

On the night of April 8-9, 1537, Almagro and his men take the Pizarro brothers Gonzalo and Fernando by surprise in a vaulted cellar of the Reuerinnen monastery. Almagro believes that he has settled the dispute with a coup de main. This is not the first time he has been wrong.