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Prinz Henry: Ah, events are happening so fast I cannot keep up! So, the strategy we adopted in Edicts 4.1 and 4.2 of inducing the Lombard league to excommunicate itself has worked in both cases! Excellent - this strengthens the case for repeating the ploy with the French under edict 5.12.Quote:
Originally Posted by OverKnight
Count Otto- I am happy to second your Edict 5.13 and would be honoured if the next Chancellor would task me with the duty of executing it.
Most noble and honorable Electors, I stand before you as a candidate for the Chancellorship. I stand before you as a loyal servant of the Reich. I stand before you as a friend to the Ducal Houses.
Kaiser Heinrich and Count Sigismund der Stolze have done much to restore the Reich to the state it was in prior to the Investiture Controversy. The rebellious border lands have been brought back under our control and the upstart Milanese have been crushed. However, these victories have come at a cost. The emphasis on the war in Northern Italy has made the Ducal Houses vulnerable. Austria and Franconia were caught with few defenses when the traitorous Viennese and Poles betrayed us. It was only through the bravery and skill of Dukes Leopold and von Saxony that they were defeated. The Bavarian city of Bologna was occupied by the enemy. Brigands and rebels have been allowed free reign over our lands.
Today, Franconia continues to oppose Poland without support from the Reich. Austria continues to fight Viennese armies with nothing more than courageous militia. This cannot be allowed to continue. The Reich exists to serve the Christian people. The people are represented by the Ducal Houses. The Reich must do all in its power to ensure that the Houses have the means with which to maintain order within their provinces and secure the borders from foreign enemies.
The only way this can occur is if the Houses have armies of their own. The Armies must be free from meddling by the Kaiser or the Chancellor, yet they must also not unduly burden the resources of the Reich or endanger collective security. Accordingly, in consultation with other like-minded Electors, I have drafted the following Charter Amendment. While at first glance, it may seem complex and bureaucratic due to its length, it is exceedingly simple in application. The extensive delineation of clauses is merely to ensure that the Armies serve their purpose and are not abused by the Houses, the Kaiser, or the Chancellor.
Charter Amendment 5.1: Each Duchy shall have a Household Army with which to defend its territories. The Household Army will be governed by the following clauses:
1) The Household Army may not be removed from the House’s provinces without the permission of the Duke.
2) The Duke will determine where the Household Army is to be garrisoned. This location can be changed at any time, so long as the Duke informs the Chancellor of the move. The Chancellor will not remove the Household Army from the garrison without the Duke’s permission, except as required to fulfill Clause 4.
3) The Duke will determine who commands the Household Army.
4) At the beginning of each Diet session the Duke may assign general orders to the Household Army, which are to be carried out by the Chancellor. Between Diet sessions, any additional orders submitted by Dukes are to be implemented only at the Chancellor's discretion. The Duke may select one of the following Orders: (1) attack any rebel force in House territory, (2) attack any hostile force in House territory, including other factions, (3) attack any foreign or rebel army in House territory, including neutral (but not allied or crusading) factions, (4) temporary assignment to another House, (5) assignment to offensive duties. If Order (4) is chosen, the Duke may determine the time limit of the temporary assignment and the commanding general, but all other decisions are made by the Duke of the receiving house. When the time limit expires, the Household Army must be immediately returned to House lands, no matter what other circumstances occur, unless the Duke agrees otherwise. If Order (5) is chosen, the Duke may specify an enemy settlement or army as the objective and the commanding general. The settlement or army must be in a province that borders the House and the Reich must already be at war with the target. All other decisions are made by the Chancellor. The Duke may recall the Household Army from offensive duties at any time and for any reason.
5) The Household Army will consist of a minimum of 3 infantry regiments, 2 ranged regiments, and 1 cavalry regiment. The Household Army will ideally consist of 4 infantry regiments, 3 ranged regiments, and 2 cavalry regiments. For the purposes of this rule, Generals’ bodyguard units do not count as cavalry regiments. All regiments must be professional soldiers, not militia.
6) If a Household Army falls below the minimum strength level, Imperial military recruitment must be allocated to restoring the Household Army to minimum strength before forces can be sent elsewhere.
7) The Chancellor will attempt to maintain the Household Armies at full strength, with the highest quality regiments available.
8) In emergencies, the Chancellor may detach any units in excess of the minimum strength level for use elsewhere. The Chancellor may not reduce a Household Army below the minimum strength level without the permission of the Duke.
9) If the Imperial Treasury cannot support all Household Armies at minimum strength, the Chancellor must consult with the Dukes and receive their permission to reduce the Household Armies in such a way as to eliminate the deficit.
10) The Imperial Diet may temporarily remove any or all of these rules by a simple majority vote. The temporary period will last no longer than 10 turns.
The significant difficulties which will arise due to the Household Armies will be organizational of nature. Even then, the main burden will exist only in their creation, as their actual workings will be simple and clear once the Armies are assembled. Accordingly, the main burden will fall on the next Chancellor, and him alone. I will gladly bear this weight.
However, my commitment to the Ducal Houses is not limited to this Charter Amendment alone. Even if it does not pass, I swear to you that I shall do all in my power to work with the Dukes to ensure that their vassals are protected, their territories are secure, and their interests are given significant weight. No matter what occurs, I shall be a champion of the Houses and a defender of good Christians.
Yet, we cannot focus exclusively on domestic affairs. We find ourselves at war with three nations. The Milanese have been crushed, but they are not yet totally defeated. While their territories of Corsica and Sardinia are of little threat to us, they still have a massive Army on Imperial soil. We must destroy this force before it assaults Florence or attempts to escape. The city of Venice is of little threat to us at the moment. Kaiser Heinrich and Prinz Henry should combine forces and march to destroy the Milanese army immediately. I propose that once this is accomplished, we then seek a ceasefire with the Milanese, to allow us to concentrate on our remaining foes. Their island holdings are of little value to us and we cannot afford to send armies across the seas when we are threatened by land in all directions.
Edict 5.15: The large Milanese army outside Florence will be destroyed. After this is accomplished, we will seek to establish a ceasefire with Milan, so long as one can be obtained without cost to the Reich.
We must then turn all our fury on our traitorous former allies. Advances must be made be against the Poles and the Viennese. With skill, courage, and the blessings of the Almighty, we shall prevail in these struggles and bring righteous fury to those who have turned against the great Empire of Christ. As we speak, a Franconian army is besieging Magdeburg. However, it is a strong castle with trained defenders. The Franconian force must be reinforced with trained infantry before the assault can be made.
While Venice’s power has been largely smashed, Austria remains without a professional army to defend her borders. Kaiser Heinrich and Prinz Henry can resume the march on Venice itself once the Milanese have been dealt with. Duke Leopold must then be provided with a professional army with which to advance against the Viennese holdings to the south, particularly Zagreb.
The French question cannot be ignored. Fortunately, it is the easiest of the fronts to defend. Count der Stolze is encamped in the Alps with a large army. He can easily reach Dijon quickly with a significant force and defend Swabian territory from any French attack.
I am certain that there are some of you who have questions about my feelings towards Pope Gregory. I assume the rumors of my penance in Nuremburg have reach you, so I will simply say that they are true. I have spent a great deal of time in contemplation of our relations with the Pope. I have concluded that I was wrong. Pope Gregory is not a friend to the Reich, but then he is not a friend to any nation. Pope Gregory is a friend to Christians, regardless of their nationality. He has certainly made mistakes in the past, but he has proven that he wishes the best for our people. I believed that he forced the Milanese and Venetians to move against us. Yet he has excommunicated them both and not us. There is no possible way that the Italians could be obeying his orders.
As for the question of Investiture, there have certainly been errors made. However, is it so terrible to have Cardinals choosing the Pope? Are these evil men with bad intentions? No, they are holy men who serve Christ. Does giving them power prejudice the Reich? No, because the Reich has produced more Cardinals than any other nation, including a Preferatti. It is entirely possible that the next Pope could be Cardinal Scherer himself. Would that be an evil act that the Reich could not tolerate? I do not believe so. Indeed, the only reason this Pope or any other would have for moving against the Reich would be if we fell under the sway of heathens and witches. In such a case, it would be the duty of all righteous Christians, to restore the rule of God in our lands. I for one will never let the Reich be corrupted, so I have no fear that this will occur.
In summary, I promise you the following, Electors. We will immediately begin building Household Armies to defend the Ducal Houses. While this is going on, with the resources already available, we shall defeat the Milanese army outside Florence and take Venice. When the Franconian force at Magdeburg is reinforced, it will assault and take that castle. Once a professional army has been provided to Duke Leopold, he will lead an attack on the Venitian city of Zagreb. In the west, Count der Stolze will hold the Swabian border from attacks by the French. Throughout all of this, the resources of the Reich will be devoted to creating the Household Armies and restoring security to our lands. If you give me the power to do this, I expect that well before the next Diet session we will be able to advance anywhere and everywhere we wish without need for reinforcements and without risking the security of any House.
Electors, I seek to serve the Great Christian Empire. Give me the fiery sword and I shall wield it against those who would oppose the Lord!
Prinz Henry: In the light of new knowledge - specifically of the Milanese excommunication - I am revising Edict 5.12 so that it does not mandate the recall of all Swabian generals.
Edict 5.12 (revised): The Empire is to adopt a defensive posture in the west in an attempt to lead to the excommunication of France. When France is excommunicated, the posture is to switch to an offensive one - aiming at Rheims and then Paris.
At this time, I second the following Edicts: 5.9, 5.10, 5.12, 5.13, and Charter Amendment 5.1.
Dietrich Von Saxony:
"I applaud and second, Steward Mandorfs charter amendment 5.1. This amendment would make us stronger against any attacks from our enemies. I would also like to renew my support for Edict 5.12 from Prinz Henry on its current form."
I have now reviewed the proposed Edicts. Here is my stance on them.
5.1 - I agree with the principle of seeking alliances. However, England and Scotland are destined to violent conflict. We must seek an alliance with the one which will prevail, otherwise we will find ourselves allied with refugees. I believe England is the stronger power, so I would prefer we ally with them instead of Scotland. As for Russia... they are heathens who reject Papal authority of any kind! I cannot stomache an alliance with such foul creatures.
5.2 - Agreed and seconded. Our inner cities must be defended by militia which do not drain the Imperial treasury. With the Household Armies, rebels and brigands can be defeated without the need for expensive garrisons.
5.3 - As I stated above, I do not believe it is in our interests to invade the islands at this time. A favorable peace would be much better than further war with Milan.
5.4 - I have already stated similar beliefs.
5.5 - This would certainly be a wonderful achievement, but in all honesty I doubt whether it is achievable in the near future.
5.6 - The possibility must certainly be expored when we seek a ceasefire, but we should not continue the war simply for this objective, which may well be unobtainable.
5.7 - Agreed and seconded. We must spread the word of Christ to every last man, woman, and child in the Reich.
5.8 - Assassination is an unholy and evil act. I will never support this. If they are Christian foes, defeat them in honorable combat. If they are heathens, burn them publicly for their heresies.
5.9 - Agreed and seconded. However, the offensive must not outstrip our resources. Two armies must be assembled first. Franconia's Household Army must be available to defend its territories and an Imperial force must be created to drive deep into their lands.
5.10 - This conflicts with our alliance with Sicily, since Hungary is at war with them. We will have to choose one over the other. I do not know Pope Gregory's reasons for excommunicating the Sicilians, but it must be a valid one. The question of whether to choose Hungary over Sicily is one that should be discussed in greater detail by the Diet.
5.11 - This is a Swabian matter. We are neutral with France, but they have invaded Swabian lands. If the Duke of Swabia wishes to declare war on them, he has the power to do so. I have proclaimed my intentions to abide by the desires of the Ducal Houses and I shall stand by that intention here.
5.12 - As above.
5.13 - Fully agreed, but I will not second as my Edict 5.15 already includes this and more.
5.14 - This is sensible in all regards. Agreed and seconded.
Prinz Henry: I would like to throw my support behind the candidacy of Steward Mandorf. It is no secret that we have disagreed in the past, particularly about his previous aggressive posture with regards to the Papacy. However, I am pleased to note that his view on Rome has softened and become more nuanced.
On his reform agenda - Charter Ammendment 5.1 - I have worked with the Steward in devising this new system and I believe it will have several virtues. It will relieve the Chancellor of some of the burden of defending our realm - he will be free to focus on where Imperial forces are deployed, perhaps usually under his own personal command. It will also provide the heads of our noble Houses and their electors with an outlet for their own frustrations and ambitions.
As to the man himself, I believe Steward Mandorf has the experience, toughness and ability to lead us through what will no doubt be difficult times. Swabia will not declare war on France, but I have no doubt she will imminently declare war on us. We should be able to prevail, but it will require firm leadership. I place particular emphasis on our relations with Hungary - if she also turns against us, Vienna is in great peril and the Empire really will be fighting for its life.
Electors - I appeal to you to vote for Steward Mandorf: vote for reform and for a vigorous approach to the challenges that face us!
*stands quietly and speaks in a low threatening voice*
I must state my full support for edict 5.8 the acquisition of skilled assassins is a supreme necessity at this point in time.
To go along with this i propose edict 5.16which the nobility of our foes be subject to assassination. Our cowardly foes send their unwitting peasants to absorb all the danger in fighting us... should they not face the same risk for their decisions?
I also propose Edict 5.17 in which any aggression via the Papacy towards the Reich will result in an offensive against Rome via our field armies and the Pope will be subject to the proposed edict 5.15.
My fellow electors we must remember that we are the HOLY Roman Empire ordained by god and no member of the cloth can reject our divine mandate
Kaiser Heinrich:
It seems as if much has taken place in my absence. I will now proceed to make some official announcements.
First of all, this Diet will be extended for one day longer than what the Prinz had proposed, but the voting window will remain the same.
Second of all, I would like to announce that Count Otto von Kassel is hereby betrothed to my daughter Elsebeth.
More announcements to come.
Cloaked in a fashionable garment and once again wearing a stylish hat adorned with a peacocks feather Duke Leopold enters the Diet chambers. His face is set determined and he walks with a purpose. His gaze does not notice the other Electors assembled within the Diet. It is locked on Emperor Heinrich. Purposefully he moves to the middle of the Diet floor and draws a deep breath. Two more steps bring him closer to the Emperor, where he falls down on one of his knees, his head sunk in reveration. His voice rings out clear as he adresses the man in front of him.
"Mein Kaiser!
I have come here today to apologize for the mistunderstandings caused by me in the last Diet session. My pride and my selfish greed have made me say things and do deeds that I now regret."
Leopold raises his gaze to meet that of the Kaiser. His face is a blank mask showing no emotions at all except for a slight tension prove to the fact that he is barely able to control his feelings.
"I have come here to ask you for forgiveness in front of all these men. The same men in front of whom I have insulted you, so that they may all bear testimony to my penance. I hereby vow to be a better servant of the Empire than I have been in the past and do everything that stands in my abilities to further the glory of the Reich. I beg you to accept my apologies and accept me once more into this Assembly of men from where my pride and selfishness have exiled me."
His gaze travels to the floor again and a visible shaking can be seen that runs through his body. His shoulder blades are tensing visibly under the emotional onslaught. He remains kneeled, awaiting the words of his father, Emperor Heinrich.
The tension in the Diet is palpable and no one dares speak. A nervous clerk quietly posts a list of all current proposed edicts and their first two seconders.
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...92&postcount=1
His slightest sound makes the Electors angrily stare at the intrusion.
*the young 6th elector of Bavaria stands up, with the latest intelegence reports fresh in his mind, he paused for a moment to find his words, then starts*
Firstly I would like to Second Edict 5.1, It has been amended to remove Scotland from the wording, and as for Steward Mandorf's concern about allying with Russia. It is my fear that soon Russia will have to choose between us and Poland, and I for one would like to ensure they make the right choice.
I would also like to second edict the revised 5.12 laid out be Prinz Henery, this edict shows tremendous wisdom, and this strategy has a proven track record.
*turns to face the 5th swabian elector*
Thanks are in order the 5th elector of swabia FactionHeir your recptiveness(sp) appreciated, it's nice to see houses work together for the good of the Reich. Also, the idea of putting the poles in their rightful place is a good one, but with war on two fronts, and hostile forces on a third, 5000 florins is a bit rich at the moment.
I Second edict 5.14 aswell, from the reports I have read, scotland now equals England, at least in provincial holdings.
*turns to agains adress the entire diet*
I believe that Maximillian Mandorf would make an excellent Chancellor, and second edict 5.15, and Charter amendment 5.1, both are prime examples of the wisdom and forethought he would bring to the office.
*Sitting, the elector eagerly awaits a input from some of the wiser minds in the room*
OOC: I have a refershed Diet page open another tab, all of this happens AFTER Kaiser Heinrich's response to Duke Leopold.
Kaiser Heinrich:
Welcome back, Duke Leopold. I am glad that you once again grace this Diet with your presence. All is forgiven, my son.
And now my next announcement: I hereby seek the position of Chancellor once again.
Good Electors, this Reich that we all serve stands on the cusp of greater glory than the world has known in almost a thousand years. The past three wars that plagued the last Chancellorship have all turned the tide. Milan is a beaten people. They make one last desperate move to swing things around. They will be crushed. Venice's capial city now stands under threat. Those traitors and oathbreakers will face the full wrath of the Reich, and it will be terrible indeed. Poland is also now regretting turning on us, as Magdeburg is under siege, with certainly more cities to follow for the glory of Franconia and Austria.
These wars will be decisively ended under my reign, just so we have time to turn on new foes. France is foolish enough to make an advance on Dijon. Former Chancellor Sigismund will immediately make a march on their position (without attacking) in order to let them know they mean business. If they persist, then we will simply repulse them everywhere and let them foolishly get excommunicated.
I have not forgotten about the brigands that plague our heartlands either. Steward Mandorf's proposed House armies are excellent, I give him that, but there are several problems with his amendment. Mainly, Clauses 6-9. One stubborn Duke could endanger the entire Reich. I cannot support such an amendment that allows that to happen. Rest assured, Electors, that I promise to uphold Clauses 1-5 and 10 if I am elected and the Amendment fails.
I agree with most of the proposed edicts so far, with 5.3, 5.6, and 5.11 (not yet). In addition, I second Edict 5.16 as it is a good Edict and no one has done so yet.
One may wonder, with my views so similar to Mandorf's, why I am running? Well, in truth, it was his idea. If you Electors can recall, he was the one who criticized me for allowing Bologna to fall under my watch. Election as Chancellor would ensure that I have fuller control of all fronts so that events such as these can be monitored and properly responded to.
In addition, my candidacy offers to the Diet a choice that you can be sure is not influenced by any outside forces. I am affiliated with no House, so I will make sure that none of you are passed over in an effort to advance my own. In addition, I am not a pawn of the Papacy or a woman. The decisions I make if elected Chancellor will be made by me, with input coming from this body and this body alone.
Good Electors, I am getting old and I have not much longer to live on this earth. But, God willing, before I make my final home beyond the gates of Saint Peter, I can continue to improve the Reich and make it a jewel in the world for many years to come. This is the best way I know how.
A Bavarian clerk clears his throat.
Good sirs, it appears there has been some confusion with Edict numbering. The Fourth Elector of Bavaria proposed two edicts which he numbered 5.15 and 5.16. Steward Mandorf had already proposed an edict under number 5.15. Accordingly, the Fourth Elector of Bavaria's edicts should read as follows:
Edict 5.16: The nobility of our foes are subject to assassination.
Edict 5.17: Any aggression via the Papacy towards the Reich will result in an offensive against Rome via our field armies and the Pope will be subject to the proposed Edict 5.16.
I would be grateful if the Diet clerk would update the Edict list to reflect this.
Dietrich Von Saxony sips his wine slowly after witnessing the reacent events, but doesnt say anything,just sits there and waits what will happen next.
Duke Leopold mumbles a quiet: "Thank you my Grace" before he rises again slowly and walks to the stand of the House of Austria. After short deliberation with his fellow Electors and the Emperors latest announcement he raises again to adress the Diet.
I fully support my father's ambitions to take the post of Chancellor a second time. He has shown in his recent Chancellorship that he is well able to guide the Reich against its various enemies. Now that armies are once again approaching us from all sides I consider it of utmost importance that the next leader be an impartial judge on the happenings within our Reich. I believe that Charter Amendment 5.1 will do enough for the different Houses and that Steward Mandorf will always be honoured for proposing this Amendment.
I think the recent Chancellorship has shown that the advancement of certain Houses can well be accompanied by a neglect for other Houses. The reason the House of Austria and the House of Franconia had to fight with inadequate forces in the past can not be explained by our Imperial Charter alone.
Every one of you should consider well whom to vote for when faced with a man that is willing to stand for his convictions and will be an impartial leader to all of us or if you decide to cast your vote on a man that has been known to change his complete agenda at the whims of some woman. You may never know what she'll be whispering in his ear next.
Count Jobst Von Salza stands up, shaking his head
once again we concentrate on Italy... Jobst keeps shaking his head
But!
Steward Mandorf, A while ago when you commented on Shuffles through papers 5.11, about the French and Swabian lands??? Swabian Electors have prposed that edict because one,
Recently two French armeis invaded the lands around Dijon, and heading towards Bern. Dijon is a very economic place, providing hundreds of florins for the EMpire, if we lose it it will be a great blow, to Swabia and the EMpire, we are proposing those edicts for our own good! I hope you an understand that,
Now executing is sometrhing of a distaste to me, and as I said before, italys trapped, Polands weak and France is coming. But we always are concentrating on war! Why not more peaceful edicts? Like one for-
Edict 5.18 - Every city and castle of all levels in the Empire are to have built at least 1 type of Economic help in that city, in 5 years limit
That edict is much mroe peaceful and will give us plenty of money.
Kaiser Heinrich:
Er, it seems in my haste to make a speech I fumbled over my words. The following passage:
should read as:Quote:
I agree with most of the proposed edicts so far, with 5.3, 5.6, and 5.11 (not yet).
My apologies to any confusion.Quote:
I agree with most of the proposed edicts so far, with 5.3, 5.6, and 5.11 (not yet) being the exceptions.
Prinz Henry (in a sombre tone): It is with regret that I learn of my father's candidature for the post of Chancellor. Unfortunately, I have already pledged on my honour to support Steward von Mandorf. Nonetheless, I wish my father well with his campaign and, regardless of the outcome of the election, I stand eager to fight under his command against the Milanese who are besieging his beloved Florence. (bows to his father, not daring to meet his gaze).
On a happier note, I am pleased to announce that I have made Sir Jobst von Salza the Count of Dijon. I think this appointment sends a signal to the French that we are committed to the defence of that city and I urge whoever is elected Chancellor to send Count von Salza to join Count Sigismund in shoring up our Western defences.
Steward Mandorf listens to Jobst von Salza's words, nodding and shaking his head casually during the speech.
Elector von Salza, I do not know quite what you expect of me. As I have said before, France remains neutral with us. Though they may eventually declare war, they have not done so for the time being. Until they do so, the decision as to whether to attack them first must be made by Swabia and Swabia alone. I will respect whatever decision the House of Swabia arrives at, but I cannot do so if you all disagree with one another! Prinz Henry is the Duke of Swabia and accordingly he speaks for your House. Accordingly, I will abide by whatever decision your Duke makes in regards to the French armies. If you disagree with your Duke's decisions, I suggest you take that issue up with him, not me. In any case, you can be assured that should I be elected, Count der Stolze will be ordered to move immediately to defend Dijon to prevent it falling to a French attack.
Maximillian Mandorf turns and looks at the Diet. His eyes rest upon Duke Leopold for several seconds, before he turns to face Kaiser Heinrich.
Some in this body have made slanderous comments about my loyalty to the Reich and my ability to be a fair Chancellor. The gist of these insults is that I have fallen under the sway of a woman of questionable worth who will turn me against the Empire. They refer to my spiritual guid, the nun Hildegard von Bingen.
These people find fault with my new found faith in God and respect for Christian morality. I will not hide my past nor try to obscure reality. Indeed, I am proud of it. I was a corrupt sinner before she found me; interested only in wallowing in the pleasures of the flesh. I was a foul and loathsome man. Now I stand before you as a righteous tool of God. I have taken a vow of celibacy and seek to spread the word of Christ to all corners of the world. I have sworn to protect Christians everywhere from the corruption of heathens and pagans.
If some individuals find fault with that, then I can only believe that they have fallen to their own corruptions. I am loyal to the Reich and I am loyal to Christ Almighty. Those are two links which do not conflict with one another. The mere fact that I no longer wish to see Pope Gregory's head on a spike does not make me his puppet. Many of you had the wisdom to propose closer relations to the Pope from the very beginning. In essence, those who doubt me also doubt your loyalty to the Reich.
Ask yourselves this, noble Electors; would you prefer to have a reformed sinner who has been brought back into the light, or one who still seeks to lead the Reich into a bloody war with all of Christendom?
Kaiser Heinrich:
If I may address some of Elector Mandorf's comments:
I have no doubt that she is your spiritual guide; I was just wondering if she advised you in any other matters aside from religion. After all, it would not be proper for an aspiring Chancellor if she did.Quote:
The gist of these insults is that I have fallen under the sway of a woman of questionable worth who will turn me against the Empire. They refer to my spiritual guid, the nun Hildegard von Bingen.
That sounds more like a priest than a leader of a great nation to me.Quote:
I have taken a vow of celibacy and seek to spread the word of Christ to all corners of the world. I have sworn to protect Christians everywhere from the corruption of heathens and pagans.
Quote:
If some individuals find fault with that, then I can only believe that they have fallen to their own corruptions.
Huh? You're starting to sound like Servius Aemilius, Elector Mandorf. Those who doubt you doubt their loyalty to Bavaria, surely, but not the entire Reich.Quote:
In essence, those who doubt me also doubt your loyalty to the Reich.
Milan and Venice have been excommunicated. Surely they don't fall under your definition of Christendom. Since that only leaves Poland, I will remind you that they were the very same people that sought to see the noble and glorious House of Franconia wiped off the face of the earth along with all its people, from its Duke, Dietrich von Saxony, to the lowliest peasant.Quote:
Ask yourselves this, noble Electors; would you prefer to have a reformed sinner who has been brought back into the light, or one who still seeks to lead the Reich into a bloody war with all of Christendom?
I only seek to destroy those that wish us harm. Surely your beloved Pope sees nothing wrong with that.
"The 6th Elector of Austria stands holding a book and looks towards Mandorf..."
Lord Mandorf, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.. Luke 15:7 and to continue with the parable Lord welcome back to the flock.
Looking to the rest of the members...
On a more pressing business manner I second edict 5.18 to get the Reich's economy stimulated.
"The members returns to his seat.."
I propose Edict 5.19: All agent training is to be suspended in order to cut back on royal spending Our treasury is not very impressive to say the least, and I have voiced my concerns before. While the Fourth Elector of Bavaria and the Fifth Elector of Swabia's proposals do make sense, we have no immediete needs for assasins. Two of our major enemies, the Venetians and Milanians have been severely weakened by our conquests in Italy and will pose no major problem to us. Should we use our assasins against the French, we may accidentally start off a war should one of our agents fail. The Polish are the only noteworthy target, but it takes many years and much effort for a skilled assasin to be trained and those years paying for him will surely be better for spending on other more importants things
von Mahren frowns for a moment, and stands
Edict 5.3 scares me. The wholesale destruction of Milan could be a big and long-term commitment. While I agree with the ideal, I think it would be foolish to commit our next chancellor to soch a long-term plan that may pull resources from other, more urgent matters. With a different wording, I could support it, but as it stands now, it seems too much like a needless distraction. Vengeance is fine, but it will not help us defend our lands.
Edict 5.8, I will happily second.
While assassins may not be a very polite way to solve our differences, we have to realize how many problems a couple of skilled killers could. Imagine if certain powerful leaders who have previously wronged the Reich could be dealt with that way, without engaging in a war that would turn all of Europe against us.
As always, Duke von Saxony speaks wisely. I second edict 5.9 and 5.10.
And with my assignment to travel to Austria and lend help there, we may even be able to hit the Poles on two fronts once our borders have been secured.
I also note that many members of the Diet are looking for new enemies, of all things. I would advise extreme caution in this respect. We are stretched already, and we have to consider that each new war will do little to improve our relationship with the parts of Europe we are not yet at war with.
France, in particular sounds like a risky move. If they attack us, we will have to react, but we should not provoke them. They are a large nation, and not only that, but they have other powerful neighbors, which would, if we were to take French lands, leave us with a truly undefensible border. And what would we gain from it? French lands are not exactly poor, but nor would they, with only distant coastlines, provide the increases in trade and long-term income that we need.
I will happily second edict 5.12, however.
Denmark, as was suggested previously, would be a better proposition from tactical and strategic points of view. They are very isolated, and once eliminated, we would have access to both fertile lands and new harbors with all the commerce that follows, and it would even be defensible with no new neighbors to share borders with.
That said, we have to be careful even there. You may recall that I grew up in Hamburg, very close to the border. The Danes are brutal in a fight, and if you thought the spearmen from continental Europe were dangerous for our cavalrymen, you have not seen a Dane chop the horse from right its rider, armoured or not, with just one chop from his axe.
If we do attack Denmark, we have to do it with sufficient force to overwhelm them. A few hundred militiamen will not cut it, we will need skilled, professional troops. And lots of them.
They may not be the biggest nation in Europe, but they fight like demons. They may no longer call themselves vikings, but do not let that fool you into thinking they've gone soft.
I will also second 5.18. We have enough wars. What we need is focus on our infrastructure.
In the same vein, I would like to propose edict 5.20: All cities with access to the sea must build the needed facilities to encourage and boost commerce.
We have many cities with access to long stretches of ocean. Other nations are eager to trade and buy German goods. Why not exploit this fact to fill our coffers? If you doubt that naval trade is worthwhile I encourage you to study the economic reports of our cities. The wording of the edict is intentionally vague, because individual cities may need to focus on defense or other urgent priorities, and I do not wish those goals to be incompatible.
And finally, edict 5.21: The Reich will contact those nations with whom we are not at war, and have no direct conflicts of interests with, and attempt to improve our diplomatic relationships, with florins if necessary.
It is an investment that may cost us in the short term, but over the last decade, we have seen our standings with other countries decline, and we have been making enemies at a truly frightening rate. I fully believe that the occasional gift would prove worthwhile, both by reducing the risk of new wars, and by allowing trade to prosper. Perhaps, we could even gain new allies to assist us when we are backstabbed by those we thought were friends.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to attend to the preparations for my assignment to assist in Austria.
von Mahren sits down again to read through the latest messages from his Duke
The 6th Elector stands and is pleased that we are discussing economics..
To the clerk I don't know if the edict numbers are getting out of sync. There maybe 2 designated 5.19.
I would like to second von Mahren proposals if it is 5.19 or 5.20 that a port city should be encourage to promote/build trade and his second 5.20 or 5.21 that we should be making contact with nations not at war with the Reich to promote trade and information.
*the 6th elector of Bavaria stands up with his copy of the Imperial Charter.
The past several edicts have all delt with the construction of buildings in the reich, but I don't think that is the right way to attack the ecomonic problems currently facing the Empire.
*the Young Bavarian Elector reads from the charter
The way I read this mein fellow electors, is that edicts are used to control the actions of the Chancellor, but the Chancellor has no control over construction at any settlements other than those yet assigned to a house. You see the problem?Quote:
6.1 If a character governs a settlement for more than two turns, the Chancellor must officially appoint him “governor”. He must request from the player the tax rate and a (buildings, not unit) build queue for the settlement for 10 turns. If any building is built in the settlement, it must be on the build queue. Governors receive +1 civil influence for the duration of their appointment, or 10 turns, whichever is longer.
Perhaps economics be left more to the individual Duchies? although Imperial oversight, and discussion in the diet on economic issues is necessary. Perhaps some sort of agreement between the Heads of the Various Duchies (OOC:i.e. each duchy will build 1 economic building in each settlement by the end of the chancellor's turn or something)
This agreement could then be officially presented to the Diet at the Result of every election, additionally it could be included in the Library of Official Records. I understand the this my be a long and arduous task (OOC: hold up game), but I agree with thise how proposed the edicts that there should be some official government control over at least the policy of the economy, if not the building designations themselves.
Stands... a little confused by the huge number of Edicts... and the lack of Austrian talk...
I would like to say that I will follow my Duke and support the Kaiser for the Chancelership...
also i support Edicts 5.19 and 5.20 but i dissagree with Edict 5.21... on the grounds that we need the money to build up the Reich and its armys... spending money to make nations like Spain and Portugal happy doesnt seem benifical... i say that we should wait untill we know more about them till we spend money on them... there-fore i propose Edict 5.22 we send diplomates to gather good relations with other nations... short of the spending of Florines on them
giving money to peoples when we need it is not a wise decision...
I would also like to propose Edict 5.23during the term of the next chanceler... the reich sizes Magdeburg and/or Bresalu... to provide a buffer zone and future launch sites for invasion agianst Poland
concerning the Charter Admendment... i support all the ideas on there except this
this would effecantly destroy the main armys of the Reich... and would allow households to stall troops heading to important fronts of battle because their army has lost a Regiment of Spears...Quote:
6) If a Household Army falls below the minimum strength level, Imperial military recruitment must be allocated to restoring the Household Army to minimum strength before forces can be sent elsewhere.
that is all
sits... and listens to the conversation
I wish to speak about Kaiser Heinrich's stance on Charter Amendment 5.1. He claims to approve of the Household Armies, but specifically rejects Clauses 6 to 9. These Clauses all deal with maintaining the Household Armies at a minimum level of strength, beyond which they cannot be reduced without the approval of the Dukes. By opposing these Clauses, the Kaiser clearly wishes to have the option to totally abolish the Household Armies should he deem it necessary.
This goes against the entire purpose of their creation. The Houses must have a means to defend themselves that is totally free from the whims of Chancellors and Kaisers alike. If the Chancellor can reduce a Household Army below minimum strength, no House will be guaranteed of security unless they are personally favored by the Chancellor. Houses which do not support a Chancellor in an election may find their lands once again defended by nothing more than militia and peasants!
He cites his reason for opposition as "one stubborn Duke can endanger the Reich." Electors, let us remember that the minimum strength level of the Household Armies will be 3 infantry regiments, 2 ranged regiments, and 1 cavalry regiment. Does the Kaiser truly expect us to believe that 6 regiments will be all that stands between the Reich and total collapse? If those 6 regiments were so direly needed by the Chancellor, surely no Duke would deny him their allocation.
Do not let the Kaiser deceive you with his double-edged words. He supports nothing about the Household Armies that does not directly serve his purposes. He gives lip service to the Ducal Houses for fear of alienating them, and then shows that he would remove the means with which the Houses can always be guaranteed security.
This is the choice you have before you, Electors. You may choose a man who wishes only power for himself and cares not for the welfare of the Houses, or you may choose a man whose entire purpose is to give the Houses the irrevocable power to protect their lands and peoples.
Maximillian makes a fine point. Having a small force for each House will actually better our defences. Right now, we are concentrated around Italy and around the Polish border, but should the danes or the french attack in force, we shall be at their mercy. Let each House has a small force so that if some faction backstabs us, we shall be able to hold them off until our main armies arrive to finish them.
these will help as a holding force... but the Admendment will allow us to resupply small armys before the large on... a household army should be a first line of defence... not anything else...
so if this is to help us by adding defence?... then why do we ruin our other forces to uphold them?... reinforcements need to go to front-line forces... not to household armys that mop-up rebals all day long and get wounded...