Duchy of Austria

Messenger enters the Austrian assembly.

"Gentlemen. As Duke Leopold informed you i have command of the Austrian household army currently. Those of you who are staying in the Reich,should move yourselves to Ragusa in order to get some fighting experience in the Household army.I can promise that there will be plenty of it to share during the few coming years.

Yours,

Jonas Von Mahren"

A messenger arrives bearing a message with the Imperial seal of Bavaria on it

Quote:

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Gerhard Steffen

Mien fellow germans, I send this message to offer the services of the BHA to rid your lands of the Hungarian presence marching on Zagreb, I understand that the AHA is farther to the east and currently tied up with the Venetians. I make this offer in the hope that our two houses may co-operate more closely

Steward of Bavaria
Gerhard Steffen

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Ehrhart von Mahren speaks:

This is excellent news indeed! Bless Gerhard Steffen for his hard work in service of the Reich. King Otto made the correct choice for his heir.

Ah, this is indeed good news. With two such capable Army commanderes ready to help us against our foes, I have no fear for the security of the Reich.

Maybe you Arnold should meet up with Gerhard Steffen. You have traveled and fought with him before. Consider though that doing this will indebt us to the House of Bavaria. As future head of this House I leave the decision up to you. You will have to make many more of these decisions in the days to come.

He turns to the von Mahrens:

I take it from your silence that you will be staying to defend the Reich? This is indeed good. As you see your father will travel to Ragusa where you can meet with him. Crush those Venetian dogs swiftly!

Gentlemen! Now that it has been decided, let me officially present myself to the Duchy of Austria. I am Sigismund von Mahren, son of Jonas. I pledge to defend my Duchy and Reich as ably and chivalrously as mine namesake.

Welcome Ehrhart and Sigismund the House of Austria is grateful for your service. It is good to know that the defences of the House are in capable hands
Raises a goblet to to the brothers...

OOC: Good to have aboard there maybe some action soon enough.

Excellent! I cannot wait until I am knighted and can begin serving Austria on the battlefield! I thank you all for your kind welcome (Bows at Duke Leopold, Karl Zirn, Arnold) and my brother Sigismund and I will join up with the Household Army as squires to gain battle experience.

Welcome to the new members of the Austrian House.

Please note the I will NOT take up the offer from Lord Gerhard. Lord Jonas is returning with the AHA and at that time I will join him to be knighted hopefully against the Hungarian invaders.

I shall make it clear that I am not traveling on crusade (OOC: i saw i was in duke leopold's army), but rather I wish most strongly to join with the AHA in order to gain battle experience.

My lords, our Duke has perished. As I'm sure you've heard, he died crushing the Mongols. Such was is strength and will that I have heard the armies he destroyed were more than half thier forces in Outremer. It is the perfect end to such a awe-inspiring and glorious career.

Gentlemen, a toast! In honor of our fallen leader's memory, and in celebration of our new leaders reign! Duke Leopold is dead, long live Duke Arnold!

Arnold raises his glass in salute.

Gentlemen,

With the passing of my father and Ehrhart von Mahren there are only three of us left represent this great house.

Lord Zirn I would ask you to maintain the standards of my father set, and represent our house proudly in the east. As the only member of the Austrian nobility in the east you have a duty to STAY alive and uphold the honour of my fathers work. I will send someone to assist you as soon as possible. That could be some years though.


Sigismund von Mahren,

You will accompany me as we hunt down and expel the Hungarian invaders. I have every intention of Knighting you and then having you command half of the AHA in defending our borders. The Chancellor has approved this so expect some fighting very soon.

Gentlemen, our house is small but by father left and enormous legacy to follow. I intend to follow through with every ounce of strength at my disposal.


Long Live Lord Leopold, Long Live the HOUSE OF AUSTRIA!!

Gentlemen,

It seems too quiet for my liking!!

Lord Zirn, what news can you provide regarding the actions in the east?

Is the Austrian province running well? What of your own exploits in the region?

Sigismund,

Are you well? Have you managed to overcome the loss of your brother?

I am well, my lord. My brother's loss has been hard on my family, but I will persevere as I must. I am looking forward to having a chance to prove myself in battle.

So Sigismund, I hope you are over the tragedy of your brothers death.

I know he would want everyone to continue on as best they can and use his sacrifice as motivation for the future.

With that said, the Chancellor's term is coming to an end.

We have of course one House edict plus one personal edict each.

What are your thoughts on future legislation for the up coming Diet session and elections?

Christ men!!

Is anyone here at all!!??

Peter you're more than welcome to request the next chancellor send you to my army for knighting.

Sigismund is still not knighted either so there will be plenty to do against the Hungarian scum!!

Do any of you have suggestions for edicts? Either the house allotment or your own personal one's?

As an added point to note there are a large number of Countships available as I have not issued any since I came to be Duke.

With such a small number of nobles available to take charge there is substantial land available to govern if either of you have the desire.

Unfortunately, I have no ideas for edicts this term. I was, however, going to request that the chancellor send me and my guard against a unit of Hungarian feudal foot knights. If nothing else, it would be a good fight!

As for counties, I believe you are the only one here who can control more than one territory my Duke. Myself, I would be very happy to be the Count of Budpest. I believe the city has a Master Theologian's Guild, and I would relish the oppurtunity to work with the Reich's future Cardinals.

Yes but we have to get you knighted first Sigismund.

That you will have to do whilst under my command. As soon as that is done I will request the AHA is split into 2 equal halves and you are given command.

We may need more reinforcements and the advanced troops in Sofia would be ideal.

I am personally hoping to have two full stacks to guard our large eastern borders.

Sigismund,

In preparation for the upcoming elections I believe it is time to give you a title.

You are hear by appointed the Count of Venice.

OOC: Ituralde: You are more than welcome to Vote as part of House Austria. You are hereby appoint the 4th Elector of Austria and the Count of Budapest.

I will make a formal announcement in the Diet, however please contact the Kaiser with this seal for your appointment to be ratified.

Arnold

I am honored that you would entrust me with the city that was governed by your mentor, my lord. I will work even harder to secure our border, so that someday I can govern the city from within it's walls.

Karl Zirn

Fellow Austrians I apologize for the lateness of my report and missing the vote but was detained on travels home. Once I and the Countess have completed business here then I shall return quickly to the Outremer.

The Austrian House is in care of the City of Damascus. We are upgrading the city and it's defenses. There is some concern for this hashish plant the locals use; some days it is hard to find labourers to get work done.
There is word that the Horse Lords may be on the rise again the information is quite sketchy from Baghdad and nothing has been confirmed.
As for the Holy City Jerusalem there is word of sickness in the city from an unknown source.

That is all I can say at this time. If there are any particular instructions or messages to take back with me please make haste my stay here is short.

It's good of you to report in Lord Zirn.

Beware of this sickness. My advisor the ex Count of Venice has had a few close encounters on his travels east and he says it's deadly.

Good luck on you way back to Outremer. Defend Damascus Lord Zirn, for the Reich, the Kaiser and House Austria.

A thought Sigismund.

Would you consider making your way east onec you are knighted?

Only if there were other leaders to defend the Duchy in my stead, lord. It would not be right for two thirds of the Austrians nobles to be defending lands outside of Austria.

Fair enough Sigismund. I applaud your loyalty.

There will be more action out east and I would ensure you had an amry to use if you went. I thought you would be more interested in that than staying in the home land.

We already have over a third of our noble generals defending less than a fifth of our territory in the east. I'm quite content to stay here and defend your duchy with whatever men I have, or to govern my county personally. I just hope the chancellor will let me do *one* of those two things.

Sigismund,

Maybe it would be better if you left for the Holy Land.

I...do...not want any confusion here about who is leading.

There is no confusion, my lord. You are the Duke. I am a count. That will not change as long as I still alive. And it is my dearest wish to serve you by your side here in Austria, not Outremer.

Gentlemen,

This Chancellorship will be very detailed I believe.

Please send me your specific orders and request based on your authority and force control.

I will send one consolidated Austrian order sheet to the Kaiser in the Diet.

Please have these order in place within 24 hours.

Sigismund, you were part of the sally against the Hungarian's but sadly I am unable to knight you. At this time I woud like you to accompany me back to join the expelled Budapest garrison. We will then retake Budapest and I'm sure you will be knighted in that action.

Duke Arnold.

Gentlemen,

Ignore that request. I have more than enough information for order to the Kaiser.

I'll proceed immediately.

Arnold.

Lords of Austria,

We have another emergency session of the Diet to consider.

When possible please present yourselves here to discuss your views on the matter.

I wish to know what you think about all this.

Duke Arnold