1180:
This is the final year of my Chancellorship and this will be my last report covering the progress of the Reich under my rule. As one of my last acts I have ensured that the Crusaders pass the Hellespont safely via local shipping routes and they have now entered Anatolia. Duke Otto has caught up with Emperor Henry and the cavalry support is once again established. Hans follows closely after a close escape from the Hungarians.
Our trespassing into Byzantine soil has not been without consequences though. It seems that in the future much more will be needed than a measly tribute to keep the goodwill of our neighbours.
Let me now come to the rest of Reich. In the north English troops have landed near Hamburg, it's a pitifully small force though. The Danish have also reappeared near our border. Fredericus von Hamburg will be occupied with Stettin though. The Poles he was sent to deal with have turned about and are now besieging the city.
Further East, Günther von Kastillien has replenished his troops in Thorn castle and with the countryside free of Poles for once, he can once again plan to take Breslau.
In the South East the Hungarians were quiet and decided not to attack my force. They are within striking distance though and will be attacked after the next Diet session. Budapest was approached by members of the Theologians Guild, I believe that we are in need of every guidance we can get and thus accepted their offer of setting up a guild house in Budapest.
Furhter South the Venetians are marching on Venice. Gerhard Steffen has enough men assembled to defeat the Milita rabble they sent, with the aid of the Venice garrison.
As you know, Conrad Salier is in charge of the defense of Rome. Pope Fillipus the Warmonger has not yet lived up to his name.
In the West the French remain a threat, but they seem on the defensive after the fall of Metz and the other glorious victories made by Prince Jobst.
Their spies continue to cause unrest in Dijon though.
The problem of Heresy is hunted down vigirously by our Priests and Cardinal, who are now roaming the countryside near Metz, Dijon and Bern.
I leave the office behind with our coffers filled once again with 12000 florins, just the way it was when I took up this office what now seems so many years ago. My Chancellorship was one of expected hardship and I am proud to announce that not a single settlement remains lost at the end of my term. Quite to the contrary we are now in posession of the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Although there were conflicts I have held my promise and ensured a safe travel for the Crusading armies through hostile Hungarian and Venetian territory. The have safely reached and crossed the Hellespont and can now continue through Anatolia all the way to the Levant.
The biggest failure of my term as Chancellor remains in the continued excommunication by the Papacy. This along with the various states at war with us, remain the biggest part to our Empire. I have tried every diplomatic avenue short of giving away Imperial territory for nothing, but to no avail.
It will be our greatest challenge in the future to find ways around this sitution. I belive Duke von Kassel has already made proposals concerning this in the Diet and they should be expanded upon.
I said that I would try to get peace with our neighbours, but it seems that as long as we are excommunicated peace will be hard to achieve with our enemies. Several diplomatic attempts were made during my term, but everyone of them failed. Even our allies the Byzantines were not willing to grant mutual Military Access. It seems that our reputation has suffered through our recent actions. If we want peace, reconciliation with the Papacy is a must!
I will follow the example of my predecessors and not stand for reelection at the next Diet. It is for another to step forward and guide our Reich further through these troubled times. I have already included advice for any future Chancellor in the above, but would like to add some more.
The taking of Breslau should be a top priority in our future. The roaming armies around Thorn prevented me form achieving this in my term. Since the Poles are unwilling to sign a peace, we have to take Breslau to once again close our frontier with them. The vast forests between Magdeburg, Stettin and Prague have been an often-used avenue of attack from the Polish getting them as far as Frankfurt with only short notice. These woods are difficult to defend and if we would own Breslau this would make the task much easier.
Another priority would be the rebuilding of our fleets. During the recent troubles all of our ships were lost and we are now left without a navy. The money needed to build up and reinforce our armies on land left little to be spent at sea. Right now every Noble, able of commanding an army has one under his control to protect the Reich. It will be the task of my successor to deal with this task. That's why there is also one Mission from our Council of Noble unfulfilled. They demand to blockade of Caen port, but we simply lack the fleets to do it.
This ends my term as Chancellor and I hope that I have been a worthy leader of our Reich. I tried my best to guide us through the troubles caused by my deceased father. May the next Chancellor guide us as well or even better!
Duke Leopold of Austria,
Ex-Chancellor
Re: Chancellor and governor reports
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