Imperial Diet & Rules

[GeneralHankerchief]

Kaiser Heinrich:

Point of order, I believe that the Edict to capture Ragusa must be proposed in the proper form, e.g. as such:

Edict 4.x: The Diet authorizes the _______ of __________.

[phonicsmonkey]

The Prinz.

Indeed.

To re-iterate, I propose House Edict 4.2 - The Diet authorizes the capture of Milan.

As a House Edict this must have the public backing of at least two members of the Duchy of Osterreich.

[Nightbringer]

Ah yes, thank you my Lord, it would be 4.1 would it not?
Well then, I propose
Edict 4.1: The diet authorizes the capture of Ragusa.

And yes, I did mean to say that explicitly, I second the Prinz' Charter Amendment 4.1a, and second his edict 4.2 for the capture of Milan.

[The Celtic Viking]

Theodericus, now back at his seat writing, makes a short pause to wave his fingers to Friedrich von Eisel, before returning to his papers. Friedrich steps forward and speaks.

"The Margrave wish to voice his whole-hearted support of the Kaiser's intents to recreate Duchies of old. It is just the kind of foresight that is so badly needed in this era.

As for this business about the position of Marshall, the Margrave feels that the position has wholly failed, and in truth He would rather see that it was simply abandoned and forgotten. He fears it is beyond reform, but if one should be attempted, it should be given less power, not more. He can thus not see himself supporting the Prinz's proposal.

If the Diet cannot agree to remove it, then the Margrave will simply have to stand by the Kaiser's proposal instead. It at least goes in the right direction."

[phonicsmonkey]

The Prinz frowns.

It is disappointing that the Margrave does not have the vision to support my proposal. I would have thought that, menaced as he is by the Polish hordes, he would be only too happy to see a publicly funded army ride to his rescue.

As to the strength of Osterreich I believe it is over-stated. While it is true that we have been blessed with a strong succession, as the Kaiser himself points out one day (and may it be far from now!) I shall be leaving the Duchy. Further, we own but two provinces at present - equal to the Margrave's own holdings! And somewhat less than the Imperial Demesne.

So let us not be in a hurry to weaken Osterreich at the very time when its strength is of such value to the Reich.

[The Celtic Viking]

Friedrich turns back to the Margrave, unsure whether he should answer or if the Margrave would do it himself. As the Margrave doesn't even pretend to have heard the Prinz's words, Friedrich continues.

"If a position fails, the solution can hardly be to pour more power and responsibility upon it. It would be foolish to do so, like adding more men onto an already sinking ship. Much better to abandon it alltogether. We do not need it anyway."

[phonicsmonkey]

The Prinz.

I accept your position Good Margrave but I respectfully disagree. The position of Marshall has failed because it was inadequately funded and had to resort to expensive mercenaries alone for its needs. My proposal corrects both of these for the good of the Reich.

Have we forgotten the mad scramble to attempt to defend and regain Frankfurt, Antwerp, Innsbruck? And the vulnerable position in which this left our own home territories including those of Brandenburg-Bohemia? Had there been a standing defensive army in place we could have used it for either purpose instead of putting Ducal lives at risk in battles against the odds.

[The Celtic Viking]

"I'll remind you that these things happened as the direct cause of a few things:

1) The Kaiser was absent.

2) The then-owner of Bohemia, Vaclav Premyslid, had made an exodus from the political as well as the military scene.

3) The Margrave had no money at all, thus he could not muster any army what so ever.

Those are the main causes to at least why the north came so close to crumbling, and why it indeed is still in a weak state, far from recovered. However, all of these are temporary causes, and all of them have been resolved. The Kaiser is back. Bohemia is under the Margrave's control, and he is shirking none of his responsibilities. Partly thanks to his acquisition of Bohemia and partly thanks to the aid he has received from the Kaiser, the Margrave is now in an economic position where he can even think about invading and conquering new territories.

Though it would be much too rash to say that the north is safe - far from it, as you shall see if you look out over the walls - it is certainly recovering. It is not a time to start throwing heaps on money on a failed position. Just throw it out and treat mercenaries like regular soldiers: bought and supported by the noble hiring them, under his full control. What's wrong with that?"

[phonicsmonkey]

There is nothing in my proposal that would stop you from hiring your own mercenaries. In fact it liberalises the process so that you may do just that, provided the Marshall is not himself in the process of recruiting his army.

Indeed, with the power to recruit regular troops the Marshall need not even rely on mercenaries any longer but instead on cheaper and more loyal regular troops of the Reich.

What you would gain, for a small portion of your income, is the added security such that when you proceed to invade Poland, or anywhere else, another force would remain behind to guard your flank and rear, without distraction from having to defend his own personal territory. Surely you can see the utility in that?

Indeed it is my view that by passing this legislation we would be providing a model for the world to admire - it is my belief that in times to come all nations will see the benefit of a centrally-funded standing army. Why should we not lead the world in this regard? It would strengthen us immeasurably against our foes.