Imperial Diet

[IvarrWolfsong]

Cardinal Peter stands and clears his throat. He seems ready to speak then stops and picks a piece of lint from his vestment and drops it to the floor, watching as it slowly descends to earth...

My good lords...

Let me first address the matter of the Conversion of Stettin. I will happily ammend my proposition! I thank the Lord that men such as our Prince sit in this hall. His gracious ammendment is more than I could have hoped for.

Let 2.8 read: "At least two priest shall be recruited from our dioceses and accompany Eusebius von der Pfalz and Peter Scherer, Cardinal, to the region of Stettin to begin readying the populace for acceptance into the Church of Rome."

As to the outburst of Herr Mandorf, he knows not what he speaks... perhaps a fever. I shall take his blasphemous words as an emotional outburst of a man not well... and not as the type of heretical speech that might cause a man to be put to the question.

I understand that the ability to speak freely here is of the utmost importance... the ability of this ruling body depends on frank and truthful oration. However, I will not sit here and listen to Our Holy Father be abused and debased by men who speak with rage in their eyes and wrath in their hearts. Before Hildebrand began reforming the Church, vice and immorality were rampant... why the "Bishop" of Nuremburg was not only married, but he was married to TWO women at the same time! Sodomites, freebooters and half-wit court fops could be Bishops if they had enough gold! Bishops actively warred on one another at the whim of their Princes because it was the Princes who apointed them. His Holiness has re-established order and righteousness among the clergy.

And know that when you speak to election as illegitimate you insult my office directly. Do you feel the College to be invalid? Am I and my fellow Cardinals conspirators in this vast criminal enterpise that is Pope Gregory's reign? Are you, Maximillian Mandorf, saying that you are more fit to elect the pontiff than a college of men who have embraced the Word throughout their lives? Men who have not done murder, who have spurned the pleasures of the flesh fro the ecstacy of the soul, who have who have given up their familial rights to join into the family of the Church?

[GeneralHankerchief]

Cardinal Peter, if you proceed with this amendment to Edict 2.8, then I will withdraw my support. Religion is important, yes, but I do not want to spend an unnecessary amount of money on the conversion of Stettin. Do you consider yourself not up to the task of preaching the Word of God alone?

[OverKnight]

Otto rises to speak again:

I will be brief as I have already taken enough of this assembly's time. I second edict 2.9 and 2.10. These are sensible precautions that can be accomplished when more pressing matters are not present.

Mein Kaiser, I apologize if the direction that this Diet has taken displeases you. However, you have not proposed any edicts yourself, and I'm not aware of any rules that would prohibit you from doing so. If you have a specific plan in mind, let us know. Your voice would carry great influence in this council!

Thank you my Lords.

Otto takes his seat.

[econ21]

Prinz Henry: Voting on edicts is now open:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=78296

In view of my father's intervention, I do wish to discuss whether we need to recruit more priests. Be in no doubt, fellow Electors, this issue is not about Stettin. It is much wider than that. A group of missionaries, tempered by experience in Stettin, will be a powerful asset to the Republic. I envisage sending them on, further east, to achieve more successes converting heathens. And ultimately, I see sending them to the Holy Land to prepare for our arrival there.

The issue relates to Maximillan's outburts and Cardinal Scherer's responses. The Pope acts as a restraint on the action of all god-fearing nations. The question is how do we respond to this? Do we ignore it and risk the wrath of all our fellow Catholics? I see no benefits to ignoring the Papacy, only risks and costs. That is one reason why I do not support any unprovoked war on our Catholic neighbours. And certainly not in this Diet, where the argument for a specific war has not been made.

The alternative is that we use the institution of the Papacy, by gaining influence with the Pope. This would be done directly by regular contributions as I proposed in the last Diet. And indirectly, by promoting our own Cardinals to positions of influence, as I have advocated may happen through sending many missionaires to Stettin and other godless places. If Cardinal Scherer achieves quick dramatic results in Stettin, his reputation for piety will rise and this may ultimately propell him into the Preferati or even beyond. Moreover, the young priests we recruit will also gain in stature and may join him as Cardinals, immune to heresy and capable of influencing the election of the future Pontiffs.

My own view is that we should use the Papacy, not ignore it. The rewards to working with Rome are substantial - for example, we gain the ability to launch crusades on our enemies and on infidels. With the Pope on our side, any would be invaders will be stalled or ostracised.

But if we are to use the Papacy it will cost us some coin. Regular gifts of around 100 florin every two years; the upkeep of a few priests. Electors, these are not large sums and it would be penny pinching if you vote for ostracisation for fear of spending a few hundred florin per annum. Religion has become a powerful force in the world of men - we ignore it at our peril.

[Kagemusha]

Fifth Elector of Swabia stands up after Prinz Henry and says:

"Truly i agree with our honourable Prinz and my Duke. We should have good relations with the Holy father. And as i see the speech of the Bavarian Duke.I think it is down right Heretic. We suggest that the Bavarian Duke to spend more time in Church of our Lord and search his heart to find the righteous path once again."

Swabian Elector sits down.

[Ignoramus]

Count Sigismund der Stolze stands up once again.

Noble electors, I will never let it be said that I am not pious or a true Christian, but I cannot in all good conscience support the Pope. The Roman Church, which is the mother of all churches, behaves more like a stepmother than a mother. The scribes and Pharisees place burdens on men's shoulders too heavy to be borne. They load themselves with fine clothes and their tables with precious plates; a poor man can seldom gain admittance.

Why then should we waste good Imperial gold on appeasing this pontiff who defies the Kaiser himself?

[Kagemusha]

Fifth Elector stands up and asks again permission to speak:

"Who are we to judge Gods plan?God see`s into men´s heart and works in mysterious ways. St.Peter was left in to the world to be the bedrock of Christians and who sits on his thrown is the father of the church and representative of God on earth. If we deny that we are not true sons of the Church. Where is the proof that Papacy is in turmoil? All i hear is hear say.Where is the proof. About the gold. Dont we leave gold to the church after the mes so our churches can look astonishing proof of our faith? As men leave gold to their parishes. Kingdoms and Empires leave gold to the Papacy as sign of their faith."

The fifth Elector sits down looking rather upset.