Imperial Diet

Cardinal Scherer, having whispering in Latin to his attendants, again turns his attention to the Diet...

I beg your pardon friends and brothers, may I belatedly respond to our Kaiser's question?

Frankly, my Emperor, no I am not up to the task by myself. Even Our Savior used the apostles to spread the Word, and I am just a lowly sinner unworthy of the redemption He granted me through his death. The assistance of other men of the cloth will not only aid us in converting the pagans of Stettin, but will ensure there are well respected and pious men in the Imperial clergy who will, in time, perhaps, ascend to the College of Cardinals. I am getting old, and when I pass on the Reich MUST have a presence in the College.

However, I understand and applaud the Kaiser for his reluctanence to put any additional financial burdens upon his subjects. Regardless of whether 2.8 passes or not, I hope I may go to Stettin with his Highness's blessing.

Holding his mitre in place, Cardinal Scherer bows to the Emperor.

Elector Conrad, the reason that Austria was not allocated any settlements was because Prague was not taken in time for the midterm session. This is not me pushing the House in any way, it would just be rather ridiculous. I believe Steward Mandorf touched on the point earlier. Rest assured, you will have Prague and hopefully Breslau by the time of the next session.

Cardinal Scherer, I do understand your perspective, but please understand mine. I, unlike you, have not devoted my life to religion, which requires little thought towards any other subject. I have devoted it to leading, and when leading, several factors must be taken into account. Religion is a priority, yes, but it is not the number one priority. Successful management and expansion of a large Empire is, so I do not wish to needlessly spend money in one specific field unless it is of high importance. I wish you and von der Pfalz well on your mission, Cardinal.

Dietrich shakes his head, quietly disagreeing with some of the Emperor's recent statements, but making no vocalisation about them. Instead, he prefers to add this event to his own private insights. He wastes no time though in offering up his services to the cardinal, leaning forward against the table in front of him as he speaks.

"Cardinal Scherer, let it be known that, while Emperor Heinrich can spare little time himself in the pursuit of the Holy Roman Empire's spiritual necessities, there are many amongst this court whose time is much less taxed and abated by the ever growing list of tasks that leading our great empire requires. After all, is that not the purpose of the Dukes, the Stewards, and all others who serve the Emperor? To mitigate the stress of maintaining the Reich by offering up the task of governance in all its forms where the Emperor himself cannot personally be present. The servants of the Reich are not here simply to banter back and forth in the diet and deliberate on edicts and laws, but also to impress on the people the rule of our great leader in his absence. We are here to govern our cities, our castles and our people. We are here to lead our people to war in defence, in conquest, and in practice. We are here to oversee the growth of people's culture, their heritage, and their pockets! But not only that, are we also not here to ensure that every man in the Reich's lands has heard the word of the Lord, has pledged his spirit to God, and holds within himself a heart of true, spiritual health? Good Cardinal, worry not the Emperor with the matters of the local Dukes. You have my word that your passage through Franconia, and, once Stettin has fallen, your continued presence there, will be allowed every liberty and moment of my time that is required of me in order to spread the word of God to those pagan lands. Such good German men should not be deprived of the true faith, left by their neighbors to worship in the dirt the false icons of old, pagan gods and be deprived of the enlightened path that we walk.

If there is anything that you may need, just let me know."

Finished with his speech, he sits back up against his chair and crosses his arms. He feels content, believing that, if anything, the Cardinal will not leave the diet with too much of a sour taste in his mouth, and he may have salvaged them from Scherer returning to Rome with a completely poor opinion of the Reich.

It saddens me that you have misunderstood my desires once again mein Kaiser. I do not cherish the Eastern lands with their religious quabbles and uprisings. With their heretic and pagan ways. I'm not saying the House of Austria is not up to the task of appeasing those provinces and bring them fully into the Reich once again, but close to our borders and already within our grasp lie the rich, civilized and prosperous lands of Italy, yet you deny us any fiefdoms within those lands. Regional preference you say. Why is it that other Houses get to reap the fruits cultivated over centuries while we have to plow the barren fields that lie to the East?

My interest lies in Italy and I will not rest until the House of Austria gets its rightful share of rich Italian soil. I think I've heard from the House of Bavaria sentiments regarding Bologna. And you seemed eager to have Prague stormed immediatelly, rather sacrificing German soldiers instead of letting hunger, thirst and disease takt its toll. If Bologna is not to your liking and you'd rather prefer fiefs to the East maybe a mutual agreement can be reached? Surely this should be discussed by Duke Leopold and Duke Mandorf, I'm just showing avenues of opportunity here.

Conrad von Schüsselen casts a rather exasparated look around the Assembly before settling down. Ever since he had to leave the army in Italy due to his bad health his claims on Italy have taken a turn to the wors. If only he had been younger and able to lead a regiment of men for himself, capturing one of those rebellious cities personally, would he have been rewarded with the view across the rolling hills of Tuscany already.

Elector Conrad, I believe you yourself proposed the edicts which was a mandate for me not to conquer the parts of Italy and the east of the Adriatic that were to go to Austria.

Please do not go proposing edicts which deny your House territory and then complain that the Kaiser is not allocating that same House territory in the lands that he is forbidden to conquer.

Conrad von Schüsselen is shaking slightly and take several deep breaths. With control regained he rises and faces Emperor Heinrich:

I beleive you are referring to Edict 2.4, which merely states that we should not break agreements sealed by our word. Once the Venetians greed grows too strong and they attack us, I'd be last to oppose their complete annihilation and you should know that.

His frustration seems to have risen once more and he opens the mouth as though to speak further before closing it again.

I have nothing more to say on these matters.

He casts glances to his own Liege and the Dukes of Bavaria and surprisingly also Franconia, before returning to his seat.

Otto looks up at the mention of Bologna, he appears to have been studying a map. Rolling it up he stands and addresses the Diet:

My lords. Let me first reiterate that Bavaria is grateful for the gift of Bologna. I will not have others imply that we are not!

Otto turns his head to stare briefly at Conrad von Schusslen.

Perhaps we were surprised by the gift, but we were not ungrateful.

Otto pauses, tapping the rolled up map against his hand.

The question of "where do we go from here?" has been asked in this Assembly. The Diet wisely chose to subjugate rebel holdings before moving on to our more powerful neighbors. Soon, however, that work will be complete. What then? Before I answer let me show you this map:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...870_Europe.jpg

This, fellow Electors, was the division of the Empire by the sons of Louis the Pious. After the death of their father they fell upon each other and the great empire of Charlemagne, father of Louis, which stretched from the Pyrenees to the Oder, was divided and lost. Eventually most of the Italian holdings were reunified with the Kingdom of Germany, and that is the Holy Roman Empire today.

What I propose is that we return the Empire to its former Glory! That we return to the golden age of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor! That we take our rightful place as the leaders of Europe!

Otto pauses to draw a breath, and his voice returns to a calmer tone.

It is a very noble goal, but how do we do it? First, we must finish our consolidation of the rebel lands. Second, we must improve our standing with the Pope so that we may move unhindered against our fellow Catholics. Third, we must increase the size and quality of our military. Then, and only then, can we begin to take back our greater Reich!

The first move should be against Milan. As many of us have said, they have defied our authority for too long! We would be able to pin them between our forces in Italy and, I hope, our forces in Bern. We would take Dijon last so that the forces gathered there could continue on the next step, the conquest of France!

This will prove more difficult. I am under no illusions that what I propose will be easy. But with Dijon and Metz as bridgeheads we could launch a two pronged attack against them. Perhaps an alliance could be sought with England? Though that would leave Caen to them. Either way, with the men in this room I have no doubt we will be successful!

Ah, but I can hear our good Duke of Franconia ask, what of Antwerp? That will be our third step, war with Denmark. The taking of Antwerp will be the primary goal, with Jutland a target of opportunity. Granted it was not a historical part of the Reich but we must, at the minimum, mortally wound the Danes.

Otto rolls up the map.

What say you mein Kaiser and Lords of the Reich? This endeavor will be a hard, long struggle. I am not sure if I will be alive to see its completion. I realize no plan lasts beyond contact with the enemy, but it is a good frame to build upon. Shall we take our destiny? Shall we return the Reich to glory and dominion? I say yes!

Otto sits and awaits the reaction of the Diet.

OOC: Edited to substitute Oder for Danube.

Leopold, enters the chambers. As last time, clearly tired and dirty from the road.

I apologise for my appearance, but I feel I must do my utmost to attend as much of the Diet proceedings that I can whilst my forces besiege Prague.

Otto, I am indeed heartened by your proposal. I feel it is a pious and righteous goal for us in this room to work towards regardless of status. Perhaps we should all leave tonight and consider how best to achieve this goal, what armies we will need and how we must build our infrastructure to finance this worthy aim.

For my part, I have not been made to believe I have “failed” my father in not taking Prague immediately! On that point though I will have to say that the time when we will storm it is close, re-enforcements are nearly with my men and I grow confident that we will be victorious soon.

Conrad, please make note that certain “negotiations” are underway between Austria and other noble houses as to the outcome of our inevitable victories in the East but I strongly feel that the House of Austria will rise soon. We are without a Castle of our own, that is true but, as I have told you before, Vienna will be the “coin of the Reich” and we must work to further that aim for now.

With me I have the requirements for Vienna’s next building requirements and will hand them to my father shortly.

Dietrich sits, a wild smirk on his face. He's amused by something, but before he starts dully clapping his hands together it isn't quite clear what.

"A gracious attempt at peering into my head brother Otto, but a failed one." He says, standing. "It is firmly in my belief that, as a newly resurgent power, we are at this point our most vulnerable. While the ideas proposed by Bavaria are ambitious, and not without merit, I believe they are perhaps too ambitious, to the point where they put the Reich in more danger than good. No amount of florins could cast the Pope's eyes away from our engagement in a three front war against three fellow Christian kingdoms. And even if it could, it could not do so and still leave us with a single florin for our armies."

Dietrich stands upright pointing a finger towards the sky. "While God sits upon the golden throne in Heaven, we have charged ourselves with the task of taking up the mantle of his representatives on Earth! Some would charge us with rebuilding old dreams, rebuilding old empires, trying to ressurect the history of Charles the Hammer and make it our own. I would disagree. With the world we live in today, that is not possible."

Stepping down from the Franconian side of the diet he begins to walk, slowly, full circle around the diet floor, staring into the eyes of each and every diet member he passes as he speaks. "This plan would charge us with rebuilding an empire that disintegrated of its own volition, because of its own petty bickering and squabbles. You can point to the goodness and the grandeur of Charlse's Empire until you're blue in the face, but that does not change the fact that it was an empire that fell! Do you really want to model our resurgant strength after a kingdom that is historied to have fallen to petty infighting and domestic squabbles? I for one do not."

He stops, planting his hands on the desk in front of Prinz Henry and staring him in the face. "Brother, it is your father that begins our reconstruction, you who will carry it on, and your seed who will see us into the future! Shall you have us follow the course of fallen kingdoms and try to replicate the past, or will you help push us to a better future? A future where the world knows the Reich as the undeniable voice of God and the seat of Heaven on Earth, or will you let an attachment to nostalgia and falsely named "good old days" guide us to yet another loop in history's vicious cycle?"

Quickly stepping back and stopping in the center of the room, looking all around, he casts an open palm towards Bavaria. "This noble house has good intentions, and ambitious thoughts, but opening a book whose end has already been written to try and rewrite a few pages does not, in my eyes, deem itself to be the right path for the Reich, for us, for our posterity, for our history, or for our God!"

Falling silent for a moment, he looks around the room, taking note of the expressions on people's faces and the murmurs between electors. "I make my case now!" Dietrich, lowering his arms back down to his sides, begins to take on a much more somber tone. "First things first. The investiture crisis has left the Reich alone in it's feelings of being the rightful voice of the Lord. This new Papal authority holds absolute reign over the morale and religious values of the Christian world. No man here in his right mind can deny we have lost that power.

Secondly, we are an empire surrounded by Christians, who, should we take to offence too greatly for the Pope's comfort, will bear no qualms or pities for us in the event of an excommunication. We are all familiar with what happened during the last one. We are only now recovering the territory we lost to the rebellions, are only now beginning to make attempts at stabilising our Papal relations, and are only now beginning to come to grips with what to do in regards to our former territories that have declared themselves their own sovereign states altogether.

We cannot afford another excommunication, lest all of Christendom look to the center of the world, look to us, and raise their sword with vengeful hate for the atrocities they will claim we have committed against the followers of God.

Furthermore, we are the namesake of Rome, not Rome itself. Rome, and later Charles's empires had one great benefit in common. Their greatest enemies were far from powerful, unified states of equal size and power, and far more along the lines of disorganised, petty, infighting tribes, clans and fiefdoms. We have already seen this point in our history. We have conquered the neighboring rebels, the fractured people whose inclusion into the Reich makes for us the foundation of this new empire. Now we must discuss how to deal with the actual challenges that threaten us in this world. The world is a very, very different place than it used to be, than it was in our ancestors times. Our neighbors are strong, they are unified, they are rich, and they are every bit as cunning and courageous as we are.

I propose instead not to lay out overly grandiose visions for a future reminiscent of the past, and instead make our own future. I suggest we pave the way for a new Reich in the manner of a wise empire. Be patient, make plans, but do not overestimate ourselves, and take our oppertunities when they present themselves. Already there is talk of conquering all of Italy and all of France, and turning on the Danes in the meantime. But the fact stands that the vast majority of our men have barely a shield and the shirts on their backs to call armor. How are men such as this supposed to stand up the thundrous charge of mailed knights or repel an arrow with mere flesh and bone? How do we fund such campaigns when already our economy looks bleak due to underdevelopment of our infrastructure and trade?"

There is a stern look on Dietrich's face as he walks slowly back to his seat. "I must urge this diet to do one thing, as it considers what direction to take in regards to the future of the Reich.

Let wisdom guide you, and let your passion push you onward. Do not sail blindly into the sea with the most glorious looking ship at dock only to discover once you've set sail that the hull is incomplete, and you're taking on water before you've even left the port.

The next many, many years will be years of actions and reactions, by both our neighbors and by us. So think hard, and think clearly about what place you will hold in the Reich's history ten years from now, and what tragedy you can avoid by making wisdom the order of the day where brazen and thoughtless impulse would bring us shame.

I want to see this Reich begin its journey from the start with strong men, and strong council. To let blind ambition tear it apart in its infancy would be to deny our people their rightful heritage, their rightful place in the world. We have been denied this twice already when Charles's empire splintered and again with the Investiture crisis. I will not see us denied our place in the world a third time.

This is our heritage.

This is our birthright!"

With that, Dietrich ends his speach, empassioned and pleased with the points of patience, wisdom and oppertunity that he advocated throughout the rather lengthy oration.

Otto's expression becomes increasingly stern during Dietrich's speech. He makes a notation or two on a piece of parchment and then stands. Otto speaks in a voice void of its usual enthusiasm:

I would hear from the rest of the Diet on the plan I proposed, if they wish to speak, so I may respond to all comments at one time. Thank you my lords.

Otto sits.