Imperial Diet

**AussieGiant** · 02-23-2007, 01:00

I second Prinz Henry's Edict 4.8

Additionally our Prinz is correct. His cunning plan to relieve Count Otto seems to be sound in theory.

BUT our blockading of the Milanese port by Admiral Dimarus and the Venetian port by Admiral Thorsten must cease immediately.

I propose Edict 4.9: Naval Blockades of Milan and Venetian ports must cease until which time excommunication is not threatened by the Pope.

**Ignoramus** · 02-23-2007, 02:43

Chancellor Sigismund der Stolze rises to his feet with a shocked expression on his face.

Mein electors, what madness has come over you? Do you surely fear the Pope? We cannot bow to the Pope, such is madness. Firstly, the Milanese revolt against us. We go and subdue all of Lombardia and the Pope orders us not to reclaim what is rightfully ours. Next, Venice betrayed our alliance and besieged Vienna. The Pope orders us not to punish this treason. And before all this happened, the Pope order us to sever ties with our trusty allies, the Sicilians. Obeying the Pope's will, therefore, is madness.

Upon my honour, noble electors, I will restore the situation in Italy before the end of my term of office. Only do not chain me with edicts that spell disaster.

I hereby propose Edict 4.10:

Chancellors Sigismund der Stolze is to be given free reign for the rest of his turn concerning the Lombard League(Milan and Venice). If he fails to subdue them, he is to be censored by the Diet.

Sigismund der Stolze resumes his seat.

**Bizzair** · 02-23-2007, 02:59

*Third Elector of Austria stands*

I once again must say something in this heated arguement, I do not agree with Chancellor Sigismund der Stolze, I second Edict 4.9, and Edict 4.8, but oppose Edict 4.10.

We must at all costs avoid being excommunicated, at least for the moment. We need to rebuild the empire, and get a roll going on, at this current state our country will sure fall being excommunicated. Then giving freedom to Milan and Venice to attack us when they feel fit.

I purpose Edit 4.11: To summarize the edicts, all wars shall try to be avoided at all costs. We shall cease battles with Milan, Venice and Poland untill the pope has recommended us otherwise, we shall only defend if neccesary, and recruit minimum ammount of mercenaries, unless needed.

*Sits down, hoping others in the diet see the Third Elector of Austria means buisness in the political aspects of The Riech.*

**TevashSzat** · 02-23-2007, 03:34

As Fourth Elector of Swabia, I agree with Edict 4.1 and 4.2. but must protest Edict 4.3. Any money given to the pope could be better appropriated for training troops or hiring mercenaries against the poles, milanians, or venetians. Furthermore, should we be allowed to call a crusade, most targets would be far from us, stretching us thin and creating unncessary problems. Should Milan be excommunicated, a crusade wil certainly help our cause, but that all depends on their actions which cannot be guaranteed. Edict 4.4 is also not very wise given the rather low chance of peace with Milan and that they will probably break the ceasefire and attack us during a vunerable time elsewhere, but Edict 4.5 and 4.6 is reasonable since as Sun Tzu said, The best defence is a good offence. I partially support Edict 4.7 seeing the need for more troops, but that number of mercenaries may prove too much of a burden on the treasury. Edict 4.8 and 4.9 also gainst my approval, but I strongly oppose Edict 4.10.

**Verdizzy** · 02-23-2007, 05:28

The fourth elector of Austria stands up:

Fellow electors, I think we can all agree that we have too many borders to protect and not enough resources to defend them. Instead of trying to find ways to increase our resources, I think we should focus on how we can limit our borders.

We have 4 main issues at our heels:

Venice, Milan, Poland, and the Pope.

We cannot deal with all 4 at the same time. So I ask you, which of these would be the easiest for us to create a temporary "ceasefire" with? To me i seems as it would be Milan and the Pope. Milan will agree to a ceasefire because we've basically obliterated them already, and all the Pope needs is a little money and peace to keep him happy.

While I know that we do not deserve this type of treatment from the Pope, we must use him to our favor. We're not sacrificing our dignity. Instead, we are using our cleverness to use the Pope to give us time to muster up our forces.

Finding a middle ground with Milan and the Pope effectively narrows our problems down by 50%. With half of our problems gone we can focus on Poland and Venice.

I second 4.1 and 4.3
It is necessary to narrow our borders for the time being so that we can build up our forces. A ceasefire with Milan and gaining the Popes favor back instantly cuts our problems down by half!

I also partially agree with 4.7. I do believe we could use some mercenary help but we should look at what military we have available before deciding on an exact number of units to recruit.

I also propose that any available military we have be sent as reinforcements to our besieged settlements. If 4.1 and 4.3 are passed then we should be able to move our forces temporarily away from these borders and focus them on our defense.

I hope my ramblings have made sense. Long live the Reich!

**AussieGiant** · 02-23-2007, 08:30

My Lord Chancellor,

Edict 4.10,

For once...I'm speechless.

I strongly oppose 4.10

**Ignoramus** · 02-23-2007, 09:31

Chancellor Sigismund stands up with annoyance on his face.

O foolish Austrians! Would you have us play into our enemies' hands? Your passive edicts spell disaster, and I would fain that I was dead before the Reich witness such catastrophe. Do not think that Italy is not important. I would go as far to say that the cities of Milan, Venice, Genoa, Florence, Rome, and Bologna, are more important to the Reich that the whole of the riches of the Levant.

Sigismund resumes his seat.