Rome, 1160
The Imperial Diet

It was well past midnight when the Diet building, also the Roman Senate building of old, had a live body in it once again. The building was now privy to the presence of its keeper, Kaiser Heinrich.

The old man, as he was now (un?)affectionately known by, was unable to sleep in his lavish palace and had decided to take a walk through the streets of his prize, the Reich's new capital of Rome. His post-midnight stroll had ended up at the site where the next Chancellor would be decided the following day.

The old man ascended to his usual podium, taking in the sights that were illuminated by the moonlight. All around him the chamber echoed with history. The Curia Julia, as it was known in ancient times, had been home to all the deliberations of the Roman Republic. Men such as Quintus, Augustus Verginius, Numerius Aureolus, and the entire Aemilii clan had stood in the same building that Kaiser Heinrich was in now. Upon the Empire's fall, it had been converted into a church, but when Heinrich had taken Rome in 1146 he immediately ordered the reconversion of the building to a legislative chamber in anticipation of the capital's move.

So, Heinrich thought to himself, tomorrow I drag my rear end back in here just to announce that Leopold has been elected Chancellor over Henry as well as a few edict results. And then it's happy retirement for this Kaiser, since I won't live to see another Diet session. Maybe that's for the best.

He absentmindedly made his way through the voting tally of the current session, straining his eyes to make out how his favored proposals were doing.

Hmm, not going my way, not going my way... too close to call, not going my way. Curses. Let's see how 6.2 is doing... "This Edict hereby instructs the Chancellor to have Kaiser Heinrich, reinforced with the full garrison of Rome, attack Pope Accattus so that the Reich may be reconciled more quickly." ...and, it's not going my way. Big surprise.

So the Diet wishes to take away the right that I have just won back for them. Why does it always turn out this way?

Pope Accattus of Portugal was the man that Heinrich had personally approved to succeed Gregory to the Papal Seat. However, he had betrayed the Kaiser by refusing to reconcile the Reich, and even besieging Rome and attacking Heinrich himself! Normally, this would be grounds for removal but it seemed as if the Diet was just fine with this continued period of excommunication.

These people don't seem to realize that the sooner Accattus dies, the sooner Otterbach comes in and the sooner we get reconciled.

Heinrich's mind was already working on how to get around this legality, since it seemed as if his edict that permitted the attacking of Accattus would fail.

Technically, we are in a period without a Chancellor, which means that, as Emperor, nobody is free to order troops in my jurisdiction around. I don't have much time to act since soon, the law will be set in stone that I am not allowed to attack this traitor of a Pope...

Still thinking, the Kaiser strode out of the empty chamber and once again walked in the streets of Rome. Although this time the walk had a purpose. The direction was towards the city's barracks.