Duchy of Austria

[Ituralde]

Duchy of Austria

Provinces of Austria:

Vienna - Imperial Large City, Capital of Austria
Prague - Imperial City
Zagreb - Imperial City
Venice - Imperial Large City
Budapest - Imperial Large City
Ragusa - Imperial Fortress
Bran - Imperial Fortress

Austrian Nobles

Arnold - AussieGiant, Duke of Austria, Count of Budapest, Count of Venice, Count of Ragusa, Count of Bran
Karl Zirn - Northnovas, Count of Zagreb
Edmund Becker - Cecil XIX, Count of Prague

Dukes of Austria:
Leopold (1080 - 1228)
Arnold (1228 - )

Counts of Vienna:
Leopold ( 1080 – 1228)
Sigismund von Mahren (1240 - 1274)
Arnold (1274 - )

Counts of Prague:
Leopold (1120 - 1166)
4th Elector (1166 - 1212)
Jonas von Mahren ( 1212 - 1220)
Ehrhart von Mahren (1220 - 1226)
Edmund Becker (1228 - )

Counts of Zagreb:
Leopold (1154 – 1166)
3rd Elector (1166 – 1220)
Karl Zirn (1220 - )

Counts of Venice:
2nd Austrian Elector (1166 - 1220)
Arnold (1220 – )

Counts of Budapest:
Leopold (1174 - 1228)
Arnold (1228 – )

Counts of Ragusa:
Leopold (1184 - 1228)
Arnold (1228 - )

Counts of Bran
Arnold (1274 - )


Deceased Nobles:
Erhart von Mahren, 1226 - gibsonsg9212
Leopold, 1228 - Ituralde
Sigismund von Mahren, 1274, Cecil XIX

Inactive:
Bizzair, Verdizzy, ArchdukeEvan

Order of avatar assignment:
Whoever dies first!

[Ituralde]

Vienna 1138

Austrian Nobles, fellow Electors!

We meet today in the venerable capital of our Duchy to discuss matters of House and Reich alike. As you are all aware I have chosen to leave the Diet to its bickering. Clearly my recent arguments have fallen on deaf ears and it seems to me that my father, our beloved Emperor has made it his goal to alienate every Duke serving under him. I will not enter the Diet floor or partake in any votings until those differences are settled once and for all!

The Empire seems to have left us in our most dire hour. Vienna has been besieged two times now in the recent years and even as we speak another Venetian army is gathering to destroy us! It is time that we take things in our hands and show the Reich that we are true servants of the Reich and well capable of not only defending ourselves, but purging the Venetian threat once and for all!

I have already sent word to the Chancellor that he equip me with the money necessary to muster a force of mercenaries strong enough to attack the Venetians, not cowering behind our walls, but attack them on the field of battle where true glory lays! Already the guilds are in uproar over the recent sieges and the ensuing downfall of trade. You all know that trade and money have been the life blood of this city for a long time and I can understand their desires. However I can not understand that they have mustered an armed force that is currently occupying the Danube crossing into Bohemia! I believe in going on the offensive against the Venetians and crushing every army they send against us in the field we can prevent further sieges and hopefully the guilds will see reason and abandon their foolish plans.

The other problem I see is with the Polish thread to the North. So far they seem content with ravaging the Franconian lands, but Prague lies well within their grasp. Negotiations with the House of Franconia to coordinate our war efforts against Poland are already on the way. Still a large scale attack on Prague may well spell disaster for my plans to the south.

Well, here we stand now at the brink of destruction. What say you my dear Electors? What are your plans for the future of Austria and of the Reich?

Leopold looks expectantly at his Electors, before settling down.

[AussieGiant]

My Lord Duke Leopold!!

I whole heartedly support your strategy and will endeavor to make ours House heard in your absence.

We must be given the autonomy to defend ourselves and take the fight to our regional enemies independently of any other Imperial actions.

[Northnovas]

Yes, My Lord I also support your strategy and echo my fellow Elector that I will have our House heard in your absence.
Now that we are all together it is time to implement the details of your plan to defend Austria.

The 6th Elector bows to his Duke and temporarily excuses himself for Sunday morning prayers...

[Bizzair]

I also second this, we need to defend Austria's land!

Lets get too!

[ArchdukeEvan]

Lordship!

this is a good plan... and i do so support it

but do you suppose it would be possible to attack Zagreb... or to move north to Krawkow (ooc... polish capital... idk sp) ?

more than just the glory of the Feild battle... the horrors of a seige are the most profitable i belive...

[ArchdukeEvan]

firstly though i wish you the best of luck if you do so travel to defeat the rebal scum outside of Venice

and... uh... yes I do somewhat have differant ideas

stands

I belive that Venice... shouldnt be the Reichs main concern... in fact I velive that a strong defensive stance there will be enough to hold them while we deal with the weaker threat to the north...

once you said that the rich halls of Italy are vastly supperior to the Icy halls of Poland... but these Icy halls are a nusance that is causing us to fight a two front war... they are a drain on our recources that is easyier to kill than well equiped italian Militias...

are troops are on a more equal footing with Poland...and the gain of Eastern Lands will allow us to pool more money... to train Knights... to annihilate the Venician Militias...

we can continue to try to fight better armys... and will eventualy win at a huge cost of lifes and money... but Poland can easly be defeated by a well balanced army with archers... cheaper than armored troops... archers to shoot the horses of Polish Nobelmen... take Magdeburg... in the middle of Germany itself... take Krawkow... take Thorn... push them ever eastward... the Francionians have proved that we can take them on with small... spear-based armys... why not throw in some more Sergent Spears... some Peasentry that shoot Bows... a few Armored knights... and there you have an army... ineffective versus Italians because of Italian Militas... can run rampant over weak polish infantry...

that is my veiw... but as I said... everyone seems focused on the Riches of Italy and not on the potential of Poland to hit us unprotected...

sits... and seems a-little nervous

[Northnovas]

The 6th elector receives a message from a page and smiles...

I have some preliminary good news. Our Duke was victorious on this day annihilating the traders on the Danube. I also hear the Bologna was retaken by Prince Henry with no siege engines! There has also been victories over the Venetians in the Alps. This is definitely good news.
To address the 5th Electors concerns I think the help from the House Franconia to police Prague will alleviate our northern border concerns regarding the Poles. When the Duke returns we continue some training of our men and prepare for the Venetians. They surely must be hurting with our latest victories and their current standing with Rome we must utilize to our advantage.

Member sits and pledges a drink for all his friends tonight...

[ArchdukeEvan]

obviously you wernt paying attention
anyway... that is exactly what i am talking about...
dissmissing the Poles as a minor threat... do we know how far into Russia they own?... they may own Kiev... and Vilanis... Riga if they fight the Russians themselfs... now they own at least as many citys as Veince and are a weaker power... why should we strike at the Lions... if the Misquitoes will kill us?...

I am sorry i dont share your love for Italian wealth... but i do share your idea for a good drink...

orders some small beer to be brought forward for him to drink

[Northnovas]

Raises his glass to the member and sips from his frothy mug of ale..

I have no desire for Italian wealth when we can generate Austrian wealth here in Vienna. You make a very good point about the east. What is Russia up to? and what about our neighbour Hungary? I understand they have a large crusading army that is returning home.
The Poles will be dealt with but we must remember the Duke's feeling on excommunication with his Holiness. The Venetians are fair game at the moment. Reviewing the latest intelligence report kotr1938-2 the Poles have a higher standing with the Pope. A few more skirmishes with the Poles could lead to some warning from his Holiness. Once we start with the Poles we do not want to stop because of a threat of excommunication. The Venetians are looking vulnerable and we have the chance to ease the pressure on Vienna from Venetian sieges. We will see what the Duke's thought are on his return.


Sits and finishes his ale ......

[ArchdukeEvan]

Aye the pope...

the bane of our existance... isnt Greogory old as of yet?... he may just die sone anyway...

[Cecil XIX]

My lord, an idea has struck me. As each of our cities is capable of supporting a certain of regiments without cost to the Greater Reich, I believe it is prudent and just to propse a Charter Amendment where each city is required to maintain this number within its walls at all times. This will allow more leaway in taxation, and the permanence in our defense will act as a deterent to prevent small-scale aggression as well as ensuring that our cities have moderate protection at all times.

I know that most cities are already following this, however I think recent events have shown that we cannot take such things for granted in our growing Empire. The main reason for passage would be for protection against less then competant Chancellors, as anyone who does fulfill such a simple and common sense task most likely does not have the Reich's interest at heart.

I would like hear both your opinion and that of Count Zirn before I make a formal proposal.

[Northnovas]

Karl Zirn:

Sigismund it is a good idea to prevent bad administration in a Chancellor and I would support such a proposal. However, do we need more bureaucratic red tape in our day to day operations? The Chancellor has the right to recruit units and the Count of a settlement is responsible for taxes. Along with the Household Army that creates the balance.
I am not sure of the other Houses but if you fell strong enough about it I will be willing to second your proposal and leave it to the Electors.

[AussieGiant]

Lords of Austria,

With the voting nearly upon us I will say the same thing my father used to say at this time of the Diet session.

As a house, and as Duke of this house and someone you have sworn feality too, there will be certain edicts and amendments that I will request you vote in a certain way.

I will request this of you at some point soon and I will expect you to follow my request to the letter.

If you have any real problems with some of my request then please send me a letter explaining your issue. This house is small, by voting as a block we have our only chance at really influcencing anything.

Please send me your own requests via letter if you wish certain edicts or amendments to be voted on. I will then speak with the Streward, Dukes and Kaiser accordingly to organise your request.

[AussieGiant]

A letter has been sent to both of you.

[Northnovas]

Karl Zirn, Count of Zagreb, Governor of Damascus

I would like to state the following with the blessing of Duke Arnold;

In the event of my death I wish to bequeath the following to my son Johann.

I leave the my lands and titles involving the County of Zagreb to my eldest son Johann, nephew of Duke Arnold, grandson to the late Duke Leopold and great-grandson of the late Kaiser Heinrich.
May he continue to defend the Reich and the Austrian House with honour as I have done.

OOC: I might as well line up the next Austrian avatar Karl may not be around upon my return. It will be close depending on the pace. I also had to bump the Austrian thread up from page 2.