Imperial Diet II

[TinCow]

*The Bavarian Messenger looks immensely relieved. His body noticably sags and for a moment it appears as if he is going to drop to the floor due to extreme fatigue. After a few moments he recovers himself and steps forward.*

My Lord will be most pleased to hear this news, Chancellor Leopold. *He pauses for a moment and looks at a pouch hanging from his waist.* There is... one final message from my Lord. I was instructed to convey this information to the Diet in relation to the Teutonic matter. Though the issue is now resolved, I suspect that he would wish me to convey the essence of the message regardless.

*He pulls out another scroll from the waist pouch, scans down halfway, and begins to read.*

Electors, I wish to remind you that Edict E1.1, which deals with the creation and conduct of the Crusade itself, specifically gives control of all strategic decisions to the Council of Crusaders. I suspect that some of you would argue that the disposition of the Teutonic Knights is not a strategic matter, but I firmly disagree with this line of thought. Even if the Knights themselves are beyond strategic control, surely depriving the trailing Crusade Army of its entire allocation of cavalry is a strategic matter.

*The Messenger looks up from reading.*

There is, of course, more, however it is no longer applicable to this situation. I suspect my Lord would wish me to encourage you all to remember Clause 4 of Edict E1.1 in all future decisions about the Crusade.

*The Bavarian Messenger turns and leaves the Diet at a brisk pace.*

[AussieGiant]

The 2nd Elector of Austria stands with a bland expression on his face

Excellent...

Pausing to look around at the assembled nobles and advisors

...I believe at this point all our constitutional lawyers are pleased with proceedings. We can now pay them a king’s ransom in fees and get back to governing this bloody realm.

Do I need a vote or further consultation from our battery of advisors on this, or can I take the silence as a resounding "Yes" from those of us present?

....no need to answer gentlemen it was a rhetorical question.

For those of you who are inclined I'll be holding a small party this evening to show off the "acts" I have brought with me from Russia. Prince Jobst, would you care to partake in the festivities? Some of these ladies are very educational...

[OverKnight]

Gunther rises to deliver a message from Otto:

My lords, I congratulate the Chancellor and Count Hans on the seizure of Budapest. It is a great victory and I hope it will serve to turn the attention of the Magyars to their own defense and from pointless expeditions into our lands. Even now a large Hungarian force has turned from the Reich and lingers outside their former capital. While I respect the Chancellor's zeal in pursuing the Venetians, I am afraid he will have his hands full before then.

Congratulations are also due to the Franconians, who have only added to their martial reputation with their victories in the north. I hope their attention will soon turn to Breslau. Once we have taken this settlement, I am sure it will put an end to these bothersome Polish raids on Frankfurt.

I have been informed that the Tuetonic Knights wrongly taken from the Crusade are on their way back to us, with reinforcements no less. While I am worried about their ability to cross the Hungarian plains safely, I am gladdened by their return. If the Chancellor wishes he may once again use Florence in negotiations with the Spanish Pope.

The Papacy vexes me. We offer them a great deal for peace and yet they refuse. I hope Conrad can finish the Milanese soon, so he can travel to Rome and secure the city. This Filippus the Warmonger might yet live up to his name.

Despite the Chancellor's best efforts, our negotiations have failed. I would ask the Diet how we should proceed. As I see it, there are two ways we can proceed to increase the chances of peace and reconciliation.

The first is the way of the sword. I believe Kaiser Heinrich wished this pursued more. We attempt to make peace with the current Pontiff, if he proves intransigent, we remove him and vote for a candidate who might be more receptive to us. There are no Imperial Cardinals among the Preferati, but if we vote for the Cardinal who does become Pope, it might serve. If the Pope we vote for is ungrateful for our support, we unfortunately might have to repeat the process. I have found this idea repugnant in the past and I do not propose it lightly, but it may bring about peace more quickly.

The second is the way of the Book. We recruit more priests into the Imperial service, build churches in the Reich and have our missionaries convert the heathens in far away lands. This will eventually improve our standing with the Pope and again we might have peace more quickly. A secondary benefit is that many of those new priests would prove useful on the Crusade.

Either option requires that we set aside a large amount of money to facilitate negotiations. The first option would most likely be quicker and cheaper, but it is much more distasteful than the second.

What is the opinion of the Diet? Any ideas to break this stalemate would be welcome.

[Warluster]

I see you have put a lot of thought into this.

Maybe we could do a mxture of both options? We could train heaps of priests, and we keep killing off popes, until ours is elected? But thats no gurantee that our Pope would reconcile us.

The way the Pope is acting now, I ahve to say I think he will not reconcile us for his own personal ways. He wants the Reich! I say kill him, before he does anymore damage!

[Ituralde]

Wearing a travel-worn somber gray coat, Chancellor Leopold enters the Chamber. Once he has paid visit to the Austrian benches and consulted with his scribes he turns around to face the assembled Electors

Dukes, Counts, Electors!

It is indeed a grave matter that I have been held responsible for by this Diet. Depriving the Crusade of their cavalry will seriously hamper them in their travels through the hostile Hungarian lands in front of them. I assure that I did all that was under my control to make sure that the Crusade is fully functioning.

You may wonder how this relates to the fact, that the Teutonic Knights are now trailing behind the main body of Crusaders. My brother Henry decided to leave his son Hans behind in Zagreb castle to finish his education and teach him matters of military and history that were not easily feasible on the road.
With Zagreb belonging to the House of Austria, I felt obliged to take care of Henry's eldest son personally and send him after the Crusade safely once he came of age. As instructed by our Emperor I send him off to join the Crusade and even gave him the support of 120 Teutonic Knights so that he could traverse the Croatian lands safely.

It was with shock that I realized that Hans was disobeying both the Emperors and my orders and was even somehow able to convince the Knights accompanying him to join in the folly. I was surprised to see him in my camp outside Budapest, when I expected him to have joined the Crusade already. Not wanting to deprive the Crusade of its cavalry I immediatelly sent the Teutonic Knights to return to the Crusade. Concerning Hans, he had disobeyed me once, and he revealed to me that he still has no intention to join the Crusade, so I kept him close to ensure that the Knights reach their destination. He was a help to me in the attack and took great part in the fall of Budapest and I am sure that many things I say would be clearer, if he were here to explain them.

Unfortunately, Hans has once again shown his disobedience and left Budapest in the night after its taking. I can only assume that he will now try to join the Crusaders.

As you can see, the allegations made against me are not correct, while I was present and even had contact with those Teutonic Knights, I took no willing part in abducting them from the Crusade. My plans were always to support the Crusade, but they were foiled by a young man, whose mind seems set.

Still I want to apologize to all factions involved for the inconvenience these actions have caused. Mabye I have become too lenient, as sometimes happens in an advanced age. I have reinforced the Teutonic Knights with Mailed Knights from Zagreb, doubling their numbers. Once they reach the Crusade the cavalry support should once again be guaranteed.

I hope this answers all questions this matter has caused and enable us to return to more important tasks, like the Papal matter just mentioned by Gunther von Eichstadt.

[AussieGiant]

From the Austrian benches shouts the 2nd elector

A more comprehensive and detailed answer you could not get my lords.

In fact I'm exhausted from just listening.

So that brings me to my next point. Drinks gentlemen, we need vodka after that episode!!

[OverKnight]

Gunther reads a message from Otto:

Sir Conrad Salier deserves the congratulations of Bavaria and the Reich on his victory over the Milanese. He sent the merchant scum sailing back to their windy castles on their pathetic islands. Without cities it seems they can't recruit their powerful militia infantry, a shame for them.

For Conrad's determination and bravery in facing such an oddly configured army, I name him Count of Milan. He has spent much time in the city and given who he won his victory over, I think it is appropriate. Let the Milanese chew on that in exile.

I hail Count Salier, may this be the first of many victories!