Originally Posted by
Chancellor von Kassel
Prinz Jobst and my fellow Electors, the state of the Reich is strong. When I ran for Chancellor, I gave six goals for my term and the Diet entrusted me with seven edicts to fulfill. My first goal was peace and reconciliation with the Papacy. I am proud to say that with the elevation of Pope Lanbertus, this was fulfilled, along with Edict 7.3. The subsequent election of Pope Pisanus has further strengthened our ties to the Church. Using the Master Theologians Guild in Budapest combined with missionary work in Heathen lands I hope to foster many Imperial priests who will be qualified for the College of Cardinals. This way we can ensure our continued preferential relationship with the Papacy and meet edict 7.1. I hope one day to have an Imperial Pope.
My second goal was to have the Crusade arrive safely in the Holy Land. The Crusade forces are now in Palestine, except for those holding Adana, and are poised to successfully complete their goal. Due to the outstanding leadership of Kaiser Henry, Count Mandorf and the departed Duke von Saxony, we have also crushed three massive Jihad armies before they could reach the capital of our ally the Byzantine Empire. God has truly smiled upon us. Yet the end of the Crusade will only mark the beginning of our work in Outremer. Jerusalem will be gifted to the Pope, but there are many lands for us to conquer and bring into the light of Christ and the dominion of the Empire. I ask for a new wave of Crusaders from the Reich to accomplish this noble task. Who will join us?
My third goal was economic expansion. Merchant Guilds have been added throughout the Reich. Though only two merchants have been recruited so far, this will be addressed in the second half of my term. Tax collection has risen since the end of our excommunication, the financial difficulties of the beginning of my term have passed and a full construction program is progressing.
The fourth goal of my term was to rebuild the Imperial Navy and this was reinforced by edict 7.4. This is still a work in progress, and I hope to complete it by the end of my term. Ships have been built, but many of the them are bound for the Holy Land. 5 flotillas of Holks were needed to transport Sir Hummel's Crusade force. Also a further 3-4 flotillas will be needed to transport agents to the Holy Land. As we speak, five priests, a merchant (with another being recruited), a spy and diplomat are gathering at Venice's port to be shipped east. I apologize that the size of the fleet will be smaller than outlined in edict 7.7, but financial constraints and the fact that they had to travel separately from Sir Hummel's men dictated it.
The fifth goal was the maintenance of peace with our neutral neighbors and allies. This has met with mixed success. We have turned England from an enemy to an ally, but our relations with Denmark and Russia have fallen. We have kept our other allies though, we've helped elevate a Sicilian Cardinal to Pope, and saved the Byzantines from doom for the moment. Edict 7.6 was also fulfilled. I will continue to pursue peace with our enemies and neighbors, but if they stubbornly choose war, we will crush them.
My final goal was to stabilize the frontiers of the Reich, the means of which were spelled out in edict 7.5. Breslau eludes us for the moment, but Marseille and Ragusa are now ours. Besides the seizure of these territories my strategy was to assume an active defense, taking the initiative from our enemies and forcing them back on their heels.
Thanks to Count Steffen and Duke Leopold, the Venetians were crushed in northern Italy and their means to raid our heartland were destroyed when Ragusa fell. Despite a few stray units, they have not crossed our borders since. We also owe Duke Leopold thanks for destroying a Hungarian army near Zagreb in 1180, since then the Magyars have turned their gaze to other nations, and their former capital is firmly in our grasp. The Milanese have not been seen on the mainland since Count Salier drove them into the sea in 1176.
The French front has been more active, and though Sir Hummel's raid on Rheims did not have the sanction of this body, his gelding of the French relief force, combined with Prinz Jobst's valiant defense of Dijon, has bled them dry. Licking their wounds no doubt, they have not crossed our borders in the last few years.
The Poles are the exception. Our front with them is a hornet's nest. Yet, our drive on Breslau by Duke von Kastilien has pinned them to that area. There have been no more raids on Frankfurt or Stettin.
The eradication of Rebel scum has continued on pace, there are fewer outlaw bands now than at the beginning of my term. Count von Hamburg has been most helpful in this area.
Once the frontiers are fully stabilized, I plan to hold them for now without expansion. Let our enemies come to us, let them anger the Pope with their incursions as we bleed and weaken them. If they wish peace, so be it. If they continue to war with us, they will perish.
Together we have brought the Reich to redemption. We are victorious on every front. We have smote the infidel and we will bring the Cross to Jerusalem. With God's grace, the rest of my term will bring further glory and triumph to the Kaiser and the Reich.
Re: Imperial Diet II
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