Imperial Diet VI

**Warmaster Horus** · 10-01-2007, 16:46

Friedrich, and now Kaiser Siegfried... How many of us will pass away in these dark, dark times?

Long live Kaiser Elberhard! May he guide us well.
Say, Elberhard will be Chancellor until 1320, correct?

And, King Jan, I will join you in a moment. I will have to hurry, for I must return to join the fleet to Thessalonica.

**FactionHeir** · 10-01-2007, 18:50

Siegfried dead?!? Where was the ambushed, I shall be dispatching the former emperor's army there immediately.

On a side note, I hope that the cornering of Peter by Becker and myself will keep the lasting alliance with Byzantium in place and that Tancred can be found before he causes any more damage. I would advise that the house of Austria keep a keen vigil on their borders to make sure no army marches through that is not authorized by the chancellor.

Oh, and congratulations my brother.

edited for OOC

**GeneralHankerchief** · 10-01-2007, 20:18

Dietrich von Dassel:

Long live Kaiser Elberhard!

**econ21** · 10-01-2007, 23:19

Elberhard enters the Chamber, looking tired and emotional.

Elberhard: Electors, these are dark days. I know many of you had your disagreements with Siegfried, but the man stood up for what he believed was best for the Reich. He had a vision that would have seen him rival Augustus and our Reich match the ancient Roman Empire at its height.

But the man is dead and the vision he laid out before us is fading fast. I do not wish to prejudge the result of my brother, Duke Hans, and his inquiries into the circumstances of Siegfried's death. Yet, given the fraught political climate and in particular, the vehement domestic opposition to his goal of re-unification, there is little doubt in my mind that the Kaiser's death was no random act of violence.

I pray that I am wrong. But if I am right, I intend to let Kaiser Siegfried have the last laugh over his assassins. I am exercising my perogative to rule as Chancellor. I know my authority here is no greater than a whore's virtue, so you will not have to suffer me for long. I will not serve a full term as Chancellor, but instead I will step down in 1320. I will use my short time as Chancellor to continue Siegfried's work towards re-unification. As I have promised before, re-unification will not take place without the consent of this Diet. However, if King Jan agrees, I will honour Siegfried's promise to Emperor Isaac to gift Outremer.

There is one other matter that I must address - the fate of the traitor Peter von Kastilien. Interogations by Count Becker have revealed that Peter's aim was to sack Constantinople, not kill the Kaiser. Moreover, Peter surrendered to an inferior force rather than wantonly spill German blood. What is more, both Peter and his forces were under Count Becker's supervision at the time that the Kaiser was murdered and thus cannot be considered suspects in that heinous act. For these reasons, I have decided to exercise some leniency over Peter's fate. He will not be executed. Nor do I judge that a treason trial would be in the best interests of the Reich. But I cannot release a man who has shown himself so capable of raising and leading a rebel army. Peter must remain in detention in the dungeons at Rome until the political situation is less fraught.

**Stig** · 10-01-2007, 23:33

Ansehelm:
I hereby ask to transfer Peter to my prisons in Thorn. He is Franconian, and in the prisons of Thorn one will learn not to desert again.

Also I ask again, I want to know the whereabouts of Tancred, as I want to have him imprisoned too.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Privateerkev** · 10-01-2007, 23:44

King Jan comes forward and kneels before the Kaiser,

My Kaiser,

Outremer is yours to command. I swear to serve you loyally and faithfully as King until I die or until you chose to appoint another to serve that role. I serve at the pleasure of the Kaiser. May God keep you as you lead us through these dark times. May the Lord guide you and make sure your reign is long and prosperous.

Jan stands back up.

As for gifting Outremer, if Kaiser Siegfried and yourself believe that is the price to pay for political and religious unification, then I say we pay it. Outremer was never about land. It was never about cities. And it was never about castles. Outremer was a dream and an idea. Born from great men with vision and courage. Outremer was meant to secure the Holy Lands for all of Christianity. It was meant to re-secure our relationship with the Papacy by ensuring that Jerusalem would be a capital for the Holy Father to sit on the "throne of Peter". It was meant to save the soul of the Reich when we were cast out in the dark during the Second Investiture crisis. And it was meant to protect the Reich by allowing us to fight horrible enemies over there so we wouldn't have to fight them here. And that dream still lives. And our mission still lives. When the provinces of Outremer are handed over, I will stay behind along with whoever wishes to join me. Together, we will take the two AoO's and defend Jerusalem. And with the Diet's prayers and support, we will not fail.

As to Kaiser Siegfried, if there was indeed foul play involved, let those responsible know this. I will not rest until the truth is found out. I have been hunting those responsible for King Salier's murder for years and I will add this investigation to my plate as well. Even those among you who do not like me will have to admit that I am very very stubborn. If someone is responsible for the Kaiser's death, I will find him. This I swear before God.

**GeneralHankerchief** · 10-02-2007, 00:11

Dietrich von Dassel:

Kaiser Elberhard, you are now our Head of State and present in Rome to address the Diet. Finally, we may get some answers.

Of course it will take due time to catch up on Siegfried's negotiations with Emperor Isaac. But when you do, I demand that you present the conditions of re-unification to the Diet and that you call a vote on it. This madness has gone on far too long and we need a resolution, one way or another.

**Stig** · 10-02-2007, 00:22

I see no use in keeping 2 armies in the Outremer without having any provinces there. It will cost us too much in times of need. If we want to take big decisions on this I think we should hold a quick Emergency Session, like Siegfried wanted us to vote on Unification or not.

If we choose to give away Outremer AND defend Jeruzalem we should atleast keep one castle in the area.