Inside the old City Hall of Frankfurt, a large number of princes or their representatives from all over the Empire gathered for the Imperial Conference, held again after a three-year hiatus.
Before the conference officially began, in the room Laszlo used to handle imperial affairs, his Chief Advisor, Archbishop Bernhard, brought the Elector of Brandenburg, who had been waiting in Frankfurt for a long time, to see him.
Having not seen him for a long time, Albrecht was still physically robust, showing no signs of being burdened by age.
As always, he was stern and unsmiling, frowning intensely at the Emperor, his lips tightly sealed. Coupled with his neatly trimmed mustache, he looked as if he were scrutinizing his dueling opponent.
"What's wrong, Albrecht? It hasn't been that long since we last met, yet you seem like a completely different person. Do you still remember the great feat of conquering Constantinople together? Those heathens screamed under our swords."
Laszlo stood up and personally invited Albrecht to sit across from him.
Although the other party's behavior still maintained respect for him, the atmosphere between them was completely different from their past interactions, as if separated by a sorrowful, thick barrier.
All of this was caused merely by a change in the Elector seat, prompting Laszlo to sigh internally.
"Your Majesty, it was my honor to fight alongside you. However, the conference is about to begin soon, so let us discuss your previous proposal."
Albrecht did not want to directly confront the Emperor, but it was also unrealistic for him to show the Emperor a pleasant demeanor.
He had fought so many battles and rendered great service for the Emperor, yet now, due to a few slanders from petty individuals, the Emperor had grown suspicious and intended to suppress him and his family.
Who could tolerate such a thing?
He had already formed a mortal enmity with the Bishop of Würzburg, and his attitude toward the Emperor was no longer as warm as it once was.
"It seems you have made your decision. Now, tell me your choice."
The smile on Laszlo's face froze, but his tone remained gentle.
Albrecht unrolled a document he held and spread it out before the Emperor. It was written in both German and Latin, and the content was a set of family regulations.
This powerful prince, who ruled Brandenburg, Ansbach, and Kulmbach, chose to divide his territory into three parts after his death, both due to pressure from Laszlo and to ensure better development for his family.
His eldest son, John Cicero, would inherit Brandenburg and the Elector title. His second and third sons would inherit Ansbach and Kulmbach, respectively. Thereafter, the lands of each branch could not be further divided and must be inherited by the eldest line of that branch.
Laszlo was not surprised by this, only feeling a little regretful about Albrecht's choice.
After all, according to the historical timeline, in just over a year, Albrecht would have issued the famous "Achilles' House Rule" due to various considerations, and its content was no different from the division of inheritance plan he was currently viewing.
Albrecht had probably begun considering this crucial issue regarding the future development of his family around the time he inherited the Elector title.
Dividing the inheritance could greatly reduce the hostility of surrounding princes towards the Hohenzollern Family, earn the Emperor's favor, and ensure long-term stability within the family following the split.
The Upper Saxony branch only needed to find a way to annex Pomerania and overwhelm Saxony. The Franconian branch had to work hard to maintain the family's advantage in the Franconia region. The three branches had no conflicting interests, and while positioned north and south, they formed a pincer movement against the Elector of Saxony, allowing them to cooperate in suppressing their old rival.
What Laszlo regretted was that Albrecht ultimately did not choose a territorial exchange, which meant Laszlo couldn't intensify the conflict between Brandenburg and Poland, thereby securing a staunch ally against northern threats.
However, the likelihood of this calculation succeeding was never very high, as Albrecht was not a reckless brute who only knew how to fight on the battlefield; years of Imperial political experience had trained him into a qualified statesman.
"As you wish, Your Majesty, after my death, I will divide my territory into three parts for my sons."
Albrecht's tone was somewhat strange, like that of a loyal subject who had been wronged.
Laszlo was speechless; he felt awkward exposing the other man. In terms of acting, this Imperial Marshal still needed more practice.
"As I previously promised, your position as Governor of Franconia will not be revoked, nor will your position in Upper Saxony be affected.
I have only one request: travel to Nuremberg more often, and don't always stay in Berlin, otherwise those two bishops will come complaining to me again."
"I understand, Your Majesty."
The Elector secretly sighed in relief. He had finally settled a burden on his mind, and attending the Imperial Conference would no longer carry such psychological weight.
Although he ultimately chose to divide his family's territory, this was not unacceptable. Furthermore, by doing so, he had defeated the Bishop of Würzburg, who coveted his authority, and preserved his influence in Franconia. This was already the best possible outcome.
The Emperor's handling of the matter was barely fair to him, a reward for the decades he had diligently assisted the Habsburg Family.
Now that the conflict was resolved, he did not intend to let his relationship with the Emperor become too strained. He continued, "Your Majesty, your just verdict deserves respect. Therefore, my family and I have decided to support your war to punish the King of France."
"Good. With your help, this war should be much easier... However, I believe you have an even more important task to complete right now."
Laszlo naturally accepted Albrecht's decision with pleasure. The latter had commanded the Imperial Army in several important wars, and his military capability and prestige were beyond doubt.
Compared to the brave but immature Duke of Saxony, Laszlo still preferred using Albrecht as the commander of the Imperial Army.
However, while the military support of the Elector of Brandenburg was important, Laszlo currently needed the support of another group of people, and this task should rightly be handled by Albrecht.
"The task you mentioned is...
"
"Mobilizing the knights of the Franconia region. Although they only recently concluded their expedition against the Ottomans, the Empire needs their strength again now."
Laszlo pulled three already-stamped Conscription Orders from a pile of documents nearby and handed one to the Governor of Franconia before him.
Albrecht looked at the Conscription Order, his thoughts drifting back several years.
When the Public Donation Tax system was first formally established, the resistance from the Third College was particularly fierce.
It should be known that the entire Empire was composed of over a thousand political entities, large and small.
Besides the seven Electors and over a hundred members of the College of Princes, hundreds of lower-ranking nobles at the count level were placed in the Third College.
Additionally, representatives from the Free Cities and a dozen knight representatives from three special regions were also included in the Third College.
According to Imperial law, resolutions passed by the College of Electors and the College of Princes could take effect within the Empire, and the Public Donation Tax decree happened to apply to the vast membership of the Third College.
The College they formed only had the right to advise, and this right was often ignored.
When the initial draft of the Public Donation Tax resolution was first proposed, members of the Third College began protesting in their own ways.
Representatives of the Free Cities, by inviting the Emperor to attend their alliance meeting, finally persuaded him to cancel the extra taxation on Free Cities, retaining only the Traditional Universal Tax that had lasted for centuries.
Knight representatives from the three regions of Swabia, Rhineland, and Franconia followed suit and convened a large-scale assembly.
Statistics showed that the three regions contained over 1,400 Imperial direct estates and villages governed by these Imperial Knights. They nominally belonged to the region but generally bore no obligations, only adhering to basic Imperial law.
The Emperor's decision to levy the Public Donation Tax on all subjects was a great insult to these knights.
This move was interpreted as the Emperor intending to unite with the upper princes to enslave them. Consequently, this protest was not as peaceful as the Free City assemblies and gradually developed into a trend of armed tax resistance.
To appease these restless local Knight Alliances, the Emperor negotiated with the knight representatives of the three regions through the Swabian Knight Alliance, which had good relations with him.
The knights argued forcefully before the Emperor, claiming, "Ancient teachings state that knights serve the Empire only with sword and shield."
They wished to serve the Emperor with their flesh and blood, just like their ancestors. As for paying money—the Emperor shouldn't expect a single Pfennig!
Thus, the Emperor conceded, exempting the Knight Alliances of the three regions from the Public Donation Tax. In exchange, they had to join the Imperial Army under the organization of the governor and participate in the Crusade launched by the Emperor.
The knights quickly accepted this exchange. They were proud to have upheld their ancient tax exemption privilege and felt honored to participate in the war against the heathens.
Afterward, the Imperial Knights, serving as the core strength of the Imperial Army, joined the ranks of the Great Eastern Expedition Army under Albrecht's command.
Albrecht, who had personally commanded these unruly Imperial Knights, had to admit that these Imperial Military Nobles, who were always keen on private duels and received military training day after day since childhood, were indeed sharp blades on the battlefield. They performed exceptionally well in the war against the Ottomans.
Compared to these successful examples of tax resistance, the resistance of local lower-ranking nobles was much weaker. They could neither face the suppression of the powerful princes in their respective regions nor endure the Emperor's accountability.
After seeing the Duke of Lorraine choose to pay taxes because he could not withstand the pressure from the Emperor, these resistors also gradually paid their dues according to the tax register.
The Emperor's method was indeed flexible and effective: some paid money to maintain the operation of the Imperial government, and others joined the military to strengthen the Empire's military power.
After the Crusade ended, the Knight Alliances in Rhineland and Franconia were quickly organized, just like the knights in the Swabia region, to serve as a standing military force for maintaining regional order and executing court rulings.
This gave these three regions a more complete governance system compared to other Imperial regions composed of princes, making them more orderly.
Naturally, when the Empire faced war, the main force of the Imperial Army should also be provided by these three well-armed regions.
Theoretically, this should be the case, but the task assigned by the Emperor still troubled Albrecht.
"Your Majesty, the Eastern Expedition only recently concluded. Mobilizing the Imperial Army again now will likely face considerable resistance...
"
"I exempted them from taxes! Besides, I'm not withholding wages and rewards. What reason do they have to drag their feet?"
Laszlo also knew that continuous warfare had heightened the war-weariness among the Empire's subjects, but now was the perfect opportunity to strike the French Devil, and he could not let it pass.
"The Empire's subjects only accepted the reforms because of the peace you promised, yet you constantly drag the Empire into war. This has already caused dissatisfaction among some people."
"Are you planning to advise me to abandon launching the Imperial War?"
Laszlo's expression was no longer as calm as before. He scrutinized Albrecht, wanting to see what position he truly stood on.
"No, Your Majesty, I have already resolved to support your war, so how could I advise you to abandon it? I merely hope you can slightly control the mobilization quota to avoid stirring up more resistance and war-weariness."
Albrecht reminded him.
The Empire's subjects were now able to clearly distinguish between the Imperial armies.
The Austrian Army, established and led by the Austrian Government and only obeying the Emperor, was essentially Austria's own army, even though it recruited soldiers from across the Empire. It was usually referred to as "Caesar's Army."
The auxiliary forces mobilized through the conscription lists of the Imperial Diet and the Imperial regions, commanded by the Imperial Marshal jointly appointed by the Emperor and the Imperial Diet, were the "Imperial Army" in the usual sense.
Even those princes who were on good terms with the Emperor would not send their elite troops to fight for him unless their own interests were involved, opting instead to dispatch a motley crew of hastily assembled forces to meet the quota.
Therefore, the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Army was generally low. It was only barely maintained by the Imperial Knights serving the Emperor and the Austrian Grassroots Officers appointed by the Emperor.
Since these were not crucial troops, mobilizing too many would waste resources. It was better to mobilize fewer, which the princes would find easier to accept.
After all, the Crusade had only recently ended. The previous batch of people had just attained salvation by fighting the heathens, and now the Holy See was immediately trying to grant the next batch tickets to heaven... The appeal of this rhetoric had already been greatly diminished.
Laszlo also realized this. In the three years since the Regional Conscription System was established, the Empire had faced two major wars in quick succession, which was enough to raise doubts among the Empire's subjects about the reforms.
"Alright, I will seriously consider your suggestion. Correspondingly, you must also ensure your work is done properly.
Mobilizing troops in the Franconia and Upper Saxony regions—that is no easy task."
"Please rest assured, I will prove to you that I can handle both positions simultaneously."
Albrecht thumped his chest, assuring the Emperor.
Having reached a consensus, the two immediately left together for the hall where the Imperial Diet was being held. Members of the College of Electors and the College of Princes were waiting there for the Emperor's arrival.
The resolution for an Imperial War had already passed in the College of Electors. Members of the Third Estate were convening elsewhere, waiting for the results of the discussions from the two houses of princes.
As soon as Laszlo entered the council hall, the gazes of the hundred or so people crowded there focused simultaneously on the Emperor and his entourage, which included the Elector of Brandenburg and the Salzburg Archbishop.
Whether they were the top-tier princes entitled to sit on the central benches or the minor lords huddled against the walls, all without exception fell silent, rising and bowing their heads to show respect to the Emperor.
The news of the Emperor's victories in the East had already spread throughout the Empire—the recovery of Constantinople and the capture of the Ottoman Sultan. Even those opportunists who had hoped to see the Emperor's eastern crusade fail so they could kick him while he was down had to admit that resisting the Emperor's rule through conspiracy or force now required immense courage.
Through the efforts of the Emperor's admirers and court writers, Laszlo's image of invincibility had become increasingly solid in the eyes of the world.
His title as 'Defender of the Faith,' paired with a string of victories, had led more and more people to believe that the Emperor was a divinely inspired and blessed guardian of the Christian world.
Furthermore, in recent years, the Habsburg 'Chosen One' theory, pioneered by one of the Emperor's uncles in the East, had begun to circulate widely within the Empire.
All members of the Habsburg Family also firmly believed in the so-called 'Theory of Imperial Transfer' and 'Divine Right of Kings,' as the person who proposed these theories was the most respected elder in the family.
Laszlo did not hinder his old uncle Frederick, who was obsessed with 'heretical' astrology, from expanding and developing the family's spiritual world; after all, it was beneficial for the continuity of the Habsburg Family.
Moreover, he was working toward this goal himself.
His frequent collaborations with the Holy See were mostly initiated by him, precisely to use the cloak of religion to establish the concept of the Habsburg Dynasty's legitimate succession.
In other words, he hoped that through the ideology and actions of 'matching Heaven with virtue,' more subjects of the Empire would recognize the long-term and stable rule of the Habsburg Family.
In a sense, this ideology might have been too archaic for him, as it represented the peak of theocratic political theory prevalent during the Western Zhou era and was one of the origins of the Mandate of Heaven.
However, the current Empire was far more fragmented than the feudal system of the Zhou Dynasty and lacked cohesion. Since the religious shell was so useful, Laszlo had no choice but to adapt and use this special method.
Furthermore, in his memory, the European theory of the Divine Right of Kings truly peaked during the age of absolutism, serving to provide a rational basis for the absolute centralized rule of monarchs.
By employing this tactic during the Renaissance, he knew that establishing absolute rule like the later monarchs who resisted the Holy See was out of the question, but making the Imperial nobility recognize him and the Habsburg Family as the co-sovereigns of the Empire was feasible.
The scene at the meeting was a concrete manifestation of this method's effectiveness; even the most defiant princes had to bow their proud heads before the Emperor of two Romes.
After Laszlo sat down on the central throne, he scanned the princes in the hall. Not intending to waste words, he cut straight to the core theme of the meeting: 'Gentlemen, you should all be aware of the recent events in France. I have mentioned many times that the French are the Empire's greatest threat, even more dangerous than the heathens. As expected, after being excommunicated, King Louis XI disregarded faith and the stability of the continent to put forward an antipope. This is a deliberate attempt to split the faith and is absolutely intolerable. To crush the ambitions of the French, the Empire needs your strength.'
The Emperor's forceful speech quickly stirred a wave of discussion in the council hall.
Previously, the Emperor had gradually calmed internal conflicts within the Empire through the 'Land Peace Decree' and a series of reform measures.
Most disputes were now being settled through legal means, but until further reforms were introduced, order within the Empire remained quite fragile.
To put it simply, the Privy Council, which was supposed to serve as a platform for princes to exchange political views and handle the duties of the central government, had now become a mere megaphone between the Emperor, the administrative circles, and the diets. It was difficult for representatives to truly influence the Emperor's thoughts.
Furthermore, the laws of the Empire were a mess, varying from one circle to another, and even between different jurisdictions within the same circle.
Except for the Imperial Court of Justice and its Swabia branch, which based their rulings on the 'Imperial Code' compiled by Pope Pius II and the Archbishop of Austria, Georg, the legal systems of other regions had not yet been integrated.
Since the reforms had reached this stage and the princes saw the dawn of peace, they naturally hoped the Emperor would continue to focus on promoting the integration and transformation of the Empire, rather than just using the Imperial government to raise funds and troops for foreign wars.
'Your Majesty, my view is somewhat different from yours.'
At this moment, Ruprecht, the Archbishop of Cologne sitting in the first row of the College of Religious Princes, rose to voice the first challenge.
Laszlo sighed somewhat helplessly. This fellow had been causing trouble in the College of Electors, and now he wouldn't stay quiet during the joint session of the two houses either.
The reason Ruprecht could keep acting this way was primarily because the Archbishopric of Cologne was in the north of the Empire, outside Laszlo's sphere of influence. Moreover, he had the Wittelsbach family of the Palatinate as his backing, which gave him the courage to constantly challenge Laszlo's boundaries.
However, compared to those reasons, there was a simpler and more direct one: the Emperor followed the rules of logic and reason at the Imperial Diet.
Outside of the Imperial Diet, no one could predict what the Emperor might do.
Simply put, Laszlo wanted to establish prestige among the princes without appearing too tyrannical, which led to the current situation.
Since Ruprecht's brother, the former Elector Palatine Frederick I, had been imprisoned by Laszlo in Vienna for nearly ten years, Laszlo had no intention of seeking reconciliation.
Once the matters in France were handled, Laszlo decided he would find time to properly deal with Ruprecht and show him the majesty of the Emperor.
For now, Laszlo chose to watch coldly to see how else he would act out.
'Tell us your view then. Is there something incorrect in what I said?'
'You say the French are the greatest threat, but I and the princes of the Westphalia Circle believe that is not the case. Compared to France, the threat of the Burgundians is clearly much greater!'
Ruprecht spoke loudly, as if delivering a manifesto.
These words quickly drew agreement from some princes, but naturally also provoked glares from another group of attendees.
The representatives from Burgundy's subordinate states in the Low Countries stared resentfully at the Archbishop of Cologne, but the latter ignored them completely.
The representative of the King of Burgundy, Charles's half-brother David de Bourgogne, the Bishop of Utrecht, stood up to rebut: 'The Burgundians are currently fighting the cunning and cruel French to defend the authority of the Empire and the Holy See. Does one of the seven great Electors of the Empire only know how to stand here and make sarcastic remarks while ignoring the crisis facing the Empire?'
'Since when does a foreigner have the right to speak so arrogantly at the Imperial Diet?'
Ruprecht acted as if he hadn't heard David's sarcasm, instead seizing upon the man's strange accent to try and shift the focus.
Although the Imperial Diet was always a mix of various German dialects because it gathered members from most parts of the Empire, the Bishop of Utrecht and the Bishop of Liège sitting next to him, Louis de Bourbon, were pure-blooded Frenchmen. They might have had much in common with the Duke of Lorraine in the College of Secular Princes.
David wanted to argue back and draw a clear line between Burgundy and France, but he was somewhat wary because of his colleague Louis, who came from a branch of the Bourbon family.
He was worried that if this topic went deeper, Louis would inevitably be implicated, as the antipope in Avignon also came from the Bourbon family.
Although the connection between the two was likely just a shared surname from a common ancestor a hundred years ago, it couldn't withstand the fact that the core of today's discussion was the excommunicated French King and the antipope's court.
Just as David was pondering how to retort, Laszlo spoke up to interrupt the quarrel between the two bishops: 'Bishop David was born in Burgundy and entered the service of the Low Countries' church upon reaching adulthood, becoming the Bishop of Utrecht through a legal election.
Now, Burgundy has been incorporated into the Empire. Whether by birth or experience, he is a subject of the Empire. Where does this talk of being a foreigner come from?
Archbishop of Cologne, I must remind you that when discussing matters, you should stick to the facts and not stray from the topic.'
David was another illegitimate son of Philip the Good. He wasn't as famous or as favored by his father as Anthony, the Duke of Macedonia, but Philip had still found a good place for him before he died, settling him in Utrecht so he could assist Charles during critical moments, just as he was doing now by speaking up for him at the Imperial Diet.
Laszlo was a staunch ally of Charles, so he naturally looked after Charles's less famous brother.
David, sensing the Emperor's intention, immediately cast a grateful look.
Ruprecht snorted coldly and continued to challenge stubbornly: 'Your Majesty, you completely disregarded the will of the Imperial Diet by unilaterally incorporating Burgundy into the Empire and crowning that insatiable Duke Charles as King, placing the princes of the Swabia, Rhineland, and Westphalia circles in a dangerous position. Do you not intend to give everyone an explanation?'
'The Kingdom of Burgundy has been a part of the Empire since ancient times. Emperor Charles IV merely entrusted the French King to manage the kingdom on his behalf, but who knew the greedy French King would seize the kingdom's territory as his own?
King Charles of Burgundy rules part of the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy and serves as the sovereign of the Low Countries. His joining the Empire—or rather, his return to the Empire—is in accordance with the will of Heaven, and it demonstrates the strength and prosperity of the Empire.
By contrast, the tyrannical Louis XI is now deserted by his followers. Is it not a wise move for Charles to choose to sever the ties between Burgundy and France and join the Empire instead?'
Laszlo argued forcefully, leaving many of the princes present dumbfounded.
Wait, don't you know exactly how the Burgundians got all that Imperial territory?
Everyone only dared to complain in their hearts; no one dared say it to the Emperor's face.
'That sounds nice, but the Burgundians had already annexed so much Imperial territory before joining the Empire, and their aggressive behavior continues even now.
Look at the old Duke Arnold of Gelre. Isn't his plight proof of Burgundian ambition?'
Ruprecht directed everyone's gaze toward Arnold, a little old man sitting in the corner in a daze. He looked around blankly and then went back to staring into space.
He looked like a completely dejected, lonely old man, making it hard to imagine that he ruled the only duchy in the Low Countries that had not submitted to the Burgundians, and that he was the grandfather of the current King of Scotland, James III.
A few years ago, Scottish nobles took advantage of the king's youth to launch a rebellion, secretly executing the old duke's daughter—the Queen Mother of Scotland—within the Scottish court.
Shortly after that, Arnold's son launched a rebellion to seize the throne. In that war between father and son, Charles of Burgundy led his army with lightning speed to crush the rebels and killed Arnold's son and sole heir on the battlefield.
As the price for assistance, Arnold agreed that if he died without an heir, he would grant the duchy to the then-son of the Duke of Burgundy, now King Charles of Burgundy.
Barring any surprises, this poor old man wouldn't live many more years before going to see his tragic son and daughter. At that time, the entire Low Countries would fall into the hands of the Burgundians.
Moreover, the Westphalian princes neighboring the Low Countries were very worried that even this would not satisfy Charles's appetite.
'King Charles of Burgundy assisted in suppressing the rebellion at the invitation of Duke Arnold, preserving the old duke's life and property. How can this be called ambition?
As for the transaction between the two parties, it involves personal choice. What is there to criticize?'
Laszlo certainly wouldn't tell the princes that he had already agreed with Charles that once Gelre lacked an heir, Charles must pay a fee to purchase the ducal title to inherit it smoothly.
This sum was likely another hundred thousand florins or so. If Ruprecht hadn't mentioned it today, he would have almost forgotten about it.
There was no need for the princes to know these dark and heavy secrets, but because of this, he had to defend Charles more at the Imperial Diet.
He stood up, walked closer to the crowded princes, and then spread his arms to announce to them: 'Burgundy's entry into the Empire is the result of my careful consideration, and I had many communications with Charles before this. I can promise all the princes along the Rhine River that if Charles ever attempts to threaten or conquer your lands by force or harm your rights, I will not hesitate to launch an Imperial War against Burgundy—I can swear here in the name of God that I will spare no effort to protect all Imperial subjects who fulfill their Imperial obligations.'
These resounding words quickly quelled all doubts. Seeing that the princes' will to resist had weakened significantly after receiving the Emperor's promise, the Archbishop of Cologne was exasperated but helpless.
The combined power of Burgundy and Austria was simply too great. No matter how well he knew how to incite the princes, he could not change the cold, hard fact—even if all the princes of Westphalia and the Rhineland were lumped together, they could not defeat the alliance of the Emperor and the King of Burgundy.
'If there are no further questions, then proceed to your respective chambers for discussion. The agenda is whether to launch an Imperial War against France. The specific details of the resolution will be communicated to you later by my representative.
The time limit for the meeting is three days. I hope you all make a wise choice as soon as possible.'
After Laszlo finished speaking, he ignored the murmuring princes and left the hall with his attendants.
Next, he had to preside over a meeting of the College of Electors to introduce Christopher to the top power-holders of the Empire.