- ARCHIVE - Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire

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Baron von Schwarzschloß's face drops with, by turns, distate, shock and finally disbelief at the words of the Ambassador of the Teutonic Order,

The Baron rises to his feet, barely able to contain his bluster, but he forces himself to sit again until the Imperial Steward has finished berating Paul von Russdorf.

The Baron rises,

"...und, if I may add to that, My Lord..."

"I have spoken to Bishop von Koblenz since his return from the Council of Melk and I listened with great interest as he told me how the Emissary from the Teutonic Order to the Council spent more time examining a spider building it's web than engaging in or even listening to the discussion. Perhaps this tale might expain why Heer von Russdorf is so ill-versed in the newly-clarified relationship between Church and Empire."

"In fact, his statement that... and did you not say, My Lord, that 'the Empire is not dependant on the goodwill of the Pope, he is given his title and rank directly from God'? If this is the case, then you are in contradiction of the recent bulle issued by His Holiness to the extent... nein, nein I do not hesistate to use the word, your statement is heretical."

The Baron becomes more flustered, "Sir, to state that the Teutonic Order is greater than all other member-states of the Empire save Genoa," a polite nod of acknowledgement to His Excellency Leopold with these words, "is crass and demeaning. Kindly take your words back, for you insult those of us who are not so quick to use our support of the Emperor to further our own gains. The Order's troops may be larger in number and more stout of heart than those of the nation I represent, but your coffers are swollen with borrowed monies and burdened with un-honoured loans. Are you as mighty and as indispensible to the Empire as you boast? Certainly, if your familiarity with Our Holy Mother Church's wishes is any measure, I suggest to you, and the gathered gentlemen here, nein, nein, nein!"

The Baron smoothes his doublet down briskly, before exhaling hotly through his moustaches and sitting once more.

 

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Paul von Russdorf, with his eyebrows raised in surprise, adresses the Imperial Diet

Sehr geehrte Herren,

What do I hear? *nods at the Gentle Men from Pfalz and Brandenburg*
You are not satisfied with the Holy Order of Teutonic Knights?
Well, let me kindly remind your Graces, that it is because of us, and only because of us and our allies, that the Empire still is the Holy Roman Empire.

Without the Order and its allies, the Empire would have been flooded with the evil hordes of Mongolia, remember that Gentlemen, *staring at the legat of Brandenburg*, remember that the Order of Teutonic Knights have always supported the Emperor in the past and will continue *staring at the legat of the Pfalz* to do so, we just want to tie the Order closer to the Empire, that´s all...

Furthermore, my current Head of State, the honourable Karl Kuechenmeister von Sternburg has voluntarily accepted to step down as Head of State, in order to concentrate on the task of acting as Champion of God in the east,.

The Order, or the Kingdom of Livonia if granted, will as always, seek to keep the peace within the Empire,
and we have the means for it, not just the word....
*gives a quick look at the legat of Pfalz and Brandenburg*

We are not heretical in any way, we just like to give the Emperor and the Empire a chance of greater glory and greater power...

In fact, with the erection of the Kingdom of Livonia, with the Empire as far north as Karelia, the Emperor will surely be the most powerful sovereign in the known World....

That, my Gentle Men is our aim and concern..."

 

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Leopoldo laughs at the Teutonic delegate.

"You are nothing without the Emperor. I like how you say that if the Emperor grants you a kingdom, then you will support him. You despicable fool! You who would betray christians in their crusade, you who accuses christians of piracy without proof. The Order is nothing of what it once was. The Order was created to bring converts to Christianity, but I only see gold. Haha, to say that you protected us from the Hordes of Mongolia. From what I remember, when the Hordes were at war with Poland, Lithuania and the Order and Novgorod, you made peace with the Hordes and went to war with Novgorod, taking much land in the process. The Empire owes you nothing but a thank you for the dishonor you brought to it with your senseless accusations. My Doge has nothing to thank you for, except for calling him a privateer and a dishonorable pirate. The Empire is not here to serve you, you are here to serve the Empire. Genoa and the Order do not make the Empire strong, the Empire makes Genoa and the Order strong. Without the Empire and its Emperor, we will all crumble. I have said this before and I will say it again, the Order seems to be falling to the same sins the Knights Templar fell to. Perhaps Cardinal Ortucchio shall have to speak to the Pope about your sins. In the meantime, sit down before you bring more dishonor to your name."

 

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Von Schwarzschloß rises,

"My friend from the Heiligen orden den Deutschen von Jerusalem, it appears your intentions are honest, if a little... how can I put it? Ill versed?"

"May I ask what The Order hopes to gain from the title of Kingdom of Livonia?"

 

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The Count Adolf von Eppstein rises to speak. He looks better, now that he is joining a crowd rather than rejecting one.

"What mean you, when you say that the Emperor will be the most powerful sovereign. Pray tell, other than your order and the Doge of Genoa, to whom you delegate superhuman abilities, whom do you think posessing power greater than that of the Emperor?"

 

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Paul von Russdorf, adresses the diet

Lieber Herren,

Have I with one word implied that the Order is not willing to support the Emperor??

I think not.

On the contrary, this will glorify the Empire and its most August one. I must point out once more, that the Emperor is Emperor with the Grace of our Lord, nothing can change that, not even the mighty Doge of Genoa, certainly not the Hochmeister of the Order.

I must also add that once the Hochmeister steps down as Head of State, the Emperor decides the future King of Livonia...

Certainly not the easily amused legat of Genoa *stares at Leopoldo*

This is a decision of the Emperor, if he is willing to take the responsible actions as Champion of Godly as well as Wordly power, you and I will have nothing to worry about...And certainly be amused about..

 

[Hamilcar]

The Prussian Delegate speaks

Freiherr von Schellendorff rises.

Verehrte Delegierte,

You are an unthankful lot! The Order has done more for you over the centuries than anyone else.

Schellendorff takes a stern look at the Genoan.

Your mind seems to be a little clouded, for I cannot believe that there are no books of history in Genoa. Let me repeat your words:

The Order was created to bring converts to Christianity.

This is not true. While bringing converts to Christianity is a noble goal, it was not the reason why the Order was founded. It was founded - like the other knightly holy orders - in the Holy Land for the protection of pilgrims and the defense against the muslim hordes.

After the Holy Land was lost to the muslims in 1291, the Teutonic Order, unlike the other orders, turned northwards and converted the people in what is now Prussia and Livonia.

In 1309 the fifteenth Grand Master, Sigfried of Feuchtwangen, transferred his residence from Venice, where at that time the knights had their chief house, to the Castle of Marienburg, which they made a formidable fortress.

By now, all the pagans in the Baltic are converted, save a few incorrigible savanges that house in the deep forrest and the Kingdoms of Poland and Lithuania are Catholic. The Mongol hordes dare not trespass into German lands and the ambitions of King Wladyslaw have been stifled.

Quite an impressive record, if you ask me. What has your nation done, Genona, that compares to this?

A spiritual Order obeys the command of Mother Church to spread her word, but the Teutons have succeded in this.

A spiritual Order is not a government. The lands of the Teutons have suffered from this and the people desire to have proper lords that do not disappear on holy quests all the time.

Thus, a secular government for the lands of the Order is needed to administer the land. The Order's brethren on Malta have taken charge of fighting the infidels in the land of Jerusalem.

Prussia supports the change of government in Livonia - be it with or without Imperial support.

 

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Leopoldo rises to speak.

"Liberation of Jerusalem."

He smiles at the delegates from both factions of the Order, opens his mouth as if to say something, then silences, smiles and sits back down.

 

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Burgrave Erhard, still frowning, speaks.

"Freiherr von Schellendorff, we are certainly not an ungrateful lot. But gratitude does not require the blithe acceptance of insults demeaning the role of smaller states within the Empire. As the Teuton has said, without him, we are nothing."

Turning to face von Russdorf,

"You say, 'Have I with one word implied that the Order is not willing to support the Emperor?? '. May I remind you of your earlier statement: 'Your most August Imperator, grant our lands the title of Kingdom of Livonia,...........and we will support your will and will obey every notion and move of yours. '

"You have made it clear that the Order will support the Emperor ONLY if you are granted your request."

 

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Paul von Russdorf, now himself frowning, adresses the diet

Lieber Herren,

and particularly Burgrave Erhard *bows at the Burgrave* ,

Why distort my word?

If I say "we will support your will and will obey every notion and move of yours. " does it imply some kind of threat to the Empire?

I think not.

My dear Burgrave, don´t let your indignation take over from your normally so sharp intellect and judgement.

If the Order is turned into a Kingdom directly as Imperial fief,
it cannot be a threat to anybody within the empire..

But I hope that the mongol Hordes tremble when they learn that they are neighbours of the mighty Empire

 

[Hamilcar]

Von Schellendorff stares at the Genoan in utter amazement.

Do you truly believe that one victory makes you this great? Then your ego is grander than the Great Mongol Khan's.

 

[AllonEU]

Leonard Fourner rises quickly

Maybe I am easy to anger, but the words spoken out of some of the mouthes lately have angered me to the fullest. The Tuetonic Order has no right to demand anything from the Emperor. It especially has no right to demand to be made a Kingdom, even if it is the Kingdom of the Heretics! The Genoean delegate brings up a good point, when Muscowy and the other Russian states fought for their independence from Muslim rule, where was your help. You showed your true colors than my friend, that no matter what the cost the Tuetonic Order will do anything to gain more power. I am agititated, my Duke is agititated, and everyone in this Diet should be agitiated at the way the Tuetonic Order is acting. Also I haven't even brought up the fact that an earlier statement sounded like it was saying the Tuetonic Order and Genoa are the real powers of the Empire. The real power of this Empire is the Emperor and the Emperor alone. This is no small Duchy saying this, this is the Duchy of Burgundy. The Duchy of Burgundy will defend the right of the Emperor even if it causes the end of the Duchy. My Duke has unblinded loyality to His Imperial Majesty. And my Duke will not sit around while you continue to disrespect His Imperial Majesty. That is all I have to say.

 

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Paul von Russdorf, this time clearly upset, takes the word

Lieber Herren,

I want to say to Herr Fourner this,

I have never heard such insolent speech!!
I have never been addressed in such common manor!!


How can an Improvement be an insult?
How can the "Vergrösserung des Kaisertums" be heresy?
What have the Empire and the emperor to loose from a new fief?
Who are You, Herr Fourner, to question our integrity at all, you with all your quarrels with the small and vulnerable duchies and counties on your eastern border, and may I add, as much Imperial fiefs as your own...

As always, The Order is thinking for the benefit of the Empire and its Emperor.

 

[AllonEU]

Leonard Fourner smiles very cocky

Burgundy's wars with her neighbors all were not her fault. Switzerland had been excommunicated and His Holiness had asked for arms againist her and Burgundy obliged this command. Baden and Lorraine delcared war on Burgundy without any greivances, but only because they thought they could catch Burgundy off guard. True Burgundy annexed Lorraine for an example to be set, but Baden isn't even a vassal of Burgundy any more. All of the VERBAL conflicts between Gelre and Burgundy have been about Gelre accusing Burgundy of mismanagement which was never proven. Savoy which acted againist the Empire and was excommunicated also, was taken is as Burgundy's vassal to restructure it. When Savoy try to revolt against Burgundy again, the vassalship became perminant. Brabant was created from Burgundy's own land as a vassal. So you see your comments about Burgundy's actions with her neighbors are false.

 

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Paul von Russdorf, with anger in his voice

Herr Fourner,

What about your comments?

I have never been so insulted in all my life..absolutely not.
What do you mean about your insinuating heresy?
What do you mean by your talk of demands?

 

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I´m totally agree with the words spoken by the delegates of Genoa and Burgundy. What was said by the Teuton representative is almost an attempt of extortion by his part.

It still reverbererates in my mind when my Duke received a letter from the Order asking for Milan´s help in his revenging war against the assassins of the GrandMaster, thing wich we gladly do granting a loan to the Order´s allies , the Kingdom of Bosnia, in the search of a benefit to us all, and what were the results ?..... Therefore, even , and it is only a possibility, if the Empire exist only due the "efforts" of this brave men, I can only assure that the existence of the Teuton Order is only possible thanks to the existance of the Empire.

But, of the two, wich one will survive without the other ?
The Empire, of course .

 

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Paul von Russdorf, now with some more colour in his face

Lieber Herren

I find this extremely hard to believe.

You do not want "die Verbesserung und vergrösserung des Kaisertums"?

More than one legat accusing us of heresy and betrayal, when all we want is to enlarge the empire and the emperors powers...

Don´t you understand?

Or don´t you want to understand?

The last 200 years the Order have been christianising the country between Weichsel and Onega.

For what purpose?

To simply hand it over back to the heathens?

No, my dear legats, for the benefit of the empire and its emperors, for the benefit of the Holy See and our Lord,
for the benefit of mankind.

Of course, you can have it your way too...but that mean that you deny the Emperor the chance of new fiefs in the east, you deny the Papacy the right to mission and spread the worf of Christ.

You deny civilisation to spread outside the empire.

Do you know what you are asking for?

 

[Hamilcar]

Von Schellendorff whispers to Russdorf.

Perhaps we should sever all ties to the Empire if they do not heed our demands. King Erik and the Swedes are our true friends in any case...

 

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Russdorf whispers to Schellendorff

"well I wash my hands, they don´t know what they are doing"

 

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Burgrave Erhard speaks.

"Herrn von Russdorf, perhaps you do not understand the offense which so many have taken.

"You have implied that you will only accede the Emperor's wish IF he acknowledges the Kingdom of Livonia. Such blatant demands are not common among those who gather in the Diet.

"Additionally, your initial speech seemed to say that of the entire Empire, only your Order and Genoa were of any consequence. Surely you and Herrn von Schellendorff understand how that might cause offense?

"I am amazed that you do not see how arrogant your words have appeared before this assembly. You and Herrn von Schellendorff seem to think that it is possible to insult the lords of the Empire and then to expect them to simply smile and accept such insults. I have in no way belittled the military prowess of the Order. The Teutonic Order is known for the bravery and courage of her warriors.

"But men who feel that they themselves are insulted and who perceive that you may be threatening the Empire will respond quickly in support of the Emperor."