Ducal Court of Piemonte

[Longinus]

A letter arrives.

“Onto most noble Antonio di Savoia, Duke of Piemonte,

Your Grace,

I was most pleased when I read the letter from Your Grace and saw your magnificent gifts for my children. Although young on the surface, you delivered us words of wisdom and balance, which an old man would not be ashamed of. Truly I am happy father and wish you to became one some day.

I wish to thank Your Grace for your kind and understanding words. Let Piemonte rejoice and with it the whole world for God’s grace is indeed infinite. Let us all pray to Almighty for miracles and humble our heads before him.

On more mundane matters I wish to call Your Grace to Nunberg in order to attend the matters
that you asked in the letter to the Lord-Chancellor. We have prepared and expect that you did it as well.

We wish thee and thou family good health and fortune,

Written in Stettin,

Joachim of the Greif, King of the Romans, King of Italy, King of Germany, Sword of Christ, Right Hand of the Church, Caesar Augustus, King of Sweden, Duke of Pommerania, Fürst of the House of the Greif. Duke of Poznan and Silesia, Margrave of Danzig, Prince-Protector of Sweden, Overlord of Ingermanland and Gotland, Master of the Imperial Hunt.”

 

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Following the total defeat of the army of Modena in Tuscany months ago, the people of Emilia have
been living in fear, menaced by the threat of a powerful alliance against them and left defenceless.
And finally the day comes when the guards manning the walls of the city shout the long feared words
loud upon the city:"The enemy is approaching!"
This send the ill equiped and morally shaken defenders to their posts, where they await the onslaught.
But as the enemy draws closer, they spot not the awaited massed army of their enemies, but the small
army of Piedmonte alone.
The piedmontese, however, are confident and attempt an all-out assault right away. But they are too few,
and the walls too strong for them to breach.
In the end, they have to retreat from the walls, leaving many of them behind dead.


Raimondo di Savoia was outraged. He lost more than nine hundred men under the walls, and even he lost his right ear, an arrow took it off – dry blood covered his head. He was like some devil from the Hell, as he was walking around and around in his tent, but his three surviving capitains were too much tired to really fear him.

“That bastard let us down!” Raimondo shouted. “But I will make him regret this! He shall rue this! Tuscany is not too much far away…”

The capitains exchanged glances.

“Your Excellence,” the first capitain risked to say “I don’t think this idea is very good…”

“I will make him repent his sins! I will! I will destroy Florence for this… I will bring him to Turin in an iron cage!”

“Your Excellence… The men are tired…”

“Now I can see his plan! Modena? He can take it with Naples easily… And now us! That devil has succeded to make us another easy target! His whining was just to hide his real intentions… That bastard son of a heathen swine, he want whole Italy! But I will… I will… I will kill him for this.”

“Err… Florence has great walls…”

Raimondo stopped. Only silence was heard… and the crying of the injured soldiers outside.

“Allright” Raimondo said after a pause. “Bring me paper and ink, I’m going to write a letter. Then go to sleep. It was a hard day, and we have to march many miles tomorrow.”

“Sire, it’s…”

“To Piemonte, of course. We are going home. Now get me that paper and ink!”

The capitains sighed in great relief. It’s always good to know our commander hasn’t gone mad yet.

 

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The Duke arrives to Nürnberg

After a long and tiresome travel, Antonio di Savoia arrived to Nürnberg. It was a rather peaceful journey, although they had been attacked by some rouges in Venetian lands, the soldiers routed the criminals easily.

The Duke of Piemonte had a quite large retinue of two hundred men and women: nobles, their ladies, soldiers, squires and pages, and so on. Although the people of Nürnberg were getting used to the such parades, they had never seen so many Italian at one place, so many of them watched the arrival of the Duke. The people were admiring the strange, yet fine clothes of the Italians, they were laughing on the Italians’ funny language and manners, and they were watching the young, almost childish Duke curiously.
He was somewhat ill-looking, but he was not without dignity, as he walked toward the building of the Reichstag with his secretary and the Italian ambassador, Benedetto Correano, not unknown in the local taverns, always beside him.

“His Most August Majesty ordered me to come, and I am here.” the young Duke said formally to the Imperial Diet. “Baron Kuppelweiser, please report my arrival to His Imperial Majesty. I will go to rest for a while. Let me know, if His Imperial Majesty arrived.”

 

[Prince Eugene]

A letter arrives from Florence.

"Marshal Raimondo di Savoia,

Know that I express great grief at the loss of an entire division of the Piemontese army. I am in question as to why you did not coordinate your attacks with the Duke of Tuscany. Naples took no part in this invasion of Modena, as we had more pressing matters to deal with with the Papal States. Unfortunately, a response from His Holiness concerning the Albanian rebels never arrived. I grant you my deepest apologies."

Signed,
Andrea Julian
Viceroy of Naples

 

[Prince Eugene]

Antonio di Savoia, Splendid Duke of Piemonte,

"The Neapolitan forces have successfully disembarked in Tuscany. I have set them at camp north of Pisa, preparing for an assault on Emilia. Two thousand men prepare to bloody the fortress of Emilia. I expect the presence of one thousand Piemontese soldiers, however your very own presence is not. Such a seen of gore and unrigtheousness is not suitable for your majesty. I also hope for the presence of two thousand Tuscan soldiers. Five thousand men is enough for me to lead our combined forces to victory."

For God!
Niccolo Guiterosi
Field Marshal, Army of Naples

 

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In Nürnberg; the coronation of Duke Antonio

Joachim turned to the seats of delegation of Piedmont, Lord-Chancellor said aloud.

”Antonio di Savoia, Duke of Piemonte, Please step forward before His Majesty.”

After that concluded Joachim smiled warmly to young duke and said.

“Most noble Antonio di Savoia, Duke of Piemonte

We are most pleased to see you in Nurnberg and that you responded our call so fast.

We have investigated your case very closely, and we feel that not only thee are worthy of the title of Imperial Prince but also foresee a bright future for Your Grace and lands under thay brilliant leadership.

With all these reasons we wish to invest thee with the title of Imperial Prince of full rights, responsibilities and privileges.

Thus We wish to give thee and worthy coronet.”

After saying that two pages approached holding a silver coronet on a red pillow. Joachim carefully took it into his hands.

“Antonio di Savoia, Duke of Piemonte, I hereby invest thee with the title of Imperial Prince.

May noone in your Duchy and outside of it doubt in the status of Piedmonte and House di Savoia anymore.”

Antonio was kneeling before the Emperor, and he began to recite his well-learned speech in a rather faint voice.

“I, Antonio di Savoia, do solemnly swear and acknowledge Your Most August Imperial Majesty to be my true and rightful liege. I swear I will obey Your Imperial Majesty, and I will defend Your Imperial Majesty with all my strength.
I hereby accept this coronet from Your Imperial Majesty to be weared by myself and later by my descendants – this coronet shall remind us forever, who our true lord is. I swear by the Holy Face of Saint Mary the Virgin, that the Dukes of Piemonte will be the most humble and most loyal servants of the Emperor for all times coming.”

After Joachim put the coronet on his head, Antonio stood up, bowed deeply before the Emperor, then stepped back to listen the continuation of the Emperor’s speech.
Everything went pretty well – Correano and Rizzio sighed in relief.

 

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In fact, the Piemontese army had not left Emilia after their defeat in the first battle of Modena. The army remained in the lands of the Duke of Modena, pillaging the northern parts of it: they were busy ravaging the countryside, burning down villages, and so on, as it was a habit in those good old times.
Raimondo di Savoia split his army to numerous little platoons, so these small groups could escape any Modenan counterstrike – a major attack was very unlikely as the Modenan army was destroyed in Tuscany.

As Duke Antonio was in Nürnberg at this time, the ruling of Piemonte was clumsy. When a letter arrived to Turin, it was redirected to Raimondo, who, as a chancellor, had the right to rule in the absence of the duke, and because the location of the army headquarters changed very frequently, the delay was inevitable.
So the letter of the Neapolitan marshal arrived to a proper person pretty late on, but still in time to act.
Raimondo gathered his army – the morale was fine, as although more than half of the army was lost in the past battle, Raimondo was a fine commander, he managed to make his men eager for the revenge… and let’s say it, they were glad to continue the plundering, and the rich city of Modena seemed to be a good target.

“For the Duke! For Raimondo! For God! For our dead comrades!” they were shouting, but of course they meant ‘For more gold to rob! For more fine women to rape!’

But anyway, the army of Piemonte was marching toward the rich city of Modena once again.

 

[Alexandru H.]

Giorgio Vallanti, the Tuscan ambassador, enters the throne room with a certain sorrow in his eyes and bows before the duke:

- The unfortunate events of these past months may have enraged your people and with good reasons. These legal requests from the Empire, begging the pope for military access, creating a viable alliance, may work very well north for Burgundy of England...but for Italy, no one even cares. We had hoped that the emperor could aid you in your first battle, but it seems he found things uninteresting for him. Maybe the deer in our forests isn't as popular for the Goths. My Lord was busy waiting for the Napolitan Army, but in all this confusion (where the Pope played a key role), he may have forgotten to consult with your Grace.

We are again pawns in the hands of the mighty. And whatever bloody thoughts my Duke, Cosimo de Medici, may have had two months ago, they all dissapeared in the mist, along with any desire to fight. He will send his armies for a final confruntation, but he will not be present. Death is something Modena should have learned to stay away from.

 

[Longinus]

Finally new orders arrived from Nurnberg and soon Pommern contingent fully flagged with Imperial and Greif colors arrived near Modena. The army was numerous and had superior morale and equipment, German soldiers were happy to travel though rich and warm Italians lands. However, their orders were strict as they were wearing the colors of Empror, their leader kept them with iron hand.

Longinus van Eyck, general of the Imperial army, arrived in the Piemontesse camp accompanied with a handful of knights. He headed directly to marshal’s tent.

General van Eyck meets with Raimondo di Savoia​

“Greetings Raimondo di Savoia, Marshal of the Piedmont’s Army,

I am Longinus van Eyck, Imperial General and leader of the army that has come to your aid.

We gave Modena plenty of time to surrender yet they ignored words of reason, thus Emperor, although forgiving man of kind heart ordered our troops to secure the Duchy. We are well aware that your soldiers are eager to fight back and that is an old privilege of mercenary to certain bonuses apart of his regular fee. However, we recived direct orders from His Majesty, “No pillages, No areocities, I shall not let my subjects suffer for the sins and madness of one man.”

His Majesty decision is final and I hope that will understand this, these are Imperial lands and these peoples, although differ from you, are Italians as well. It is Christian duty to forgive and not to throw stones at your kindred, think how would you feel if your own house was burnt and family slain or worse.

Convey this message to all your troops, there shall be no atrocities in the city, my soldiers will make sure of it, those guilty will be punished accordingly.”

However, Longinus’ face betrays his real feelings, as he is an old knight, clearly he do not support this order with his heart.

 

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Modena

The defenders of Emilia, who have gained confidence from the last month and the successful defense of their walls against the army of Piedmonte, feel their
hearts sink as one day the cry "Enemy armies aproaching" is called from the outlooks on the walls. It should be called out two more times, and by the last time
the combined armies of Tuscany, Pommerania, Piedmonte and Naples would be assembled in front of their earthworks.
The assault, finally brought forward, is swift and decisive, as the few defenders, ill-equipment and their spirits badly shaken, are overrun by sheer numbers.



The once rich city of Modena was burning.
Nobody knew, who was the one, who actually threw that torch on the ducal palace – maybe he was a Piemontese, getting revenge on his brother who died in the previous battle. Maybe he was a Tuscan, enraged about the late Niccolo’s insult. Maybe he was a Neapolitan, who had heard many tales about the satanic duke, those fast spreading rumours about Niccolo used to hold some devilish ceremonies in that building. Maybe it was a Pommern soldier, unaware of the orders of his Emperor, just for fun. And it’s also possible, that it was a Modenan, a desperate peasant maybe, who suffered so much because of the madness of his lord.

Nobody tried to extinguish the fire. The foreign soldiers couldn’t care less, they were busy robbing the people of Modena, and the people of Modena were busy trying to protect their possessions and their lives.
But there were some of them, who didn’t care about anything, they were drinking the most expensive wines, they stealed from the cellars of their duke, they were laughing wholeheartedly when the mercenaries raped their female relatives, they were laughing, when their houses burned down to ashes. These miserable ones were even dancing around the huge fire what once was the palace of the Duke, they were dancing, singing, laughing, as if it was some kind a celebration going on…

***

“Danse macabre” Raimondo di Savoia said, watching the cheerful crowd from the window. He watched the crowd and the fire for some more moments, then he turned back to Longinus van Eyck. “We can’t do anything, Sire. It even doesn’t worth a try. Tomorrow, maybe. Or the day after tomorrow.”

They were in a palazzo of a high ranking Modenan noble who fled well before siege, and it served now as headquarters, as well as shelters for the commanders of the united army.

“Yes, maybe the day after tomorrow” Raimondo repeated, still watching the flames. “Then the really hard work begins… restoring order in the city… and in the whole duchy! Oh, Sire, that is the hardest part of the duties of a soldier… “

The firestorm what once was the ducal palace of Modena enlightened the room, making everything red and yellow.

“Perhaps we should move to somewhere else…” Raimondo added minutes later. “Although I don’t think it will spread over here. Notice this large square…” Then he turned to Longinus once again. “Sire, this is not our fault. Mercenaries always act so. If we would try to calm them, they would burn us as well… Let’s wait until tomorrow. Then we will enforce the orders of the Emperor… Until that… well, let’s pray for a rain.”

 

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An overly fat, old man, sitting on a simle wooden chair (barely suiteable for his unbelievably large body), beside the empty throne, replies to Vallanti. He is Angelo Correano, the renegade Venetian merchant, now the treasurer of Piemonte.

“Heh… hmm… As the Duke… khm… is in Nürnberg… and Chancellor Raimondo is in Modena… eh… I think, it’s me, who is in charge… yes. Hmm… Pawns of the mighty, you say… I would say, pawns of the Almighty, hehe… hehe… well, khm…. hmmm… hmmmm… So I will let the proper person know about your words… Raimondo, maybe, yes… hm… Antonio is too far… khm… yes. They will judge about this… hmmm…
But… hmmm… I would suggest you no to use… well… such harsh words about the Emperor, here… hm-hmm… the Duke is a guelf… well… yes… you surely don’t want another affair like Modena, uh? So… Now begone… hmmm… Antonio will write… hm… a proper reply… to your duke, yes.”

 

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Ugly rumours spread fast.
And change...

The news of the arrest of the Genoese Doge arrived to Turin in four days – quite an achievement regarding that the fastest courier could do the same distance only in a week.
But the couriers do have the advantage that they don’t change the carried message…

In Turin, the people were talking about the Empire falling to pieces, about armies marching toward Genoa and Piemonte. Many talked about a duel between the Genoese Doge and the Emperor, others claimed, it was a duel between Duke Antonio and the Emperor, and there were those who said, it was the Doge, who duelled the Duke.
There were stories about the death of the Duke, the death of the Emperor, and about the death of anybody else the storytellers could think of.

The nobles were talking about the inevitable independence of Piemonte – independence from what? Good question. Many claimed Antonio broke his vassal oath to Genoa, alhtough others said, Piemonte is not the part of the Empire anymore. Some western nobles thought, this would be a good moment to a revolt, but the others calmed them down, saying the Genoese Doge, as the new Emperor would surely assist Antonio in a counterstrike…

But there were the people with good common sense, and they didn’t care about the whole thing.

“Ugly rumors” they said and shrugged their shoulders.

Ugly rumors… but the reality behind them was no less ugly.

 

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In Nürnberg

Correano was schocked after hearing the message of the Pope. Not because he was an overly pious person – for he wasn’t –, but because he was forced to decide then. He knew, there’s no way he could continue his middle-of-the-road politics… and, just to add to his insults, he knew, that his decision will affect the future of Piemonte severely.
The Duke? Oh, it was easy to persuade him to do anything, it was easy to control him. He was a weak personality, always under the influence of others. Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t stupid, or anything – although Correano often claimed this –, he was just a little… slow. If he was given enough time, he was able to accomplish any task, sometimes he showed truly extraordinary talents. Also, he was very well educated both in religious and mundane terms – not common in the rather rural duchy of Piemonte.
And he wasn’t mad. Well, the psychical effects of the lameness of his right leg made him somehow childish, but in normal circumstances, he was absolutely sane, somtimes he showed true wiseness, many agreed that he has bright future.

But anyway, it can be said, that although he lost the control later, it was Correano, who made the decision in Nürnberg, in that terrible, stormy spring of 1439…


“Your Imperial Majesty is right as always” Correano began in a low voice. “My Duke is still here in Nürnberg, always at Your Imperial Majesty’s disposal…”

Correano watched Antonio as he stood up – and Correano noticed the admiring, fanatically admiring look, his Duke gave to the Emperor… and he didn’t like it. This admiring look was reserved only to Raimondo before, and Correano didn’t like the idea, that Antonio would do everything, the the Emperor wants with the same enthusiasm as he had done to Raimondo before.

‘But perhaps’ he thought ‘he would benefit from being close to such a great man… oh yeah, insane, that’s for sure, but great anyway… or perhaps Antonio will grow to be the puppet of Joachim… Oh, by the blood of god, I don’t care! I’m not the nurse of Tonio, nor the nurse of Piemonte! By the blood, let me rest for a while…’

“Your Most August Imperial Majesty,” Antonio began and bowed “I was always proud of that I was raised in Genoa. And when my father died, I thought Doge Doria could be someone I can rely on, because I thought he is a wise and honourable man – well, maybe not the best Christian, but definately a wise man. I sweared that I will support this man in his every move, that I will be with him in the bad times, that I will be by his side until the very end… although I did not understand some of his business. But I thought he has the right reasons, I thought I do not understand them only because I am nor clever enough…
But now! The message of His Holyness finally opened my eyes! Now I understand everything he did! Now I can see his ugly reasons!”

Antonio sighed, then he continued his speech in a much lower voice; Correano gave him a respecting look. He would never thought that his Duke is able to speak so well.

“Sire, I am known as a tolerant man. I welcome even Muslims in my court, if they are well-learned, or they can show with something else, they are worthy enough… But now I can see, the being we call Alessandro Doria, he is much worse than the worst of the Mongol barbarians! That being must not be the one who I knew! Some evil is possessing his body now, that is for sure, maybe the Satan himself! Doge Alessandro Doria made a great mistake when he did business with the devil: he thought he could outwit the Great Tempter, as he could outwit the heathens, but all his skills and talents were not enough, he lost! He lost his body, he lost his soul, he lost his very self to the Satan, he is not himself anymore!
I can see now. That being we call Alessandro Doria is a mere spawn of the devil, a demon from the depths of the hell – although I still hope that I am wrong, that there is a mistake somewhere…
But until the court of the holy inquisition do not verify my hopes, I regard that being the embodied Satan – and Piemonte would never be the servant of the Satan!
Hereby I announce I do not regard the mentioned being my liege anymore!”

Antonio was not shouting – he was almost screaming, his voice flying higher and higher… Correano was surprised at the weird behaviour of the Duke, of course he was, but he knew his duty: he jumped beside the Duke in the instant.

“Calm down, Sire, calm down!” he whispered into Antonio’s ear. “Acting so don’t lead us anywhere!”

Antonio’s look was hollow, when sat down. He seemed to be exhausted – surely because the great emotional efforts, everybody claimed.

‘He is the best actor I have ever seen…’ an admiring Correano thought ‘But… maybe he really believes all this shit…?’

After some moments, Antonio made a small gesture toward the confused Correano, allowing him to speak.

“Khm… Well… His Grace would like to add that although he does not recognize Alessandro Doria as his lord, as well as he does not regard the currently ruling rebellious crowd as a proper governing body of the Republic of Genoa, however Piemonte still accepts the lordship of a legal and true Genoese government… as soon as such is found.
Also, as soon as Alessandro Doria is cleared from the charges by the court of the holy inquisition, His Grace will send his deepest apologies to the Doge. Then His Grace would go to Genoa bare-footed, dressed in a monk’s habit, and would beg for the Doge’s pardon with the most humility.
And finally, His Grace needs Your Majesty to accept and confirm this merely temporal breaking of his vassalage, as Your Imperial Majesty is the legal overlord of both Genoa and Piemonte.”

Antonio nodded, signing that he agrees with the words of Correano. Correano sighed, then sat back beside his Duke, after his usual bow toward the Emperor.

He was frightened by the behaviour of Antonio. He planned that the whole thing would go in silence, but this… Antonio was changing. And Correano was not sure whether he likes this change.
He didn’t even think about the possibility that Antonio perhaps grew up – although this happened on that day. As if he was waiting just for this meeting with the Emperor before, meeting this obsessed man, this nearly insaneously religious man, this fanatic, to grew up to be an adult, a determined person.

But anyway, Correano’s confusion helped him not to think and worry about that decision he made…

 

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As Duke Antonio was still in Nürnber, and Raimondo still hadn’t arrived from Modena, the treasurer, Angelo Correano had to deal with the Genoese ambassador. After exchanging letters with his Duke, he summoned the ambassador to the library of the ducal palace.

“Well… khm… Signore Fieschi…” Angelo Correano said “… now that our countries… khm… there is a tension bewtween us, yes… to say… hm… at least… We don’t want you to leave… Feel free to remain in Turin… khm… And we will not arrest you or anything… as we know you a gentleman… khm… and as a gentleman, please… well… don’t use your freedom to spread rumours… and please do not use harsh words about the Emperor… or the Duke… khm… Although you are absolutely free… to move anywhere in the palace… khm… and in the city… well… we have to assaign two soldiers to escort you… khm… to prevent… any attacks against you… the peasantry is unaccountable… yes…
…Heh… but if you… khm… would like to be arrested… hehe… to share the fate of your Doge… hehehe… it can be done… hehe… it’s like a habit in Genoa… hehehe… khm… forgive this little joke of an old man… yes… that is… all… I wanted to… say, yes, say.”

 

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Fieschi, stone-cold, looked at Correano.

"My good man, you do know this will mean war?"

 

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Angelo Correano smiles like an angel.

“Ah-ah, Signore Fieschi, do not take it so seriously… khm… you are a young… yes, young man, who draws his sword before … well… thinking… Calm down, calm down signore, we can’t clear this, if we are angry… yes.
Khm… Let’s talk about it beside the table, with a glass of wine in our hands… khm… not a sword! Perhaps you… ahem… misunderstood this whole thing…
We… khm… welcome the friendship and lordship of Genoa… but we can’t accept the lordship of one who is charged… khm… with so serious charges… yes. Although I am not that overly religious person… Me myself was schocked… pact with the Devil! Hah! You can’t believe… we remain… loyal, yes, loyal… if there is a single possibility if it’s true!
But again… calm down, good Fiechi… As soon as your Doge is cleared from this charges… khm… and personally I am sure this will happen… well, if so, out previous most cordial relationship… will be restored… and His Grace wants this… yes…
War, you said, war… well… war is bad, war is so bad… Signore Fieschi, are you ready for a civilized agreement? I… hm… I am sure those ugly charges will be forgotten… after those damned priests… I mean those noble inquisitors, hehe… hehehe… so they examine the case of Doge Doria… and maybe the whole affair will be meaningless… as the Duke will go back to the Doge as a… deceived son… to his father… yes.
So I propose… let’s wait until the priests do their job… let’s wait until that, yes… and we could talk after it… later… whatever is the outcome… So we can spare so many Genoese and Piemontese lives… and profit…
If the Doge is to be burned… well, we can still wage war then, eh?

But now… Fieschi… please, join me to a late lunch… perhaps we could finish it before the dinner starts… it’s always a pleasure… khm, yes, pleasure… to talk with you.”

 

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Fieschi, still cool, replied.

"Dinner sounds good."

Later, when they are eating, Fieschi brings the topic back up, while pouring a glass of wine.

"My friend, I was stating the unavoidable, if you do not change your decision. You seriously slap us in the face when you even concider it a possibility that the Doge is something as stupid as a heretic. Genoa knows that it is a conspiracy, and so should you. You have violated the most binding bond between two realms, and if there ever was a valid casus belli, this would be it. Not even the Emperor can deny us the right to punish you thoroughly. And what would you do IF the church convicted the Doge for heresy? No... I most certainly disagree with you, when you say I shouldn't take it so seriously.
Also, may I remind you that you have not sworn your oath to the Doge as such, but to the Republic of Genoa. My friend, you may think of this as something that can be taken lightly, but I assure you, that the Republic of Genoa is furious, especially since you Piemontese of all people should back your overlord. Leaving us in the middle of the current crisis is like stabbing us in the back. You should have known better than that.
However, I am willing to hear what kind of "agreement" you had in mind, but remember this: if it doesn't involve your return to us, we will come and drag you back. That is not a threat, that is a promise.
And believe me, I am quite calm, but angry nonetheless. Severage of vassalship is a most serious step to take. I think you only have a few days to undo this mistake, If I know the captains of Genoa right. Let us hope that the nobles of Piemonte will display more character than some other Piemontese have."

 

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Angelo Correano seems to be very happy. He is less confused now, with that two bottles of wine he drank.

“Hehe… hehehe… good Fiechi, it’s always so good to speak with you… You are a civilized man, not like these rural nobles, these Piemontese… hehe… They are always so rude, and so headstrong… now… khm… on the topic… yes…
I just proposed to be… khm… less serious, because we, two of us, are not enemies at all… let those pesky rulers fight… We can serve them of course… but we don’t have to be enemies… !
You are right about… khm… that the Duke acted quite… hm-hmmm… stupidly, when said Doria a heretic. But let me point out that hearing that he may be heretic, was a slap on OUR face… In my point of view, no ruler should give the damned priests an opportunity to accuse him with such charges… In this modern world, such accusation often equals the certainty, yes… And the Duke, as a highly pious person, he was schocked hearing the POSSIBILITY that he is the vassal of a heretic… the embodied Satan, hehehe… hehe… he… khm…
And admit it, this ‘pact with the Devil’-thing fits well in the picture… Those questonable businesses with the Muslims… Those outbursts in the Diet… Disobeying the Emperor… khm…
Also, you are right again, our lord is… was… hehe… not the Doge, but the Republic. But as the Republic is under the rule of the Doge… at least it’s still ruled in the spirit of the Doge… so you may forget this one as a reason. Of course as soon as Doria is condemned by the Republic, we are ready to restore the vassalage… Although it’s quite unlikely.
Oh, and this leads us to my proposal… well…
Primo: let’s wait with this war until Doria’s trial is over. Until that, let’s maintain the current… hot peace.
Secundo: if Doria was cleared… Duke Antonio would beg for his pardon, would go to Genoa bare-footed, and the other hollow and stupid things… And we give Monaco to Genoa, with all the renegade Genoese there… plus we are ready to abolish all taxes on the Genoese merchants passing the Alps… Regarding that our income is mostly generated from these tolls, it would be a generous reparation.
Tertio: if Doria was convicted… then… khm… war… maybe… if you want it so much. But I suggest you to talk about the matter then… Although Antono is determined enough to ruin Piemonte, not everybody here is so… stupid.”

Angelo Correano looks at Fieschi very seriously.

“Can I trust you, signore? I will have another offer for you then. But I don’t want to speak it out yet. I don’t want Antonio to know about that one. Let’s speak about this again, when the third possibility occurs.”

After moments of silence, Angelo Correano is his old self again.

“Now… that we have time … what would you think about an other bottle? Or maybe an other meal?”

 

[unmerged(9313)]

Fieschi gets a letter from a messenger coming from Nurnberg.

"Aha... it seems our concerns were valid enough. The Emperor did support your revolt. The conspiracy is complete.
Well, this settles everything. I am very sorry, Correano, but this will truely, sorry to use the expression, piss off the government in Genoa. I suggest you and I find a fast way to return Piemonte under Genoese rule, or war will most definately come... soon."

 

[unmerged(9313)]

Fieschi hands over a letter from Genoa to Correano.

"I'm sorry, my friend, but this is the official demand of re-vassalisation from the Genoese council. I hoped it wouldn't come to this, for it is truly a sad day when brothers have to fight because one tyrant in Nurnberg decided to cripple one of the brothers. I understand if you ask me to leave this realm, but I would think it would be better to stay, since I personally hope, that it isn't too late to stop this tragedy."

The letter:

Rebels.

You broken your duchy's vassalisation with the Republic of Genoa through a foul conspiracy. You have 8 days (ooc: tomorrow this time) to undo your decision. Should you decide not to do so, you will find yourself at war with the Republic of Genoa.

Signed
Andrea Doria
Rafael Spinola
Marco Fieschi
Georgio Grimaldi