The University of Vienna, usually a quiet campus, was exceptionally lively today.
Aside from the crowds outside the school walls eager to join the excitement, the university campus itself was bustling with people. Ultimately, over two hundred candidates participated in the examination arranged by the Emperor.
The Emperor's guard filled every corner of the school to prevent any potential incidents, and a portion of Vienna's city guard was also deployed to handle security.
People were discussing the upcoming examination at the university, though most of the conversations revolved around the Emperor.
After all, ordinary people had little to no understanding of legal examinations. Those truly interested in the matter—lawyers and notaries—clustered together, discussing the Emperor's intentions with their peers.
Compared to the judicial officials in the Imperial Court, this examination seemed to have a much greater impact on these semi-professional legal practitioners scattered among the populace.
Whether they were lawyers handling litigation or notaries handling non-litigation matters, their roles and identities were somewhat ambiguous. Notaries, who continued from the old Roman system, were relatively stable, but the legal profession suffered a fatal blow after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It only began to revive in recent centuries with the resurgence of Roman law.
Before this, even lawsuits involving the Emperor were often decided by canon law or resolved through duels.
Even for Otto the Great, who founded the Empire, a dispute among the jurists in his court regarding the division of noble inheritances was ultimately resolved when a knight representing one side killed the opposing knight in combat. This also served as the basis for the establishment of many early Imperial laws.
It can be said that, due to Germanic traditions, the development of the legal profession was almost stagnant throughout the Middle Ages, and its status was largely unrecognized by official authorities.
Compared to arguing in court based on written statutes, resolving disputes with highly flexible customary law and duels under divine gaze was clearly easier and more aligned with the stereotype of Germanic barbarians, wasn't it?
However, the Emperor clearly did not think so.
"So, you have gathered us here for..." a lawyer summoned to the Imperial Court of Justice for a meeting asked, glancing at his colleagues around the long table.
The court legal advisor presiding over the meeting solemnly replied, "Gentlemen, you are the most outstanding group of lawyers in the city of Vienna. You have been summoned here to establish professional standards and create a professional guild for lawyers through a collective meeting. This is the Emperor's decree."
"The Emperor?"
"Remarkable..."
The lawyers were quite surprised by this news.
They hadn't felt much when they first heard that the Emperor was holding a judicial examination.
But hearing that the Emperor intended to promote the professionalization of the legal industry made them feel the Emperor's determination to implement the rule of law.
"In the future, the Emperor will gradually promote the improvement of the legal system, and judicial procedures will become increasingly rigorous. Therefore, the existence of professional lawyers will be particularly important, especially in the field of civil disputes. The Emperor hopes to achieve the goal of judicial fairness to repay the people's long-standing support and loyalty to him, and this requires the joint efforts of the Imperial Court of Justice and all you litigation agents," the host patiently explained.
"It is our honor to serve the Emperor."
Everyone present was intelligent; no one asked if they would be allowed to intervene in criminal litigation.
The civil law portion of the current Imperial Code was already very detailed, while the criminal law portion, which was still being improved, completely excluded defense lawyers.
For crimes that threatened public safety and social stability, the Imperial Court had full discretion. Here, the Emperor did not permit debate, replacing it with arrests by bailiffs, torture to extract confessions, and indisputable trials.
Preventing similar crimes through extreme violence was clearly the exclusive right of the imperial government agencies; no one questioned this point.
Looking on the bright side, the Emperor at least established their necessity in civil litigation, which meant their business would surely improve in the future.
Thinking of this, the lawyers present all showed great interest in the proposal to establish a guild.
"But we didn't participate in the examination held at the University of Vienna, so we can't obtain the professional certificates issued by the Emperor. If we establish a guild like this, won't it raise questions from the public?" a lawyer asked cautiously.
"Gentlemen, you need not worry about this. The Emperor has instructed the Imperial Court of Justice to specially prepare an assessment for you. Lawyers who pass the assessment will receive certificates, and notaries will also be granted a seal by the Emperor for handling matters such as inheritance, commercial trade, and the conclusion of covenants."
Unlike lawyers, the notaries gathered on the other side were not entirely civilian legal practitioners. Theoretically, notaries were auxiliary personnel attached to the Imperial Court.
After the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire, the German Emperor continued some of Augustus's powers and granted the privileges of notaries to local princes.
Princes would appoint notaries, those personally appointed by the Imperial Archchancellor held a slightly higher status, and notaries confirmed by the Emperor through edicts were undoubtedly the most authoritative.
These individuals, responsible for handling non-litigation matters for judicial organs, were fully called "Notaries of the Empire and Privilege." Their credibility and authority in handling legal affairs actually derived from the Empire.
Now, they could have their authority tied to the Emperor's authority through assessment, which was undoubtedly a huge temptation.
Not long after, the elite lawyers and notaries who had been summoned unanimously decided to participate in the assessment according to the Emperor's decree, with the date set for two weeks later.
The focus of the meeting then returned to the issue of establishing a guild, strictly speaking, mainly discussing what industry standards and professional ethics should be established.
Relying on vague past consensus was no longer viable; now they needed to establish clearer standards, build industry barriers, and filter out all opportunists.
...
Inside the chapel of the University of Vienna, Laszlo and Archbishop Georg sat side by side on a bench, resting.
They had just finished inspecting the many examination halls distributed across the campus, and thus an entire morning had passed.
"The quality of these candidates is quite good; their memory and understanding of some basic legal provisions are relatively clear."
Laszlo recalled the several debates he had just audited, and his mood was quite good.
"Many of them completed their graduation examination debates and achieved satisfactory results just over half a month ago, so such a performance is not surprising," Georg explained.
"Those who meet the standards can be issued certificates. After all, this is just a qualification examination; the selection process in the Imperial Court afterward is the most crucial part."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Georg nodded.
The Archbishop still had some reservations about this examination, which was heavily influenced by Eastern characteristics and led by the Emperor.
Judging from the historical development of the Eastern Roman Empire, the system of implementing judicial examinations and using them to select officials almost inevitably led to a situation where graduates from the highest educational institution in the capital formed factions and monopolized the entire bureaucracy.
Whether it was academic institutions run by local churches or universities invested in and controlled by the Emperor himself, they would eventually be completely overshadowed by the University of Vienna.
However, with the slow improvement of Austria's bureaucratic system, worrying about such problems was clearly unnecessary at present.
Another concern for the Archbishop was the Emperor's attitude towards the nobility and the Church. Although the three forces generally maintained a delicate balance, the Emperor's support and emphasis on cities and the burgher class were now undisguised.
Perhaps in the near future, cities, which had always been the fourth Estate in the Estates, would be elevated to the same level as the clergy and nobility, and become a major asset for the Emperor.
The Archbishop could understand this; after all, urban development brought commercial prosperity and economic growth, and wealthy citizens began to imitate the nobility, placing increasing importance on the education of the next generation.
The Emperor opening this door for them was actually to fully mobilize the nation's resources, which in itself was beyond reproach.
However, the political arena of Austria was only so big. The Church and the nobility already crowded it enough; if the burgher class were to also get involved...
"How is the criminal law portion of the Code progressing?" Laszlo's words interrupted Georg's thoughts.
"It's largely complete. The provisions regarding sentencing and trial procedures have been refined. Do you plan to promulgate this Code at the next Imperial Diet?"
"Yes, judicial trials across the Empire have always been in a state of chaos and disorder. Even with the establishment of courts in major regions, this situation has not improved.
I intend to end this terrible situation, which should be an achievement no less significant than achieving peace in the Empire."
Despite his words, Laszlo's expression was very calm.
How difficult it would be to promote a clear legal code throughout the entire Empire.
"I'm afraid the princes won't easily accept the laws you've enacted, will they?" Georg temporarily put aside his worries about Austria's internal situation and began to consider the state of the Empire.
Compared to Austria, where internal conflicts were easing, the Empire was like a huge melting pot, with all sorts of conflicts brewing day and night, seemingly without end.
He genuinely admired the Emperor's ambition to integrate such a fragmented Empire.
"Many are clamoring for me to unify the laws, and not a few silently wish to maintain the status quo. What they are concerned about is nothing more than their own interests.
Our Code, in addition to being applied in the Imperial Court of Justice, can also serve as supplementary law, providing a reference standard for parts not discussed in the customary laws throughout the Empire. If we can achieve this goal, it will be good enough. As for more... we'll take it one step at a time."
Laszlo was not disheartened by the current difficulties; he actually still had some patience—he did not intend to be overly aggressive when facing the entire Empire.
The Archbishop breathed a sigh of relief and expressed agreement with the Emperor's view.
At this moment, Foreign Minister Clement rushed into the small chapel, hurrying directly to Laszlo.
"Your Majesty, the Elector of Saxony has left Vienna. It is said that he was furious after returning to his residence. Now, only a legal advisor from Saxony has been left behind to handle the upcoming lawsuit."
"Let him leave. The power of the Electors will have to be suppressed sooner or later; conflict is inevitable," Laszlo said indifferently.
"Your handling... might be too aggressive?" Clement cautiously raised his doubts.
"The House of Wettin of Saxony, with the Elector in Leipzig and the Duke in Dresden, and their uncle Count Wilhelm of Thuringia, can barely maintain co-rule now. A split is inevitable in the future.
I do not wish for any Elector's power to grow further, so your most important task now is to maintain my relationship with the Duke of Saxony. Do not let the matter of Halle affect his loyalty to me—you know what to do, right?"
Laszlo was well aware of the situation in Saxony, and his suppression of the Elector of Saxony was not an impulsive decision.
If he wanted to assert dominance in the Empire, the Electors were an unavoidable obstacle.
If he couldn't gradually eliminate the threat of the Electors in his era, then in the future, there might still be a Schmalkaldic League or even princely alliances like the Protestant Union, formed under various pretexts to oppose the Emperor—creating such division wouldn't even require much effort, merely gathering a group of princes dissatisfied with the Emperor would suffice, especially for the Electors.
"I understand, Your Majesty."
With a slight hint from Laszlo, Clement immediately guessed the Emperor's plan.
Now, Wilhelm III, the uncle of the Elector and Duke of Saxony, was over sixty and had no children. This meant that his Thuringian county and Margrave of Meissen titles would pass to the two brothers upon his death.
At that time, the Elector, with his superior status and hard power, would clearly be able to claim more from this generous inheritance.
What the Emperor intended to do was to ensure that the younger brother, the Duke of Saxony, would prevail in this inheritance dispute, and in turn, as a separate branch of the family, help the Emperor suppress the main branch that held the Elector title.
The same strategy was used against the Hohenzollern Family in the past, but by a strange turn of events, the Hohenzollern Family was reunited, making the situation much more complicated.
Hopefully, there would be no more mishaps this time.
"Anything else?"
"News from Naples: Ferdinand I levied a dowry tax for his Daughter who is about to get married, triggering a large-scale rebellion."
"This..." Laszlo was speechless.
"Because King Ferdinand's eldest daughter is about to marry the Duke of Ferrara, and his second daughter is also expected to marry Prince Maximilian soon, he levied a large special tax at once.
According to letters from Naples, he originally prepared a dowry of 50,000 florins for his eldest daughter and 30,000 florins for his second daughter. Later, he decided to raise his second daughter's dowry to 50,000 florins as well. It was this last additional tax that triggered the peasant uprising, and the long-suppressed Anjou nobility also took the opportunity to rebel.
Therefore, King Ferdinand requests a temporary postponement of the marriage arrangements."
"So be it. I'm already worried about going to Aachen; a postponement is fine."
Just thinking about having to travel to the western part of the Empire and then to Italy, Laszlo felt overwhelmed.
As for the mess in Naples, Laszlo didn't even have the energy to complain.
Such a rotten country, such a rotten monarch, whatever happens, let it be.