"First it was the Knightly Leagues—they have little influence and are willing to fulfill their military duties, so I tolerated it. Now the lower Estates want to join the fray and cause a scene? Do they truly think I won't lose my temper?"
Despite his words, Laszlo appeared exceptionally calm. Aside from a slightly grim expression, he wasn't as furious as many had imagined. However, those close to the Emperor knew this was merely the calm before the storm. The Emperor was always patient with the various Estates of the Empire, but that tolerance was not without its limits.
Clearly, this time the princes had miscalculated.
"Your Majesty, I believe their demands aren't entirely beyond consideration. Do you remember the regional advisory groups we briefly implemented in the Third Estate?"
Archbishop Adolf felt compelled to step in and soothe the Emperor's mood. He genuinely worried that the Emperor might completely break with the princes. If Imperial peace was lost, how could he peacefully conduct the Emperor's business and secure interests for his own family?
"Advisory groups?"
Laszlo pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of reorganizing the Third Estate. Previously, he had indeed been somewhat dismissive, excluding the Third Estate entirely. This had led directly to the knightly class withdrawing from the Diet system. Now, the counts, lords, and lower-level abbeys and church lands—who formed a vital tax base—were clamoring for representation.
To an outsider, it might look like America; a group of isolated counts and clerics actually intended to pull a "no taxation without representation" stunt. It seemed they hadn't tasted the iron fist of feudalism lately.
However, Laszlo agreed with the principle that it is better to channel water than to dam it. The traditional German psychology of "feud-seeking and combativeness" led to endless disputes between small states. When these small states united, they could even threaten the large ones, ultimately causing internal disorder and making the Empire appear weak to outsiders. Even a Knightly League could muster enough strength to intimidate a Circle Governor, let alone a union of counts and abbeys.
While the Imperial army could likely steamroll them Circle by Circle if it came to blows, the cost would undoubtedly outweigh the gain. Currently, the princes were also being difficult, each harboring their own schemes. Despite all he had done for the Empire, people only fixated on what he gained, accusing him of using Imperial troops and funds for the benefit of the House of Habsburg.
In that case, he might as well expand representation. Let a few advisory groups join in to muddy the waters; this would also secure the support of the lower Estates.
Then, Laszlo's eyes flickered as he made a final calculation: whether to use this moment to "throw in the towel" on the old system. His choice would undoubtedly send a shockwave through the Imperial structure, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The old path of reform had hit a bottleneck. The princes realized things were changing and were no longer so easily fooled; he couldn't be blamed for shifting his strategy.
"Very well. We shall organize several Noble Councils and Clerical Councils based on their rank and region. We will allocate votes according to the taxes and troops they contribute, and allow them to send representatives to vote in the two Chambers of Princes. How does that sound?"
"Your Majesty, that is more than enough to quell the anger of the lower Estates," Clement hurried to agree.
Archbishop Adolf and the others also breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Emperor's methods were becoming increasingly dominant, he had not completely abandoned reason in favor of the sword. This was a rare quality in a young and capable monarch.
"And what of the specific reorganization of the Third Estate?"
"We shall merge the Noble Councils, consisting of counts and lords, into the Secular Chamber of Princes. The Clerical Councils, consisting of abbeys and church ranks, will merge into the Ecclesiastical Chamber. The Imperial Knights and Imperial Villages have already been struck from the rolls. What remains is the assembly of Free Cities; henceforth, the Third Estate shall be renamed the **Chamber of Cities**."
"They shall retain the right to submit petitions and resolutions, and the right to participate in discussions regarding fiscal burdens and commerce. Members of the Chamber shall be under the Emperor's protection, enjoying full autonomy and both low and high judicial rights—but they shall not be granted the power to vote or veto."
"That is sufficient. I have a way to use these terms to persuade the members of the Third Estate to sign the two regulations," Clement guaranteed confidently.
Laszlo nodded slightly, though he felt no joy. The Chamber of Princes remained the greatest obstacle in his path.
"Archbishop Adolf, will the College of Electors and the Chamber of Princes have an issue with this reorganization?"
"Certainly not, Majesty. Such a change serves the Empire's interests. You need only notify the members of both chambers."
"Then how do we make those shortsighted men in the Chamber of Princes abandon their foolish ideas and accept the updated regulations?"
"Perhaps you could summon groups of princes to your residence privately and find a way to persuade them to change their minds."
"Negotiations again. Always negotiations," Laszlo shook his head, rejecting the Imperial Chancellor's suggestion. Negotiation implied a surrender of interests. To change the princes' minds, he would inevitably have to make concessions or use the threat of force—neither of which felt dignified.
"However, the method is not without merit. I should invite some people. Adolf, I wish to extend the recess. Christopher, Archbishop Sixtus, and Clement—help me invite all the Imperial princes who maintain friendly relations with Austria. After that, gather the lower Estates of Austria, Burgundy, Swabia, and Bavaria. I need to have a proper talk with them."
"Yes, Majesty."
The leaders of the Diet gathered before the Emperor received their orders and departed to fulfill their tasks. The sudden pause in the confrontational Diet eased the tension among the various Estates. However, everyone knew that if the Emperor continued to push for the collection of the Common Tax, the conflict would eventually erupt.
The Electors were supposed to exercise their influence at this time; as regional powers, they could largely sway the positions of other princes. Unfortunately, whether that influence favored or opposed the Emperor remained to be seen.
***
On the other side of the city, Ernst, Elector of Saxony, and Albrecht "Achilles," Elector of Brandenburg, met again during the Emperor's lull in operations.
"Did the Elector of Bavaria reject your invitation again?" Albrecht asked, unsurprised to see Ernst waiting alone.
"That fellow is about to marry the Emperor's daughter. It seems impossible for him to associate with us now." Ernst curled his lip. He had previously felt a certain kinship with the Bavarian Elector, who was close to him in age, but now, the shift in alignment made him see his colleague in a different light.
The Archbishop of Mainz and the Elector of Bavaria were the Emperor's dogs. The Archbishop of Trier was the Burgundian King's dog. The Archbishop of Cologne was a new dog raised by the Emperor—though the House of Hesse's stance didn't seem as firm as imagined. Of course, the Hesse family was still in a honeymoon phase with the Emperor, so Ernst had found no chance to sow discord.
"The Emperor is much stronger than us at managing allies. Being able to provoke a collective boycott in the Chamber of Princes is already the limit of what we can do," Elector Albrecht offered as consolation.
"The South has many cities but few princes; the weak Imperial Estates are clustered together and easily controlled by the Emperor. But this gives us the perfect opportunity to stir up trouble in the Chamber of Princes," Ernst said with a hint of satisfaction.
The Swabian Circle had only two princes—Württemberg and Baden. Bavaria had only one seat, the Landgrave of Leuchtenberg. The North had significantly more princes, far from the Emperor's control and easy to incite.
"The two in Westphalia still seem to be wavering. They still believe the Emperor can protect them." Albrecht was referring to the Count of Cleves and the Duke of Jülich-Berg. Years ago, when the Burgundians were still in Holland, they sought the Emperor's protection. As a result, Liège, Utrecht, and Guelders fell one by one, the buffer zones vanished, and the Burgundian border was pushed right to their doorsteps. If the Burgundians continued to expand into the Empire, their situation would be perilous.
"They fear that if they annoy the Emperor, he will secretly direct the Burgundians to invade them. Hmph, the methods of a bandit," Ernst slandered the Emperor disdainfully.
"The princes of Lower and Upper Saxony are basically on our side. The princes of Franconia and the Upper Rhine are choosing sides. We do not have an absolute advantage over the Emperor. The real key to the vote in the Chamber of Princes is the attitude of the King of Burgundy."
"Indeed. The Emperor's supporters have all agreed to the Common Tax. Although their vote count is slightly lower than ours, the Burgundian King's three votes could turn the tide."
King Charles of Burgundy held three votes: Burgundy, Brabant, and the newly acquired Guelders. Cleves was also heavily influenced by its marriage ties to Burgundy, and there were several ecclesiastical princes under his thumb. If he hadn't been "waiting for the best offer" in the previous votes, the Chamber of Princes might have actually passed the two ten-year regulations.
"He posed as a loyal subject back in Cologne. Why is he wavering again now?"
"It's Lorraine," Albrecht saw clearly. As long as the Emperor kept stalling, neither Baden nor Burgundy would resolve to support him at the last moment. Allies were allies, but when it came to core interests, even the closest relations would have friction.
"Haha, I am quite curious how the Emperor will handle Lorraine. With the Duke of Lorraine absent, the Chamber of Princes is missing the two votes of Lorraine and Bar. Out of some twenty-odd votes, we have nine, plus a crowd of indecisive fellows. Let's see what the Emperor does," Ernst laughed, the picture of a man holding a winning hand.
Albrecht, however, remained worried. If the Emperor was willing to make concessions, the situation could change drastically.
***
**The Emperor's Residence**
Laszlo let out a long sigh after dismissing the last group of Estates summoned for an audience. Matthias, who had been recording the results, approached with a list.
"Majesty, in the Secular Chamber of Princes, we have secured seven votes: Cleves, Jülich-Berg, Pomerania, Hesse, Nassau, Leuchtenberg, and Austria. The Duke of Saxony is neither for nor against due to family policy. As for Burgundy..."
Matthias did not continue. Charles had just made an outrageous demand to the Emperor, resulting in a heated argument. Burgundy demanded not only sovereignty over Lorraine but also a revision of their previous treaty: they wanted to ensure judicial and administrative freedom while erasing the triple Imperial tax they had agreed to pay, recalculating their taxes to be on par with other Imperial Estates.
The Emperor's indulgence over the years had fueled Charles's arrogance, to the point where he now spoke to the Emperor with increasing bluntness. It was a wonder how a king without even a son could be so bold.
Laszlo listened and nodded, as if making a final decision. The number of opponents was clearly higher. Setting aside the Ecclesiastical Chamber, which had already passed the two regulations, the opponents in the Secular Chamber included Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Saxe-Lauenburg, Holstein, Oldenburg, Anhalt, Henneberg, Thuringia, and Ansbach-Bayreuth.
The wavering Dukes of Württemberg and Baden were annoyed by the Emperor's intrusion into Swabia, but old ties of alliance and the immediate threat of Austria kept them from joining the opposition. However, getting them to support the Emperor's resolution would clearly require a price. Consequently, after their audience, they still had not agreed to renew the regulations. The Duke of Baden, like Charles of Burgundy, demanded sovereignty over Lorraine, but was brushed off by the Emperor.
The Palatinate also chose neutrality; the young Count Palatine did not dare show hostility toward the Emperor, though he harbored resentment since his uncle had recently been stripped of his Electoral seat.
Compared to the princes who flipped for profit, the lower Imperial Estates were much easier to handle. Since this assembly was held in Augsburg—at the junction of Swabia, Bavaria, and Austria—all the Imperial Estates of these three Circles were present. With simple reason and an emotional appeal, Laszlo recognized their right to a collective vote and guaranteed stability and judicial fairness in the three southern Circles. These smaller Estates responded to the Emperor's call, agreeing to pay the Imperial tax to maintain peace and order.
At the subsequent session of the Diet, the Emperor's stunning move left many of the princes who were waiting to watch a farce dumbfounded.
An Imperial resolution that had *not* passed the Diet was drafted and promulgated. The Electors, Princes, and almost all the Imperial Estates of the Third House who recognized the Emperor's resolution signed three separate "Updated Common Tax Regulation" documents. These three documents, along with the *Imperial Peace Decree* signed by all Estates, became the final pieces of the Augsburg Diet's concluding recess.
The excluded Imperial princes had no recourse other than accusing the Emperor of violating the *Imperial Diet Regulations* and destroying the Diet's bylaws.
"Peace and justice are not naturally bestowed upon subjects by the Emperor. Those Imperial Estates that refuse to pay the Common Tax shall be excluded from the scope of the Imperial Peace."
As the Archbishop of Mainz finished reading the final line of the recess document, the lower Estates of the Third House were cheering their leap in status to possessing a collective vote in the Chamber of Princes. The representatives of the Imperial Cities were already eager to leave the chaotic venue.
The Electors and Princes—especially those who opposed the long-term Imperial tax—muttered curses, accusing the Emperor of personally destroying the system he had created. Meanwhile, the other side supported the Emperor as always, hoping to exchange their loyalty for powerful protection.
The 1473 Imperial Diet of Augsburg thus came to an end amidst a storm of noise.