Following the Emperor's instructions, the Duke of Baden immediately immersed himself in hectic diplomatic efforts.
Laszlo, meanwhile, was not idle. He did not rush back to Vienna but instead took his court on a tour of the Austrian territories within the Swabian Circle. These regions were essentially governed as autonomous borderlands under an authentic feudal system, having never been integrated into the central Austrian bureaucratic apparatus. The reason for this was practical: a lack of direct control. This was due not only to the skyrocketing costs caused by geographical barriers but also to the inherent ambiguity of sovereign rights.
During the expansion of the Habsburg family, the branch ruling the western lands had purchased vast tracts of land in Swabia. Using these newly acquired lands as a core, they expanded their spheres of influence and judicial jurisdictions, gradually forming several relatively closed and stable borderlands, such as the territories of Burgau and Hohenberg. These lands were previously managed by the Governor of Further Austria in Freiburg. Now, however, the Swabian territories had been completely detached from the Further Austrian administration and joined the Swabian Imperial Circle as the new "Austrian Swabian Borderlands."
Despite the severe challenges facing the Imperial Circle system, many Estates in Swabia—driven by their own strong desires and needs—stabilized the framework the Emperor had built for them. Consequently, the incorporation of Austrian lands caused little trouble or disruption.
For the position of Governor of Austrian Swabia, Laszlo ultimately chose Vitus von Ebersdorf, the hereditary court seneschal of Austria. Vitus had previously served Laszlo in Lower Austria, traveling to manage numerous royal estates and successfully promoting agricultural innovation and hydraulic engineering. Later, Laszlo hired a more specialized advisor for those matters and transferred Vitus to Vienna to preside over the Commercial Court, where he handled business disputes at the Vienna annual fair and oversaw tax collection. He performed well in this role, facing few appeals or slanders while ensuring the government's fiscal health remained intact.
According to family tradition, after several years of experience, Lord Ebersdorf should have been promoted to Minister of Finance, corresponding to his family's other hereditary office—Chief Treasurer of Austria. However, members of the Fugger family were clearly better suited to lead Austria's economic affairs. As a member of a pure Viennese noble house that had served the Habsburgs for over a century, Ebersdorf was unwilling to serve under a mere merchant or act as a deputy to a non-traditional noble official.
Therefore, Laszlo promoted this noble of the "Old Vienna Red-White-Red" court to Governor of the new borderland, establishing his seat in the County of Nellenburg, near Constance. His jurisdiction included Nellenburg to the north of Constance, the ring of Hohenberg lands surrounding the County of Swabia-Hohenzollern, the Burgau Borderland around Augsburg, and various scattered estates and judicial districts near free cities. Through control of these lands, almost the entire southern portion of the Swabian Circle was brought into the Austrian sphere of influence, while Northern Swabia remained under the control of the Duke of Württemberg.
As for Vitus's original position, Laszlo selected a reliable judge from among his many talented court advisors to take over.
While Laszlo and the Imperial Court meandered through the Swabian territories—settling local affairs and ensuring the loyalty of regional nobles and officials—the Duke of Baden's envoys crossed the Rhine countless times. Messengers from Hohenbaden Castle were dispatched far and wide to contact princes friendly to the Duke or Imperial Estates intent on resisting the Burgundian threat.
A few months prior, just before the Diet of Augsburg, several Imperial cities on the west bank of the Rhine—led by Strasbourg and Mulhouse—had formed a league modeled after the Swiss. In contrast to the High League of the Swiss (which the Emperor had forcibly dissolved), they called themselves the **Low League**. Being unconfirmed by the Emperor, this urban alliance seeking to resist Burgundian eastward expansion was technically an illegal organization.
When the members of this league received the Duke of Baden's invitation, they felt as though they had finally found a leader and immediately invited the Duke to join and head the alliance. Subsequently, the Bishop of Strasbourg and the Duke of Württemberg agreed to join. The former sought protection from Burgundian incursions, while the latter sought to fulfill alliance obligations and hoped to profit from war.
Another invitee was Philip, Count Palatine of the Rhine. The Duke of Baden drew this powerful Rhenish prince into the alliance by promising to return portions of Palatine territory. With the help of the Archbishop of Mainz, the Count of Saarbrücken from the House of Nassau also joined; his lands sat directly against Lorraine, making his fear of the Burgundians even greater than that of other princes.
Almost every Imperial Estate west of the middle and upper Rhine was incorporated into this massive temporary coalition. The Archbishops of Trier and the Bishop of Metz, who had been wavering, quickly sided with the alliance upon hearing their elder brother had the Emperor's support. However, because some Burgundian troops were stationed in Metz, the Bishop did not dare openly defy Charles. He instead secretly promised military transit rights, allowing the alliance's army to march from the Bishopric of Strasbourg all the way to Nancy, the capital of Lorraine.
By June, there was still no word from Charles, who had returned to the Low Countries to gather and deploy the Burgundian army. According to intelligence received by Laszlo, Charles's forces were facing minor difficulties in Lower Guelders. The populace of the County of Zutphen was putting up stubborn resistance, and the local terrain and supply conditions were taking a toll on the Burgundian host. Furthermore, the Burgundian troops recently dispatched to Calais, Liège, and the Somme towns were either resting after battle or required time to redeploy. In truth, Charles's military strength was not as abundant as he claimed.
Unfortunately, his ambition and pride led him to vent his fury upon his subjects, as if that alone could overcome physical limitations. While Charles exhausted his army trying to expand in every direction, the Duke of Baden had nearly finished all preparations, strictly following the Emperor's requirements.
After communicating with the Emperor, the Duke was ordered to convene a large assembly encompassing all members of the anti-Burgundian alliance. Since the Emperor had recently reached Nellenburg—the end of his Swabian tour—and planned to stay in Constance, the assembly site was fixed there. Coincidentally, Constance was the designated meeting place for the Swabian Circle Diet and the Swabian League; now, it would witness the birth of a new alliance.
The name "Low League," with its obvious homage to the old Swiss Confederacy, could no longer be used, lest it trigger a negative reaction from the Emperor. Once the representatives arrived in Constance, they accepted the Emperor's proposal to name the organization the **League of Constance**. Because the meeting took place on the shores of Lake Constance, people later referred to this short-lived organization as the **Lake League**.
***
**Constance, Circle Assembly Hall**
This venue, originally for the Swabian Circle Diet, was temporarily occupied by the Lake League. In a private chamber reserved for the Emperor, Laszlo and Christopher were making final preparations for the meeting.
"Father, do you truly intend for me to lead this alliance?"
Christopher's face showed no joy or confidence in his father's trust; instead, it was filled with worry. Who were the people gathered in this league? Every single one of them viewed repelling Burgundy as their most vital mission. Now, under his father's commission, he was to lead this group against his own father-in-law. Austria and Burgundy were supposed to be close allies—how had it come to this?
"Christopher, you must act like a man. Do not make me despise you," Laszlo frowned, staring at the hesitant Christopher and speaking in a harsh, almost rebuking tone. He rarely scolded his eldest son like this, but this time he was truly irritated.
Christopher's weakness stemmed partly from his education and partly from the influence of his wife, Mary of Burgundy. Mary was a lively and clever girl whose mind seemed more flexible than Christopher's, exerting considerable influence over him.
"I will, of course, stand with the Empire and with you, Father. I will secure a glorious victory for you and do my utmost to curb the Burgundians' mad expansionist ambitions."
Laszlo's "tough love" sparked a fighting spirit in Christopher. He even felt ashamed of his earlier hesitation, his youthful face flushing slightly. Seeing his son finally show some resolve, Laszlo felt a measure of relief.
"That's the spirit. Only by harboring such unwavering determination will followers—bound by common interest and goals—support you steadfastly. Only then can we achieve our ultimate objective. Remember, war is merely a means. I am letting you lead this alliance precisely because of your unique status, so that this conflict does not fall into a state of no return."
"You intend to force the King of Burgundy to yield through diplomatic isolation and pressure?"
"Hmph. We gather an army, but the enemy is only René, Count of Vaudémont, who is colluding with Louis XI. He is currently leading an insurrection in Lorraine that breaks the Imperial Peace. Your mission is to quell this unrest with the support of the alliance members while ensuring that the final rulings of the Imperial Court regarding Lorraine are executed thoroughly and properly."
"I suspect King Charles will not hand over Lorraine so easily."
"Of course he won't. So you had better take Lorraine and wipe out the rebels before he does. If, during this process, the Imperial army clashes with the Burgundian army, I authorize you to launch unrestricted attacks on all enemies. The members of the new alliance will support you, and if necessary, I will personally lead reinforcements to the field."
Though the probability was low, Laszlo informed Christopher of the worst-case scenario beforehand, preparing the King of the Romans for his first major Imperial assignment. Hearing that his father might personally take the field allowed Christopher to breathe a slight sigh of relief. He did not want matters to go that far, as it would likely mean the alliance between the two houses was beyond repair. To prevent further escalation, Christopher could only hope that the military and diplomatic deterrence of the League would be enough to force Charles to yield. He also intended to use his personal relationship with Charles to influence his decisions.
"Let's go. Time to meet our allies. This new league likely won't affect the Empire's grassroots governance as deeply as the Swabian League, but it will play a vital role in the war against the Burgundians."
Laszlo led Christopher and their retinue into the hall. The noisy room suddenly fell silent. The various Estate representatives and princes rose to bow to the Emperor and the King of the Romans, awaiting their instructions.
From Alsace to Trier, nearly two-thirds of all Estates neighboring Burgundy were present. Most of them had supported the Emperor in the Diet and had subsequently been incorporated into the pro-Emperor faction. In contrast, the two most powerful princes in the alliance—the Duke of Württemberg and the Count Palatine—seemed like outsiders. Neither had voted in favor of renewing the *Common Tax Regulation* in the Chamber of Princes, making their meeting with the Emperor somewhat awkward.
Fortunately, having remained neutral after the Diet ended, they had not been grouped into the "Parliamentary faction" led by the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg. This faction, also known as the **Reformers**, advocated for the creation of an Imperial system and the collection of the Common Tax, but insisted it be modified to better serve the interests of the Electors and Princes. Their platform rested on three main points: first, separating the Emperor from the Privy Council and letting the seven Electors head an independent Imperial government; second, placing the Supreme Court under supervision or liberating it from the Emperor's control; and third, making the authority of the Imperial Diet superior to that of the Emperor.
They demanded the Emperor reconvene the Diet to discuss state affairs and refused to pay Imperial taxes unless the Emperor recognized their claims. During this time, scholars and politicians from both sides promoted their respective agendas, gradually opening a war of words within the Empire. However, limited by the era's poor information dissemination, most people were either ignorant of the high-level political rift or simply remained quiet centrists. Siding with the Emperor meant sacrificing money and some sovereign rights; siding with the opposition meant risking imminent destruction. Faced with such a difficult choice, many—like the Duke of Württemberg and the Count Palatine—remained typical fence-sitters.
Luckily, the Emperor needed their help to deal with the Burgundians, so he did not make things difficult for them.
"We have gathered you here today to form an alliance for the purpose of resolving the dispute over the sovereignty of Lorraine," Laszlo's resonant voice echoed through the crowded hall, immediately sparking discussion.
"I have already rendered a ruling on the Lorraine succession. However, King Charles of Burgundy is deeply dissatisfied with the arbitration, leading to friction and conflict between the Imperial center and the Burgundian Kingdom. To handle this matter properly and uphold Imperial authority and order during this turmoil, I authorize you to form the League of Constance, with my representative, Christopher, King of the Romans, as its leader. He will gather the Imperial army in Austria, Swabia, and the Upper Rhine. Each signatory state must do its utmost to provide military strength, financial support, and transit rights. The Empire shall reward you in due course."
Everyone had expected the Duke of Baden or the more powerful Duke of Württemberg to lead the alliance; no one expected the Emperor's son to take the stage. Those participants who had been terrified of Burgundy's military might quickly took heart, and their wavering minds finally became firm.
Subsequently, Christopher gave a steady speech to the allies, essentially promising to protect Imperial territory from Burgundian overexpansion. Finally, the "workhorse" Duke of Baden stood up and read the regulations and bylaws of the League of Constance on behalf of the Emperor. This included the mutual aid obligations of members, the minimum troop quotas for participation, and the prohibition of members signing separate peace treaties with the enemy.
To quell the Lorraine rebellion sparked by the Count of Vaudémont, Christopher issued the first call to arms to the league members in his capacity as league leader and Imperial representative. Some members agreed to share the military expenses, others offered military aid, and those near Lorraine would be responsible for the Imperial army's supplies and ensuring clear marching routes.
After the meeting, representatives quickly sent news of the alliance back to their territories. For a time, both banks of the Rhine were in jubilation. The league members immediately began preparing for the march into Lorraine as agreed.