Chapter 414: Conference of the German Dukes (1/2)
As the war in Iberia continued, an important meeting was taking place in the Scandinavian city of Oslo. The various Dukes and Margraves of Germany had temporarily called a ceasefire and gathered in the neighboring realm, which was neutral ground with the purpose to discuss the greatest threat to their continued existence.
There was one German Duke who had declared himself King and had risen to his position through sheer overwhelming force. Every day Austria advanced with new, Faustian technology that caused many to believe that its King had sold his soul to the devil in exchange for limitless knowledge.
Though the Catholic Church refused to recognize the legitimacy of Berengar's claim to be a King, many of his neighbors used such a title out of respect for his power, for if he were to be called a Duke, then what exactly did that make them? Duke Dietger of Bavaria spoke of their southern neighbor, whose power and rapid expansion had become a significant threat.
”The Pope has declared a Crusade against Austria and its so-called German Reformation, which has now spread to every corner of our lands. It is not just Austria who will suffer in this conflict; our lands will burn in the flames of fanatics who want nothing more than to appease the Papacy!
Meanwhile, Berengar further invokes the ire of the Church as he has dispatched tens of thousands of men into Iberia to prop up the Emirate of Granada as a puppet State. My spies can not even infiltrate Austria without being discovered!
I have little doubt in my mind that this proxy war of his will become a disaster for the Catholic World. Nearly half a million men have marched from all corners of Christendom in an attempt to eradicate the Austro-Granadan forces, and I fear they will be obliterated!”
Out of all the men present, Dietger was the most familiar with Berengar's forces, as he had been thoroughly swept aside in Austria by a small number of what were then Tyrolean troops. He had no idea that the equipment of the Austrian army was rapidly being modernized and that the weapons used to defeat his forces so thoroughly were already being replaced.
Dietger concluded his rant with words of caution as he addressed his peers from the German-speaking regions.
”If we do not unite together, and march on Austria now, then we will have no chance of victory when the Pope finally manages to march his crusaders against our enemy!”
Though Dietger was correct in saying this, the other Dukes looked at him as if he had gone mad. Thus one man, in particular, the Margrave of Baden, spoke out against his paranoid delusions.
”Though Berengar has managed to defeat the forces of Italy and Switzerland, I do not believe he has the power to repel the near half a million men who have marched on his allies in Granada. He has sent half of his army into their lands and will undoubtedly face a disastrous defeat.
If the so-called King of Austria does manage to escape from his inevitable loss in Iberia, then he will be left with half his army to contend against the same force who beat him! Not only that, but the additional crusaders prepared for this conflict will be marching alongside them!
Despite this, I understand your fears as his neighbor and will concede that this Self-Titled Kingdom of Austria is a grave threat to our continued existence. Thus rather than unite to march upon Austria immediately, I propose we conduct a ceasefire.
Which will allow us time to build up our forces to contribute to the upcoming Crusade against the Berengar Heresy. Only after we have wiped this heretical menace from our lands should we continue our petty disputes over the title of King of Germany. ”
What the Margrave of Baden said made sense to the remaining German Dukes and Margraves. However, it was ultimately up to the two potential successors of the Throne to agree. Thus all eyes gazed upon the man known as Duke Hartman von Luxembourg, or as his rivals referred to him as ”the Bastard of Luxembourg,” to see if he would be willing to declare a ceasefire for the time being. After careful consideration, the young man, who was currently engaged in a brutal stalemate with the Bavarian pretender, sighed heavily before nodding his head in affirmation.
”Under these circumstances, I can allow for a ceasefire to exist between our camps. Until the Berengar Heresy and its leaders are routed out and destroyed, I swear that my forces and that of my allies shall not aggress further upon Dietger or his faction so long as they agree to the same conditions.”
Dietger was upset that his warning was not taken seriously and knew that such efforts would ultimately be vain. He believed that Berengar would further rise in power over the next few years, and with it, he would quickly sweep aside the Crusader army, no matter how large it grew; from there, he would use it as an excuse to invade the German realm and unite it under his banner.