Episode 222
The welcome ceremony was nothing short of spectacular.
Emperor Heinrich VI sat with a scowl, as if he was itching to hurl insults, but the nobles paid him no mind, fawning over me incessantly.
“Prophet! It’s a modest gift, but we’ve prepared something special from our lands. We heard you might enjoy these, so we made sure to have them ready.”
“I’ve brought riding equipment crafted by the finest artisan in our region. I hope it brings you comfort when you ride.”
“Our Teutonic Knights have…”
It seemed the nobles were determined to impress, as every city on our way to Aachen had an event prepared in my honor.
Even Heinrich VI eventually grew weary, waving them off, but the nobles took it as a sign of approval.
Their desperation likely stemmed from knowing the emperor’s plans, yet they curiously refrained from probing my intentions.
Perhaps they knew I despised such probing questions. Or maybe they were simply biding their time, waiting for the right moment.
Whatever the reason, the tension was between the emperor and the nobles, not me. I offered polite words, enjoyed the events, and occasionally chatted with Heinrich VI.
“By the way, do you visit Aachen often, Your Majesty?”
“No, I was there for the coronation, but I usually govern from further south.”
“Then this visit to Aachen must hold special significance. I’m sure the townsfolk and merchants are delighted.”
“Hahaha! Indeed.”
The emperor’s hearty laughter caused the nobles around us to stiffen slightly.
The emperor’s visit to Aachen. No one here was foolish enough to miss its implications.
Aachen was once the most important city in the Holy Roman Empire, the site of imperial coronations. It was a religious center, housing many historically significant relics in the Palatine Chapel.
The city thrived at the crossroads of trade routes, and the emperor had granted it certain privileges and freedoms.
Yet, the Hohenstaufen emperors hadn’t resided there permanently. The regional nobles held significant power, so the city was more symbolic than a true center of imperial authority.
Bringing a prophet to Aachen, and summoning the nobles? The conclusion was obvious.
“Your Majesty, is it true? I heard the prophet foretold a great disaster in Paris.”
Duke Ludwig I of Bavaria broached the topic cautiously.
Heinrich VI sipped his wine, nodding nonchalantly.
“It was a remarkable prophecy. But there’s no need to worry. The prophet has provided ample preventive measures and responses, even if a perfect cure isn’t possible.”
“Oh! That’s a relief. I was a bit anxious, having only heard rumors.”
“You have nothing to fear. I’ve already discussed everything with the prophet and laid out all the necessary plans.”
The emperor’s directive to follow his lead made the nobles narrow their eyes.
Duke Leopold VI of Austria, representing the group, spoke cautiously.
“Of course, Your Majesty has plans, but the empire is vast. Each noble has established their own domain, making it difficult to apply a uniform policy. We should unite to ease your burden.”
“Indeed. In the face of such a disaster, we must come together.”
The nobles’ words carried a clear message: they wanted a collective effort to prepare for the disaster.
Heinrich VI smirked, having anticipated this response.
Even the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Hermann, who was relatively close to the Hohenstaufens, sided with the nobles.
“Perhaps we should first establish a solid plan to prepare for the disaster? We can discuss other matters later.”
His stance indicated the nobles’ growing unease.
Things might not go as smoothly as Heinrich VI expected.
I could make it easier by actively helping, but I had no obligation to do so.
If an emperor couldn’t achieve his goals despite leading a successful crusade and having symbolic power, perhaps the empire was better off without him.
If Philip II or Saladin had these conditions, the Holy Roman Empire’s nobles would have already bowed to the emperor’s absolute power.
Unless the situation became irreversibly dire, I had no intention of intervening.
Heinrich VI had learned much from the crusades; it was time for him to show his growth.
I watched the emperor and nobles’ debate with a racing heart, emptying my wine glass.
In this era, the most meaningful entertainment seemed to be watching a house on fire.
Naturally, my role was to add fuel to the flames.
The anti-emperor faction gathered promptly in Aachen.
Duke Ludwig I of Bavaria and Duke Leopold VI of Austria attended once more.
When Otto, the son of the Lion Duke, joined them, the nobles welcomed him warmly.
“Oh! Welcome, Otto. We were worried you might not come.”
“Why would you think I wouldn’t?”
“Well… you were with the emperor during the crusades, and you returned to the Holy Roman Empire by seeking his mercy. Some were concerned. Please don’t be offended.”
“It was merely an act for survival. Considering who caused my father’s downfall, my stance is clear.”
Otto’s father, the Lion Duke, had lost everything to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Heinrich’s father.
Though Heinrich VI had mended relations with the Lion Duke, it was akin to offering a tissue after a slap.
“But is it true? Is the emperor really aiming for… that?”
“Of course. Why else would he summon us to Aachen?”
The word that struck fear and loathing into the hearts of the Holy Roman nobles: the establishment of a hereditary succession for the imperial throne.
The Hohenstaufen emperors had long sought to secure this, but all efforts had failed.
Frederick I had come closest, but his untimely death during the crusades put an end to it.
The nobles claimed his demise was divine retribution for using the crusades for personal gain.
Heinrich VI had avoided the topic early in his reign, focusing on his duties.
But the next crusade changed everything.
Heinrich VI, nominally the crusade’s commander, had repelled the mighty Khwarazmian Empire and thwarted the Mongol Empire’s resurgence.
Moreover, Edward Marshall’s rise as an untouchable, sacred figure indirectly benefited rulers associated with him.
No noble could challenge Heinrich VI’s authority upon his return.
Thus, the nobles pinned their hopes on Otto, who had also participated in the crusade.
“Otto, didn’t you say you’ve spoken with the prophet?”
“Indeed. The prophet helped me return to the empire. He’s my benefactor.”
“Oh! Then perhaps you could ask the prophet for help.”
“I could, but it’s tricky. Asking the prophet to intervene in domestic politics is a delicate matter.”
Marshall had intervened in politics before, like overseeing the Byzantine emperor’s coronation.
But that was different; he was the emperor’s son-in-law, and it was a divine mandate.
Approaching Marshall with such a request could be seen as inappropriate.
“If the emperor learns we asked the prophet to stop him, it could justify a purge.”
“True.”
“And remember, the prophet is close to both me and the emperor.”
“Hmm… I didn’t sense the prophet was particularly fond of the emperor.”
“That’s because the emperor once believed he was second to none. But now, he acknowledges the prophet’s superiority.”
They don’t go out of their way to push away someone who approaches with humility.
Even the lords gathered here can agree on such a simple logic.
Ludwig I sighed and asked, “Then how about this? Instead of asking His Majesty to be stopped, we request a prophecy on the right direction for this country.”
“That is…”
“It’s certainly a possible approach, but…”
This way, the emperor wouldn’t have a reason to purge them. However, it wasn’t a method they could easily adopt either.
Otto clicked his tongue lightly and countered, “What if the prophecy says it’s better for the country to be ruled by an emperor with absolute power, like in the Eastern Roman Empire?”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?”
If the oracle sides with Heinrich VI after Marshal prays, the lords would essentially be handing the country over to the emperor. They’d go down in history as the biggest fools in the Holy Roman Empire.
After a moment of contemplation, Duke Leopold VI of Austria proposed a compromise. “Then let’s do this for now. Instead of acting rashly, let’s focus on driving a wedge between His Majesty and the prophet.”
“Drive a wedge? Are you suggesting we sow discord?”
“No need to fabricate anything. Just relay the facts as they are. Isn’t His Majesty currently filled with the desire to use the great calamity as an excuse to strengthen imperial power? Frankly, that’s not the mindset of a true ruler.”
“So, we should make it clear that His Majesty isn’t fit to monopolize power in this country. That sounds reasonable.”
Otto nodded, then quickly added as if something had just occurred to him, “But just to be clear, no one should ever try to test the prophet or exert any influence over them.”
“Haha! Why state the obvious? Who would even think of doing such a thing?”
“If any fool does, I’ll personally recommend their exile to His Majesty. Those who participated in the Crusades will understand my concerns, so if you have any close acquaintances who were part of the Crusades, listen to them carefully.”
The power struggle between the emperor and the lords over the succession rights of the empire was nothing new, but now a decisive figure had appeared who could sway the outcome.
How to navigate this challenge, and how to win over the prophet, kept the lords of the Holy Roman Empire pondering through the night.