King of German Mercenaries - Chapter 329
Marin’s letter to the emperor, because it was rushed by the horse quickly, naturally arrived in the hands of the emperor. At this time, it was not long before the reinforcements of the two Phalanx soldiers started.
Maximilian I was very pleased that Marin only asked for a seat in the Imperial Parliament. Of course, he is not very happy with Marin sending only two squares of reinforcements.
However, Maximilian I also knew that Marin could indeed not fall in and help himself. Because, whether it is the Principality of Saxony that controls West Friesland, or the Old Town of Oldenburg, which has Denmark as a backing, they all look at East Friesland.
Therefore, it is very reasonable for Marin to send two or three squares to reinforce. Of course, if you grit your teeth, you can also gather 4 squares to support it.
Since there was no need to pay any land and title, Maximilian I did not hesitate to agree with Marin’s request. In addition, Maximilian I wrote back to Marin, telling Marin that the nobles of the Habsburg family, and the nobles of the Swabian Alliance, would support Marin in obtaining a seat in the Imperial Parliament.
Because Marin sent troops this time, not only in support of the emperor, but also in support of the Swabian League. As a supported party, they have no reason not to support Marin.
However, the Saxon nobles who also have relations with the emperor will definitely oppose Marin’s entry into the Imperial Parliament because of the battle in Lyle County. At the same time, many hostile princes of the Habsburgs will not support Marin.
However, entering the Imperial Parliament does not require a full vote, only more than half of the votes are sufficient. Moreover, Maximilian I explicitly told Marin that despite the large number of imperial parliaments, they were mostly united around the Habsburgs and the seven electors. As long as the consent of most electors is obtained, most of those around the electors will agree.
For example, the Archbishop of Cologne, one of the seven electors. As long as he speaks in the Imperial Parliament, auxiliary powers such as the Archbishop of Cologne, the Archbishop of Muenster, the Archbishop of Minden, the Archbishop of Osnabrück and the Archbishop of Paderborn will be echoed.
Similarly, other electors also have their own younger brothers. Most of them are surrounded by these electors. As long as the electors are settled, these people will follow the electors to vote.
However, there are exceptions. For example, strong principalities like the Principality of Clifford and the Principality of Gerdes are often more assertive and may not be consistent with these electors.
Therefore, Marin wants to be approved in the Imperial Parliament as a member, as long as most of the electors and those with strong independent factions can agree.
As for how to get the electors and the nobility of power to agree? The advice given by Maximilian I was also simple and crude-bribery …
In fact, the position of Emperor Maximilian I was also the place where his father, Frederick III, spent a lot of money and connections to uphold him. At the beginning of Maximilian I, the princes did not oppose him. However, Maximilian I made it clear that he wanted to learn the meaning of France to strengthen the kingship, which only annoyed the princes.
Strengthening the kingship is equivalent to weakening the independence and autonomy of the princes. This is equivalent to cutting the princes’ flesh. How can they be willing? Therefore, when Maximilian I expressed this intention at a young age, the vassals became more and more resistant to him.
This also caused that when Maximilian I died and his grandson Charles V wanted to ascend to the throne, in order to ensure his election, he had to borrow 850,000 Gulden gold coins from the Fogel family to bribe the seven electors Only to keep the throne.
Of course, Marin does not need the throne, but only a seat in the Imperial Parliament. Therefore, there is no need for so much money.
The advice given by Maximilian I was to give those electors 10,000 or 20,000 gold coins per person. As for the principalities with strong independence, a bribe of several thousand gold coins per family is enough. After all, Marin had in fact become the Count of East Frisian, entered the Imperial Parliament, and just confirmed his identity again. So this is not a big deal.
Moreover, Maximilian I also helped Marin analyze and told Marin that the Saxony Electors and the nobility of the Saxony need not be considered, and they are already the enemy. Therefore, Marin could only choose to bribe other electors. In addition, Vladislav III, the king of Bohemia, one of the seven electors, will not agree with Marin’s thug as a result of competing with Maximilian I for the inheritance of the Kingdom of Hungary. Good thing.
Therefore, Marin had few choices, and he could only bribe 5 electors such as Archbishop Cologne, Archbishop Mainz, Archbishop Trier, Electors Brandenburg, and Electors Palatinate. As for the Habsburgs, there is no need for bribes, and the Swabian League will also stand by Marin. Then, there are some nobles who do not rely on the emperor, and they need Marin to bribe.
When Lin Lin always came down, the emperor gave Marin a list. About 26 faction princes needed separate bribes. Of course, for ordinary power aristocrats, it is enough to give a few thousand gold coins. You can even pass two thousand gold coins. After all, this is not a big deal.
I only have the five electors, and I am used to the big scenes, and I am more greedy. Without tens of thousands of gold coins, I ca n’t move them …
Marin saw some reply from the emperor, some Spartans. Unexpectedly, even if he sent soldiers himself, there was no guarantee that the emperor would give him a seat in the Imperial Parliament, and he would have to spend money on bribes …
But I do n’t think that www.mtlnovel.com does n’t give me a seat in the Imperial Parliament. Just like the university in the later generations, when they got their graduation certificate but did not get their degree certificate, it always made people feel insecure.
More importantly, the politically older emperor told Marin in his letter that through this bribe, Marin could significantly improve relations with those who have no direct conflict of interest. Making one more friend is better than adding another enemy. With more friends, you can also avoid the possibility of being beaten to the greatest extent.
Anyway, these bribes add up to so many gold coins, plus this can indeed ease the relationship between Marin and the princes, so Marin finally decided to act according to his plans. However, he does not intend to give money directly, but intends to use spices instead.
Marin himself thinks that the spice is too heavy, but those big nobles like this tone. Anyway, the cost of buying spices is very low, and sending enough gold coins as a way to open up sales.
As a result, Marin directly took out all the remaining spices in stock and sent them to the area where the bribe was targeted, and started a spice bribe.
香料 Bribes with spices can not only clean up the inventory, but also look more elegant. Unlike direct bribery of gold coins, it seems too vulgar …
Moreover, I don’t know what the big European nobles of this era think, but they just like spices very much.
As a result, Marin’s spice bribes went very smoothly. It is expected that all bribes will be completed before the end of the year. By the spring of next year, when the new Imperial Parliament is convened, Marin should get a legal seat in the Imperial Parliament and become an “organized” person …