Chapter 27: The Diplomatic Offensive

As Leon sought to expand his coalition beyond the Imperial Diet, he recognized that a purely defensive posture would not be sufficient—that actively engaging with foreign powers who shared concerns about Venice's ambitions could help create leverage for meaningful reform.

Working through discreet channels, Leon established contact with representatives from England, France, and several smaller principalities in northern Europe—explaining how Venetian economic dominance threatened the balance of power and undermined regional stability while offering mutual benefits from a more equitable trading system.

He emphasized that Venice's long-term goal was not merely to maximize profits but to establish a regional hegemony through economic means—gradually extending its political influence over territories it could not directly control militarily.

This resonated particularly with England and France, who viewed Venice as a strategic competitor in both trade and diplomacy—recognizing that allowing it to consolidate power would ultimately constrain their own options in the region.

Meanwhile, Isabella continued her undercover work in Venetian-controlled territories—gathering intelligence on their operations while discreetly building relationships with local merchants and officials who felt exploited by Venice's unequal trading practices.

She discovered evidence that Venetian authorities routinely imposed excessive tariffs on non-Venetian goods while providing preferential treatment to their own merchants—creating an unfair playing field that disadvantaged competitors and stifled economic development in other regions.

As these findings emerged, support for Leon's proposals began to grow beyond the immediate confines of the empire—with several foreign dignitaries expressing concern about Venice's monopolistic practices and calling for a more balanced trading system.

Recognizing this shift in sentiment, Emperor Friedrich authorized Leon to lead a diplomatic delegation to key European capitals—tasking him with building international consensus against Venice's predatory trade policies while exploring alternative economic partnerships for the empire.