Peace is Nigh

In 1459, the autumn day in Geneva was shrouded in lead-gray clouds, and the cold was biting.

Inside the council hall of the city's ancient stone castle, negotiations that would decide the fate of Savoy and the outcome of the Italian War were about to begin.

Candlelight flickered in the hall, and the heavy crimson carpet and ornate tapestries on the walls could not conceal the tension and solemnity that permeated the air.

The Pope's envoy, Cardinal Deacon Masaccio Zara, was responsible for presiding over these peace negotiations.

The representatives from France were Duke of Bourbon John II and several assistants.

The representatives from Burgundy were Michaud, the diplomatic head of Burgundy, and Charles, the son of the Duke of Burgundy.

Austria's representatives were Sigismund, the emperor's cousin, and Anthony, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Burgundy.

Switzerland's representatives were the diplomat Hans von Stauffacher, chosen by the cantons of the Swiss Confederation, and his entourage.

Cardinal Masaccio, dressed in splendid ecclesiastical robes, sat solemnly at the head of the long table.

With his hands clasped, he spoke with a tone of profound compassion: "May the Lord's light illuminate our gathering today.

Gentlemen, in this era of strife, peace is a precious gift from the Lord.

Today, we gather here to quell the flames of war; may all be guided by reason and tolerance in seeking a just solution."

The Duke of Bourbon, representing France, spoke first.

He wore an exquisite black velvet robe, with a collar inlaid with dazzling jewels, exuding aristocratic demeanor in every gesture, yet his eyes betrayed fatigue and anxiety stemming from the domestic and international situation.

"There is no longer any need to continue this war; it would be better for all parties to cease hostilities and allow the continent to return to peace."

As soon as he finished speaking, his assistant handed him a peace treaty with very little content.

There were two articles in total: Austria and France would restore peace, and Austria and Burgundy would cease attacking the Duchy of Savoy and return the encroached Duchy of Savoy territories.

Michaud and Charles exchanged glances and chuckled together.

Michaud stood up, bowed slightly, a professional smile on his face, but his words were sharp: "Burgundy has invested heavily in past battles, and many territories north of the Savoyard Alps are already under our control.

Chambéry, as the capital of Savoy, is of great significance to Burgundy and should rightfully belong to our side."

Charles nodded slightly, his expression somewhat arrogant, and added: "If you want to help Savoy reclaim its territory, you are welcome to lead your own troops and try."

The Duke of Bourbon was unfazed by Charles's direct taunt; he was already used to Charles's demeanor.

The Duchy of Bourbon shares large borders with the Duchy of Burgundy, and the two sides often have constant friction over minor issues.

So he was not unfamiliar with Charles; this fellow had always been like this.

The peace terms offered by France were purely for amusement; Anthony, picking up from his brother Charles, looked at the Duke of Bourbon and said: "Your Grace, if I'm not mistaken, it was you France who suffered defeat on the Italian battlefield, wasn't it? How can you have the audacity to come to peace talks with conditions?"

Charles couldn't help but laugh when he heard his brother's words, while only the Swiss representatives and the Duke of Bourbon had grim faces.

Everyone understood what it meant that Austria and Burgundy had sent a pair of brothers as negotiators.

They were so united, while France and Switzerland were quite different.

The Swiss representative, Hans, was dressed in simple, neat attire, a stark contrast to the luxuriously dressed gentlemen sitting around the table.

He leaned his hands on the table, his gaze calm, and spoke steadily to Sigismund: "We hope to achieve peace with Austria based on the current territorial ownership."

Sigismund's face darkened: "It seems you do not intend to return Thurgau?"

Hans was not to be outdone: "Thurgau was won by the Swiss soldiers in bloody battle, and we have a legitimate right to occupy it. If the Emperor wishes to reclaim this land, he can pay a ransom; we don't ask for much, fifty thousand rhineland thalers."

"Fifty thousand?!"

Sigismund was startled by the Swiss's wild idea, but thinking of the Emperor's earlier instructions, he rolled his eyes, a plan forming in his mind.

"Ahem, you Swiss encroached on Thurgau, and the Emperor should have led his army to reclaim the lost territory.

However, this time His Majesty considers that the great war has lasted for a long time, and the empire is suffering, so he does not wish to continue this war.

Thus, Thurgau will be ceded to you Switzerland, but in return, you must pay the Emperor fifty thousand florins!"

Hans was caught off guard by Sigismund's sudden reversal; his assistant quickly reminded him.

The Swiss diplomat then came to his senses and waved his hand, saying: "Thurgau is a tiny piece of land; it is not worth fifty thousand florins, at most five thousand."

"Then why did you quote fifty thousand?" Sigismund retorted Hans irritably, "Five thousand it is. So, can we conclude the peace treaty?"

Hans began to grumble inwardly, wondering if he had quoted too high just now, seeing how the Austrian had agreed so quickly.

However, he still nodded, affirming Sigismund's words.

An assistant in the Austrian delegation quickly drafted an Austria-Swiss peace treaty with a three-year truce.

Representatives from both sides signed the treaty, and Switzerland and Habsburg, these sworn enemies, once again ended their war.

Anthony, meanwhile, had reached a crucial point in his discussion with the Duke of Bourbon: "Our side has only two demands.

First, the Duke of Orléans must relinquish his claim to Milan.

Second, France needs to pay Austria one hundred thousand florins in war reparations."

"This is a peace negotiation, not a circus; if you want to tell jokes, you can go somewhere else."

The Duke of Bourbon snorted impatiently; Austria had not accepted any of the conditions he proposed, and now it was Austria proposing conditions to France.

The first condition was acceptable, but the second was completely unreasonable; France was not incapable of continuing the war, it was simply unnecessary.

The impoverished Austrians actually wanted to seize the opportunity to demand a large sum in reparations, which he found unimaginable.

Just as the two sides were in a deadlock, Sigismund and Masaccio exchanged glances.

Cardinal Masaccio immediately slammed the table, silencing everyone and stopping the argument.

"Gentlemen, since the peace negotiations between Austria and France are at an impasse, we might as well proceed with the final agenda item—the negotiation concerning the Savoyard question.

I believe this is also the issue of most concern to everyone present. Just now, the Duke of Bourbon presented the Kingdom of France's solution to the Savoyard question, but it does not seem to have gained widespread approval. Now, Austria's representatives have a proposal for your consideration."

Sigismund waved his hand, and an assistant immediately handed several papers to the diplomats.

Charles and Michaud already knew the contents in advance, so they showed no surprise.

Hans was surprised to find that this proposal actually allotted a piece of land to Switzerland, while the Emperor would receive Turin.

As for the other territories of Savoy, they had already been completely partitioned, leaving only Chambéry, Turin, and the canton of Valais, which Burgundy, Austria, and Switzerland would divide equally.

Hans turned to look at the Duke of Bourbon, who directly tossed the proposal aside and watched the Austrian diplomats with a meaningful gaze.

Hans was very puzzled.

What did the Austrians want to do? Why would they support their Swiss Confederation in annexing the canton of Valais?

No matter how Hans thought, he could not figure out what ulterior motive the Emperor had for doing this.

Could it be that the Emperor was intimidated by the alliance between Switzerland and France and wanted to curry favor with them?

Although this made little sense, Hans still tried his best to convince himself of this possibility.

Almost no debate erupted, and the Duke of Bourbon's protests were ignored.

Representatives from Burgundy, Switzerland, and Austria signed the treaty partitioning the remaining territories of Savoy, witnessed by Masaccio.

The last article of the treaty stated that if anyone attempted to obstruct the execution of this treaty, the signatory states must unite to launch an attack against them.

Left with no choice, the Duke of Bourbon could only tacitly accept this treaty, which excluded France.

Subsequently, the France-Austria Peace Treaty was also signed.

The treaty stipulated that the Duke of Orléans must relinquish his claim to Milan, and Austria and France would enter into a three-year truce.

Outside the window, the autumn wind was bleak, and ripples spread across the surface of Lake Geneva.

This negotiation, without the participation of the Savoyards, nevertheless determined the fate of their homeland.

The representatives gradually left the council hall, each carrying feelings of victory, joy, or reluctance.

And the Duchy of Savoy was about to be erased from the map due to its foolish actions that angered the Emperor.

Only the ancient stone castle of Geneva remained, silently witnessing this period of history filled with power struggles and conflicts of interest.