Judgment Before the Throne

The Court of the Empire in Austria, nominally the highest court of the Empire, though generally the princes did not recognize this "private court" of the Emperor. However, in documents issued by Laszlo himself, the status of the Court of the Empire was affirmed.

He was, after all, the Emperor. Confirming the "Magna Carta of Privileges" or establishing the highest court of the Empire were merely matters of convenience.

As long as he maintained restraint and did not ride roughshod over the Electors, the princes of the Empire would express virtually no opposition.

However, today, the Court truly acted as the highest court of the Empire, simply because the person it was to try this time was no ordinary individual.

Archbishop of Mainz Dieter, who had been deposed due to an illegal election process, was the subject of today's trial.

This was the first time since the establishment of Austria's Court of the Empire that it had heard a case closely related to an Elector, and it was an explosive charge of treason.

To demonstrate the fairness of the law and the Emperor's majesty, Laszlo decided to conduct a public trial of Dieter at the Court of the Empire.

This trial immediately attracted the attention of Vienna's nobles and clergy.

Some of the more prominent among them, such as Austrian nobles close to the imperial family, and even the Archbishop of Vienna, attended in person.

In addition, some citizen representatives were also allowed to come to the trial site.

They would witness firsthand this unprecedented grand event—the Emperor's trial of the Archbishop of Mainz.

Of course, such statements were mostly popular rumors circulating among the populace, making the event sound more dramatic and exciting.

In official documents, however, it was never acknowledged that Dieter had been elected Archbishop of Mainz; instead, he was directly denounced as a traitor.

Originally, this trial should have notified more imperial princes and invited representatives from across the Empire to participate in the public trial, with the aim of intimidating the imperial princes.

However, as Laszlo was already preparing for his eastern tour, the trial was brought forward to now. In front of St. Stephen's Cathedral, the square was bustling with people, a truly magnificent sight.

However, these Viennese citizens who came to watch the spectacle were firmly blocked from the courtroom by a human wall formed by strong Imperial Guards.

In the central clearing, the space was also filled with people.

Laszlo sat on a high throne. To his right sat the High Justice, and to his left sat the clerk recording the case.

His trusted ministers, as well as the nobles, clergy, and citizen representatives who came to witness the trial ceremony, sat a little further away.

A gaunt Dieter, with heavy chains on his hands, was firmly held by two Imperial Guards, kneeling before the Emperor.

Judging from his clean and tidy clothes and appearance, this prisoner, who had committed a serious crime, had not suffered much abuse.

Perhaps this was the last bit of mercy from the guards watching him for a man about to die.

People observed all of this with interest, including Georg, the Archbishop of Vienna.

Although this Bishop Dieter had incited a rebellion against the Emperor, for the Austrians, this matter had almost no impact on them.

The rebellion occurred in Mainz, such a distant place. For most Viennese citizens, they would never have the opportunity to go there in their lifetime.

However, this did not prevent them from admiring the Emperor's majesty and glory.

After all, a rebellion that occurred in such a distant place was easily quelled by the Emperor, which showed how powerful the Emperor was.

Indeed, many people mistakenly believed that the rebellion in Mainz had been quelled because of this trial.

However, those who truly understood and cared about imperial affairs, of course, knew that the war was still ongoing.

This trial had an even more unique significance for Georg.

The Archbishop of Mainz was the German Primate and the highest religious authority in the entire Empire.

Now, Dieter, representing the religious authority of Mainz, was prostrate at the Emperor's feet, trembling and awaiting judgment.

Perhaps to others, Dieter was just an ordinary rebel.

But as the Archbishop of Vienna, and also as a seasoned jurist, Georg could see more.

He understood the history and laws of the Empire, and therefore clearly knew what everything from the "Concordat of Worms" to the "Mainz Edict" and now this trial truly meant.

In the "Concordat of Worms," the dispute over episcopal investiture between the Pope and the Emperor temporarily ended. The election of German bishops had to be conducted under the supervision of the Emperor himself or his representative, according to strict canon law.

In subsequent history, the Emperor's right to interfere in elections was gradually diluted, until the "Mainz Edict" issued by Albrecht II strengthened the Emperor's influence over the German Church.

And in this struggle for the Archbishopric of Mainz, Dieter was an archbishop elected according to canon law and supported by the secular territory of Mainz.

This meant that he had already effectively taken control of the secular and ecclesiastical powers of the archbishop without authorization from the Emperor or the Pope.

Based on Georg's many years of experience studying canon law and imperial law, under such circumstances, an important figure like the Archbishop of Mainz would generally not be subject to further changes.

Yet the reality was that Dieter was now kneeling at the Emperor's feet, not only deposed but also about to be convicted of treason.

In other words, the current Emperor Laszlo, compared to his mild father Albrecht, had further advanced his influence and control over the German Church.

Even the investiture of the Archbishop of Mainz, the head of the Empire's religious princes, he was almost going to grasp in his hands.

Archbishop Adolf, by pledging allegiance to the Emperor, has now essentially secured his position as Archbishop of Mainz.

This was not a good start, of course, for the German Church.

From the Emperor's perspective, this was a great victory for the Emperor over the Church and the Electors.

Georg reined in his wandering thoughts. The trial had begun, and the High Justice was reading Dieter's charges one by one.

Georg listened carefully, hoping to find some inspiration for the canon law treatise he was completing.

After the High Justice finished reading the listed charges, the Emperor spoke. He coldly asked, "Dieter, do you know your guilt?

I allow you to defend yourself, but I hope you do not speak nonsense in this holy and solemn imperial court."

Dieter sneered, raised his head, and looked directly into the Emperor's eyes, responding loudly, "God knows I am innocent,

The people of Mainz know I am innocent. Only you, this tyrant, and your lackeys accuse me of guilt.

You cannot rule the entire Empire through terror!

Someone will always step forward to set the Empire back on track. The brutal dictatorship you seek will never be realized!"

"Is that all you have to say?"

Laszlo immediately lost interest and looked at Dieter with some disappointment. This fellow certainly had backbone, but unfortunately, the direction he insisted on was wrong from the beginning.

Allowing princes to govern themselves could never form a strong central government or build a powerful Empire. Only he could unite the fragmented Holy Roman Empire and make this nation strong again.

However, he disdained to say these words to a dying man. Seeing the Emperor's signal, the High Justice immediately discussed the final verdict with the eight judges arrayed on both sides,

Subsequently, they presented the results of their discussion to the Emperor, and after the Emperor's approval, the clerk read them out.

Ultimately, Dieter was accused of a total of five charges, including treason and bribery, and was sentenced to death.

This sentence was not carried out immediately; instead, it would be implemented only after informing the Pope and receiving his opinion.

This involved the dignity of the Church, and Laszlo decided to show some respect to Pope Pius II, though this respect was not much.