War is About to Begin

When news of the League of Public Weal's formation reached Vienna, Laszlo was preparing to head north to Prague.

After inspecting Prague, he intended to proceed to Nuremberg to convene a new Imperial Conference to discuss the advancement of Imperial reforms.

Unlike previous assemblies that were merely for shouting slogans and intimidating the Electors, this time he was serious.

"Your Majesty, your plan has already begun to show results.

The Electors of the Kingdom of France have now formed an alliance and are preparing to militarily resist Louis XI's tyranny."

At the emergency Privy Council meeting, Eyczing excitedly reported the latest intelligence to the Emperor and his colleagues.

The members of this Privy Council meeting were somewhat different from before.

Marshal Adolf, who was in charge of military affairs, Jacob, who was in charge of finance, and Eyczing, who was in charge of foreign affairs, were all present.

However, Laszlo's teacher, Palace Chancellor Aeneas, who was in charge of administration, was gravely ill and not long for this world.

Georg, the Cardinal of Vienna, took over his position as acting Palace Chancellor.

In addition, a new candidate had been found for the position of Imperial Advisor, which had been vacant since Pius II became Pope.

Cardinal Bessarion of Greece came from Rome to Vienna, and Laszlo appointed him as the new Imperial Advisor, to constantly follow the Emperor and offer advice.

This was Bessarion's first time attending a Privy Council meeting after arriving in Austria, and he unexpectedly happened upon such an important matter.

The eyes of all the ministers turned to the Emperor.

Laszlo was leaning back on his throne, a slight smile on his lips, his fingertips gently tapping the armrest.

His composed demeanor made it seem as if everything was under his control.

"Gentlemen, this is both the result of our own efforts and a golden opportunity granted by Heaven.

If handled properly, we might be able to strike down our powerful long-standing adversary in one fell swoop.

Once France falls into decline, we will have no more rivals.

At that time, the task of reorganizing the Empire will also become much easier."

Hearing the Emperor's bold words, the ministers nodded in agreement.

The French King had been gaining immense prestige in recent years, his power continuously growing even beyond the era of Charles VII.

Although Louis XI was very harsh on the nobility and suppressed them vigorously, he also supported the burgher class within his country.

In the past few years, France's handicraft and commerce had become increasingly prosperous, with Lyon becoming one of Europe's leading market centers.

His strong protection and support for the emerging bourgeoisie yielded rich returns.

The French royal income had steadily climbed, breaking the one million florin mark.

The size of the Ordinance Cavalry also reached an astonishing 30 companies, numbering over ten thousand men.

In addition to the Ordinance companies, he also assembled a Swiss mercenary army of several thousand and strengthened the artillery regiments.

Louis XI commanded such powerful forces, yet no one present believed he would achieve ultimate victory.

Because the enemies he faced were far more than just the few French Electors rebelling against him; there was also the Emperor, who was eyeing him from the sidelines.

"Your Majesty, should we send troops to aid the Duke of Burgundy?"

Marshal Adolf was the first to ask the question that concerned him most.

Previously, when a major war broke out in Pomerania, he had entertained some thoughts, but the Emperor was unwilling to needlessly expend troops in a remote corner of the Empire's northeast.

The Teutonic Order's army had already arrived in Pomerania and was now allied with the Duke of Pomerania to resist the Brandenburg Elector's invasion.

The Emperor's uncharacteristic silence made both sides appear somewhat flustered.

The Emperor, who usually liked to stand up and "uphold justice" for the Electors, maintained a neutral stance this time.

Seeing that a quick resolution was no longer possible, the Brandenburg Elector could only suppress his worries and begin a prolonged tug-of-war with the Duke of Pomerania.

The main forces of both sides constantly probed each other near Stettin, the focal point of their contention.

But neither side believed they had an overwhelming advantage, so no one dared to truly engage in a large-scale decisive battle.

Such a stalemate would likely last for a long time.

In Adolf's view, merely deploying the Bohemian army, coupled with the vassal armies of the Silesian dukes, could easily sway the tide of the war in Pomerania.

However, since the Emperor had no such intention, he no longer paid much attention to the situation in Pomerania.

Now, things were good; war was about to break out in France again, and Adolf keenly sniffed the scent of war.

Based on his understanding of the Emperor, the Emperor would not be able to sit still this time.

However, the question of whom to attack was worth careful consideration.

Hearing the Marshal's question, Laszlo shook his head.

"This is an internal war of France; if we send troops, wouldn't the nature of the war change?"

"Your Majesty, in fact, we still have an opportunity to send troops to aid the Duke of Burgundy."

Eyczing's words piqued everyone's curiosity.

They all wanted to hear what clever idea this diplomatic and versatile chief minister could propose to the Emperor this time.

"The intelligence we have received indicates that the Archbishop of Trier, who borders the Duchy of Burgundy, also participated in the League of Public Weal.

Trier itself already has a military alliance treaty with Burgundy, and this time, the banner they raise is to contain the threat of the French King.

As you know, during the Zurich War twenty years ago, Louis XI, then the Dauphin of France, led over ten thousand French into Alsace and Lorraine.

At that time, most of Austria's and Hungary's forces were deployed on the front lines against the Ottomans, and the rest were all bogged down in the Swiss mountains, completely unable to provide relief.

Ultimately, it was the desperate resistance of the people in Alsace and Lorraine that repelled the French.

Since then, the Electors in the western part of the Empire have been wary of the French King.

This time, many nobles under the Duke of Lorraine, disregarding the Duke's prohibition, joined the League of Public Weal.

The Archbishop of Trier's participation also received widespread approval from the French nobility.

We can dispatch a contingent of troops, like before, to join the Archbishop of Trier's army as foreign mercenaries and go with him to fight in France.

Of course, this matter would ultimately need to be negotiated with Burgundy, with the Duke of Burgundy bearing the cost of hiring the army.

However, I estimate that the Duke of Burgundy may not particularly need our military assistance, as the strength of the alliance itself already surpasses Louis XI."

Eyczing's words made Laszlo's mind begin to reel.

The French had invaded Alsace and Lorraine during the Zurich War?

Wasn't Alsace the Habsburg's old homeland?

Louis XI had actually led an army to attack Outer Austria, but was eventually driven back.

What should this be called? "The Last Lesson"?

No, this was "The First Lesson."

Alsace and Lorraine were still widely recognized as Imperial territory.

It was also understandable that the Duke of Lorraine forbade his nobles from participating in the League of Public Weal.

His father, the Duke of Anjou, was Louis XI's biggest supporter, and he also had numerous territorial disputes with the Duke of Burgundy; for both emotional and rational reasons, he would not join the League of Public Weal. However, considering the public sentiment in Lorraine, he could not openly support the French King, and thus could only remain neutral.

Another thing that confused Laszlo was the Archbishop of Trier's participation in the League of Public Weal.

A dignified Imperial Elector forming an alliance with the great feudal lords of France—this whole situation felt strange.

Laszlo could understand the Archbishop of Trier's position; he was essentially providing some military assistance to Burgundy as a neighboring military ally.

He could also send reinforcements to Burgundy, but as the Emperor, his every action represented the will of the Empire.

Once the Imperial Army entered France, it would create the misconception that the Emperor was invading France, which might lead to some unforeseen changes in what was originally a favorable situation.

After all, that was France; being careless could easily lead to disaster.

"I believe the Duke of Burgundy is capable of defeating the French King head-on, so we have another objective."

Laszlo pulled out a secret letter, which his ambassador to Burgundy, Anthony, had sent to Vienna overnight.

"Anthony explained the Duke of Burgundy's request to me in the letter.

His only concern is that the Swiss, who are closely allied with Louis XI, might take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack on Burgundy itself."

The Swiss have long coveted Geneva and other former Savoy territories, and this is an excellent opportunity they cannot miss.

Therefore, the Duke of Burgundy requested that I send troops to contain Switzerland and help him defend the Burgundian homeland, so that he can focus on fighting the King of France without worries."

"Switzerland?"

Adolf's enthusiasm was almost immediately halved, and his brows furrowed.

He was quite interested in fighting in France.

The plains of northern France were flat and almost undefendable, where Austria's army could exert its maximum combat power.

However, if the location changed to the Swiss mountains, the situation would become quite bad.

"Your Majesty, although we have already gained great power, attacking Switzerland still requires careful consideration."

Adolf could only tactfully advise the Emperor.

Their situation was excellent now, and there was no need to clash with those Swiss in the mountains.

Honestly, attacking Switzerland was less appealing than sending troops to intervene in the Pomeranian succession war.

If he weren't afraid of angering the Emperor, Adolf would have wanted to recount the history of the Habsburg Family's failures in Switzerland before the Emperor.

Not to mention the distant past, even the grandfather of the Emperor's two uncles, Frederick and Sigismund, Leopold III, died in the war against Switzerland.

In 1415, Frederick, Count of Tyrol, the father of the current Serbia Regent (deposed Duke) Sigismund, helped the disgraced deposed Pope John XXIII escape.

This action angered the then Emperor Sigismund, who subsequently issued an Imperial Ban against the Count of Tyrol and incited the Swiss to seize his territory.

The Swiss acted without hesitation.

Bern quickly occupied western Aargau, and the combined forces of Zurich, Lucerne, and the Forest Cantons swept through eastern Aargau, burning down Habsburg (Adlerburg) and partitioning the land of Aargau.

The Zurich War in the 1440s almost cost another Archduke of Austria in Switzerland.

The final result was the death of the Mayor of Zurich, who had sided with Austria, and Zurich subsequently returned to the Confederation.

In the Italian Wars of 1460, although the Swiss expeditionary force sent to Milan was defeated, they gained a lot on their home ground.

Thurgau, originally belonging to the Emperor, was forcibly occupied by them, and the Swiss also brought St. Gallen and the Abbey of St. Gallen into their sphere of influence.

Schaffhausen, a buffer zone connecting the Swiss homeland and Outer Austria, was also controlled by the Swiss.

In the subsequent peace treaty, they also got a share in Savoy, incorporating Lower Valais into the Confederation.

Now, the Swiss Confederation's power has reached its strongest period ever. From past experience, actively attacking Switzerland is clearly not a wise choice.

No matter how brave the Emperor's army, it would only be difficult to advance in the complex mountainous terrain.

"I have considered it carefully; Switzerland needs to be fought, but we cannot fight a stubborn war."

Laszlo could understand Adolf's concerns as a professional soldier; he himself had had such worries.

The purpose of this attack on Switzerland was not to annihilate the Swiss.

Laszlo merely wanted to help Burgundy tie down the Swiss army, so that the ally, while fighting the King of France on the front, would not have to worry about the Swiss attacking them from behind.

This was the same principle as Burgundy assisting him in defending Outer Austria during the Italian Wars.

Laszlo quickly ordered a map to be brought and spread out on the conference table, and the ministers gathered around.

"You see, how rapid has Switzerland's expansion been in recent years? If we don't teach them a lesson, they will probably become even more rampant.

Now, Switzerland is surrounded on all sides by us and our allies.

Their expansion has always been arbitrary, and they are very fond of attacking in all directions.

And no matter which way they expand, it will undoubtedly lead to war with us.

Therefore, we must strike first and break the rapid expansion momentum of the Swiss.

Mountain people should honestly stay in the mountains."

Adolf's mind spun, and he immediately understood the Emperor's intention.

"Are you planning to attack Switzerland's plain cantons?"

Laszlo nodded slightly and explained, "The reason I spent tens of thousands of florins to purchase the Bregenz county was because it is very close to Zurich.

That will be our forward base for attacking northeastern Switzerland.

Besides Zurich, we have two other important targets: one is Aargau, the ancestral land of my Habsburg Family, and the other is the Münster Valley, controlled by the Three Leagues, a staunch ally of Switzerland.

In terms of importance, Zurich is undoubtedly the primary target, and the Münster Valley, which directly connects Tyrol and Milan, is the second most important target.

As for Aargau, if possible, we will reclaim it; if there is no opportunity, we can temporarily abandon it."

A very rational judgment; now the ministers knew that the Emperor was not acting on a whim by wanting to attack Switzerland.

"Your Majesty, are we to attack Switzerland from three directions separately?

1

Adolf looked at the map and had a general idea.

The Milan Army could directly attack the Forest Cantons from Ticino, or move northeast to attack the Three Leagues to open up communication with Tyrol.

The Austro-Hungarian Army stationed in Venetia could pass through the Diocese of Trento into Tyrol, and then launch an attack on Switzerland from Tyrol.

The Independent Army stationed in the homeland could be transferred to Tyrol or Outer Austria.

Undoubtedly, the front line of this war will be incredibly long, encircling the entire border of the Swiss Confederation.

"We will defend in Outer Austria and attack from Tyrol-Bregenz and Milan."

Eyczing, however, raised an objection at this point.

"Your Majesty, the Swiss cantons are independent political entities; if you only launch an attack in the east, the western members of the Confederation may not come to their rescue.

If they insist on attacking the Burgundian homeland, then the Duke of Burgundy's request cannot be fulfilled, which will affect the war in France.

I think we will have to divide our forces and attack both the eastern and western parts of Switzerland simultaneously; only then can we tie down their army."

"In that case… we will need more troops, otherwise, we are very likely to suffer defeat."

Hearing Eyczing's reminder, Laszlo then remembered that the Swiss themselves were not very united.

What if he attacked Zurich, and Bern and the Forest Cantons chose to stand by and watch, directly attacking the Burgundian homeland? Wouldn't that be a disaster?

After a moment of hesitation, Laszlo finally made a decision: "Then bring back the Saxon Army stationed in Pressburg as well,

and let them harass western Switzerland with the troops conscripted in Outer Austria."

"Your Majesty, don't forget that the Swabian Imperial Circle can also provide you with some help."

"Swabia?" Laszlo thought of Swabia's miniature army and showed a helpless smile.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to make a trip to Swabia; I will persuade the members of the Imperial Circle to provide you with more substantial help."

Eyczing still looked confident.

He was as confident as ever in his eloquence and diplomatic abilities.

Laszlo thought for a moment and nodded in agreement with his proposal: "Then I'll leave it to you; try to get them to contribute more."

"Please rest assured. However, what reason do you plan to use to declare war on Switzerland?"

"There are many reasons.

For example, colluding with the French to attack the Emperor, violating the resolutions of the Imperial Conference, refusing to pay taxes to the Imperial Conference.

Eyczing, help me compile a list of the Swiss's crimes, the more detailed the better.

I will use this as a basis to impose an Imperial Ban on the Swiss, and then begin the war with Switzerland.

Gentlemen, this time we must avenge the blood feud of the Italian Wars and dozens of past wars, and wipe away our humiliation!

I hope everyone can fulfill their duty and fully support this war."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The Privy Council meeting ended, and the ministers holding the highest power in Austria left the palace with heavy hearts.

Next, Austria will begin meticulous war preparations, hoping to defeat the formidable Swiss army in the upcoming war.