The number of Teutonic knights in Saxony and the Franconia-Swabia League is too large. Together, they have 410 seats, accounting for half of the total number of Teutonic knights with voting rights.
Moreover, Marin can't guarantee that some of the other neutral knights will be pulled over. For this reason, Marin is thinking, not only to ensure his own votes, but also to destroy and reduce the other party's votes...
This time, the election of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights attracted many people. In addition to the two major seed players, Prince Frederick and Prince Philip, there are actually some qualified knights or princes from other regions to participate in the election.
(Note: The prince here does not only refer to the son of the king, but the son of the princes. All kings, dukes, marquises, and earls with autonomous territories, and their sons, can be called princes. Of course, the sons of lords below the earl cannot Called the prince. Because, the level is not enough... ）
In this era, many aristocratic families like to choose a son to be a monk or a daughter to be a nun if they have more sons or daughters.
For example, King Edward IV of England had a youngest daughter, Bridget of York, who became a nun. There are also some kings, dukes, and earls who, when they have enough sons, will arrange for one of their sons to develop in the religious world, trying to become a bishop or something.
Because, in this era, the influence of the Holy See is great. If there is one member of the family who can become famous within the church, it can bring great help to the family.
Moreover, although the bishops of the bishops and archbishops need to be appointed by the Holy See, they all come from those big noble families.
For example, the three major religious electors of the Holy Roman Empire—the Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne—all came from those princely families.
The Archbishop of Mainz, Berthold von Hennenberg, was from the Earl of Hennenberg, and his father was the Earl of Hennenberg; the Archbishop of Trier, John II, was from Baden, and he His father was Jacob, Count of Baden; Hermann IV, Archbishop of Cologne, was from Hesse and was the son of Louis I, Count of Hesse...
Of course, the premise that so many princes' sons become archbishops is that those princes are willing to let their sons become monks. Therefore, unless the family has a difficult heir, it is actually very common for those princes to choose a son to become a monk.
Moreover, to choose a son to become a monk, the monk does not need a territory. Therefore, when dividing up the inheritance, there will be fewer disputes...
Most of these princes who become monks will be arranged by the family, bribe the Holy See, and arrange to be bishops in their own territories. For example, Prince Philip was originally planning to arrange for his second brother, Nevers, to be the bishop of Nevers.
But there are also some restless ones. For example, Prince Frederick heard that the former Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights belched, and there is no suitable candidate in the Teutonic Knights. So, he rushed to the election immediately. Moreover, he also has the support of the Duke of Saxony.
After all, the State of the Teutonic Knights is a very powerful country. If its opponent, the Polish-Lithuanian Alliance, is not too strong, as the head of this powerful country, don't be too comfortable.
Even if a strong enemy is on his side, being the head of the Teutonic Knights is very honorable. Moreover, it is also very lizi. Because, as long as you become the head of the Teutonic Grand Regiment, you can become the head of the third largest business district in the Hanseatic League-Prussia and Livonia.
As the head of the group, it is no problem to reap enough benefits for myself and my family in the third largest business district of the Hanseatic League...
Therefore, there are actually many noble children who want to become the Teutonic Grand Commander.
In addition to the two seeded players Prince Frederick and Prince Philip, there are still some noble monks who came to participate in the election.
However, after Prince Frederick and Prince Philip began to exert their strength, many people felt desperate. Because, compared with these two rich and powerful seed players, they have no chance of winning.
As a result, some small nobles from remote areas or noble monks from small vassal states withdrew from the election one after another, intending to watch the excitement.
But Marin didn't intend to let them go, and was going to choose a puppet to add trouble to Prince Frederick...
After picking left and right, Marin chose an Austrian noble monk named William. This guy named William has a lot of background. His father was an offshoot of the Austrian Habsburg family. Like Count Albrecht, who had previously commanded troops in Italy, he was a court earl of the Habsburg family without a territory. Of course, Earl Albrecht had mixed into a fief because of Marin's favor last time, and his life was more moist. And William's father, Earl Albert, although he is also an earl, only has the title of earl and has no corresponding territory. He is a standard poor earl.
Therefore, when William heard that the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights had passed away and there was no suitable successor, he also rushed to Königsberg, intending to try his luck.
But he dropped his candidacy when he saw Prince Frederick and Prince Philip throwing money and writing bad promises. For, as the son of a poor landless earl, William was also very poor. None of his brothers had money to squander, let alone him.
However, when Marin learned of his identity, he was overjoyed...
First of all, William is a member of the Habsburg family. Although it is only a collateral line, it is considered noble. The Habsburg family may not have much influence on other princes. For example, neither the Franconia knights nor the Westphalia-Rhineland knights are interested in the Habsburgs.
However, the knights of the Swabian line had to give face. Because, the nobles of the Swabian line are now the emperor's most loyal allies. These Teutonic knights from aristocratic families in the Swabian region had to give the Habsburg family face.
At the same time, the Saxony knights also want to show some face to the Habsburg family. Because, the Saxon nobles now have a good relationship with the Habsburg family. Of course, between Prince Frederick, the direct prince of Saxony, and William, the collateral prince of the Habsburg family, the knights of Saxony would decisively choose Prince Frederick. Don't say that William is just a collateral branch of the Habsburg family. Even if it is a direct line, among the Saxon knights, it cannot be compared with his own prince.
Therefore, it is completely impossible for Marin to use William to solicit votes from the Saxon Cavaliers. As for the Franconia Knights, the possibility is relatively small, but it can still win some votes. But the Swabian knights can do something...
Marin took the initiative to contact William, the poor prince. When Marin asked Prince William to run for the position of head of the regiment, William refused. Because he has no confidence at all.
However, Marin took out a handful of gold coins and tried it, seeing the longing in Prince William's eyes. So, Marin had a bottom line...
After promising to give 5,000 gold coins as a favor and recommending him to take up an important position beside Prince Philip, Prince William knelt down decisively...
Even, Marin paid him a deposit of 500 gold coins, which made Prince William very happy...
In this regard, Marin is also relieved...
After that, Marin asked a few capable men from Prince Philip to help Prince William maintain the scene. Then, Marin asked Prince William to secretly invite those Swabian knights and Franconia knights, and offered a bag of gold coins for bribes...
In order to be more convincing, Marin, a "professional talent" with modern forgery technology, forged a royal document based on the identity certificate issued by the emperor on his body with the emperor's signature, explaining that Habs The Fort family gave William support, and asked the Swabian knights to support William a lot...
William didn't dare to use the document at first, but Marin told him, as long as you don't leave a copy for those knights, who the hell can prove that you used this fake document
Moreover, as long as Prince Philip succeeds in ascending to the position of grand master, William will definitely be reused. This point, Prince Philip also personally guaranteed.
As for the emperor to blame afterwards? This may have. After all, the Duke of Saxony was an ally of the Emperor. But so what? William was originally from the Habsburg family. Moreover, this time it was William's personal behavior, and the emperor could not blame his father and brother.
And as long as the matter is done, William doesn't have to go back, and he doesn't have to worry about being punished. Even if things fail, Marin promises not to give the 5,000 gold coins. Therefore, William can also live well.
After shaking his mind, William officially accepted Marin's employment, and began to take the fake emperor's documents and the gold coin bag provided by Marin, and began to quietly attack those Swabian knights and Franconia knights...
In order to keep it secret, William invited those knights quietly and privately, and only invited a few people at a time, which was very concealed...
Not only that, Marin also let William make crazy conditions. Promise to the knights of Swabia and Franconia that as long as you become the grand master, you will support them to become sub-regiment chiefs or take other important positions, and jointly hold the power...
Such a promise may not be attractive to those Teutonic knights who are well mixed. However, it is very attractive to those Teutonic knights who are not well mixed. However, these bad knights have the same voting rights as those good knights...
As for writing bad checks? This is not a problem at all. Because, William is doomed not to be selected as the grand master. If it is not selected, these promises do not need to be fulfilled. So, even if you make random promises, don't worry about any problems.
The proud Prince Frederick of Saxony didn't know that his ally, the Teutonic Knights of the Franconia-Swabia Alliance, had been secretly dug into the wall with a hoe...