The Holy Roman Empire III
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The Empire in Magna Mundi
The Peace of the Realm ("Landfrieden") and the use
of Imperial Force ("Reichsexekution")
Even at its weakest, the German states recognized the role of the Empire as a peacekeeper. Instead of deciding territorial and dynastic conflicts by force, the Empire offered a legal framework for peaceful solutions. When in doubt, ancient rights and venerable traditions were regarded as more valid than claims based on sheer power.
Whenever a province in the Empire is stolen from its rightful owner, the conqueror will be asked to return it to the rightful owner, or face the consequences. If you are the Emperor, it is your job to make sure the Peace of the Realm is preserved. When an aggressor refuses to return a province to its rightful owner, you will be asked to choose a response. The harsher the penalty you threaten, the more likely the aggressor is to give in.
If the Emperor, himself, is the aggressor, he can expect that a refusal to return a province will sour his relations with the Electors. Repairing these damaged relations can be just as costly as manufacturing a claim on a province, and a premature demise of the present Emperor may well mean that a rival is voted into office.
The Imperial Demesne ("Reichslande")
An exceptionally gifted Emperor may be able to expand the power of the institution of the Emperor, and to expand the territory under his control, without aggravating the Electors and other members states. He can do so by creating an Imperial Demesne. This is a territory that is governed by the Emperor, without being a part of the Emperor's country.
Whenever the crown changes hands, so does this territory. As a result, becoming Emperor comes with an added bonus of income and manpower. Since the Emperor's country cannot claim this land as its core, it cannot recruit armies or navies here.
The more provinces are added to the Demesne, the more powerful the institution of the Emperor will become. Provinces can become part of the Demesne in different ways:
An aggressor within the Empire may decide to turn over a province he conquered to the Demesne, instead of the original owner. The Emperor may on occasion be able to do the same. And small member countries of the Empire might submit themselves voluntarily to the Demesne, if they believe they are better off under Imperial protection. Finally, many European provinces outside of the Empire may be turned into a part of the Demesne by the Emperor, after he conquered them.
As Emperor, you may release parts of the Demesne as vassals. Giving back its independence to a country will be good for the power of the Empire, even though the released territories will leave the Demesne and end their vassalization to you, immediately.
The Demesne can only be expanded if the Emperor has certain qualifications. If he lacks these, neither he nor any other member state can initiate the addition of a province to the Demesne.
If the Emperor has any of these minimum qualifications, he might have a chance to expand the Demesne whenever a province is conquered:
" Diplomatic AND Administrative Ability of 6
" Diplomatic OR Administrative Ability of 7
" 5-Star Diplomat or Statesman Advisor
" Prestige of 90
" Is "Strong Leader" (see below, "Degrees of the Emperor's Authority")
If the Emperor has any of these qualifications, he will always have a chance to expand the Demesne if he conquers a province:
" Diplomatic AND Administrative Ability of 7
" Diplomatic OR Administrative Ability of 8
" Prestige of 99
" Is "Powerful Leader" (see below, "Degrees of the Emperor's Authority")
The Demesne will change hands, whenever the Emperor's title does. Only a hereditary Emperor will be able to avoid this loss to his territory.
Imperial Power and Reform of the Empire
Imperial power is, on one hand, a measure of the Empire's ability to maintain peace and order, in its role as a neutral arbiter, defender of ancient rights, and guarantor of the rule of law. We call this "Imperial Power." On the other hand, growing Imperial power also expands the possibilities for the Emperor to shape the Empire and use his increasing "Degrees of the Emperor's Authority."
While most member states will prefer to see the Empire strengthened so that it can defend them against aggressive, larger countries within and without Germany, the Electors play a more dubious role. They might favor strengthened Imperial institutions, because they hope they will weaken the Emperor. They will certainly guard their own rights jealously, opposing any move by the Emperor to expand the influence of his own home country at the expense of others. The ultimate offense to the Electors would be a hereditary title of Emperor. This, however, was the ultimate aim of strong Emperors like Charles V.
The Electors may attempt a limited, local centralization of Imperial institutions, at the expense of the power of the Emperor. Their goal is to create Imperial Circuits ("Reichskreise"), essentially regional administrative units under the domination of the most powerful local state. If a country is the Convener of an Imperial Circuit, you can see a crown icon on the province detail window of its capital province.
Any attempt at a reform of Imperial institutions will have to navigate this tangle of interests. The better a central institution can defend the rights of all member states of the Empire, the more likely it is to increase the power of the Empire. Strengthened centralized institutions can only be created as a federal effort. For instance, Electors will insist on their right to appoint judges to a Reich Court ("Reichskammergericht").
Levels of Imperial Power
There are ten levels of Imperial Power, ranging from 1 to 10. Go to the capital of the Emperor's country to find out how strong the Empire is. The more powerful the Empire - that is to say, the more capable the Empire is of enforcing peace and law - the more the population in that capital province expands, as people from all corners of the Realm flock here on state business, for trade, or to seek an audience. This inflow of population is a good indicator of just how strong the Emperor is: It will range from 1% to 10%, corresponding to the ten levels of power (1 to 10). This value will be viewable in the hover help over the crown icon in the upper right corner of the province window ("Imperial Court").
Imperial power will grow, for example,
" a little, whenever a province is restored to its rightful owner
" a bit, whenever a province is incorporated into the Demesne
" a lot, when the Emperor become Defender of the Faith or is crowned by the Pope
Imperial power will wane, for example,
" a little, whenever a province in the Empire is stolen
" a bit, when the Demesne loses a province (unless it is at the same time returned to its rightful owner), or when a country in the Empire falls under foreign vassalage
" a lot, when the Emperor is excommunicated or converts to a Protestant religion
Imperial Power will grow whenever an Emperor is perceived as putting the common good above his own interest; and it will wane whenever the Emperor violates the rights of other states in the Empire.
Degrees of the Emperor's Authority
There are four Degrees of the Emperor's Authority:
" Figurehead of a Factious Association (Imperial Power of 1-3)
" Symbolic Leader of a Loose Federation (Imperial Power of 4-6)
" Strong Leader of a Cordial Union (Imperial Power of 7-9)
" Powerful Leader of a Unified Empire (Imperial Power of 10)
As Imperial Power grows or wanes, the Emperor will advance or regress on this scale. A modifier will always inform him of his present standing. There will also be a flag icon in the province window of Oberpfalz (home to the City of Regensburg, where the Reichstag meets), informing others of the Emperor's current Degree of Authority.
The greater the Emperor's Authority, the more options he will have to reshape the institutional structure of the Empire; and the more likely it will be for his initiatives to be approved by the Reichstag. Only a powerful leader of a unified Empire may attempt a bid to make his title hereditary, eliminating the influence of Electors on the process. Short of heredity, he may be able to replace electors at his whim, without consulting the Reichstag.
While a strong Emperor might be tempted to abuse his authority, he should be aware that each step he takes against the rights of member states will reduce Imperial Power, thereby threatening his Degree of Authority.
Voili, voilou