Although he once again suppressed those ministers who complained about his huge spending at the State Council, Ladislaus still needed further support and used various means to collect the wealth, whether it was to fight corruption, clean up the accounts, or demand

Donations are essentially weakening the foundation of his rule. Although in the long run these losses to the nobles can be recovered when the Vienna Trade Center prospers, people's hearts cannot be stabilized by future interests.

Ladislaus needs other means to win back people's hearts. This is the difficulty of being an enterprising monarch.

His control over the State Council was based on the fact that several members of the State Council were his cronies and had no foundation in Vienna. Without a foundation, there would be no local power. This kind of control was dangerous.

Economic development is often a very long-term and very slow task.

And sometimes politics is a very short-term, very urgent game, so he needs people who can give him immediate support.

On December 25, 1523, His Majesty Ferdinand, Holy Roman Emperor, visited Rome and accepted a grand mass arranged for him by the true elect Pope Medici.

The next day, Austria's acting Cardinal Ladislaus also arrived in Rome on a Spanish warship.

This is of course no coincidence. Whether or not Ladislaus should attend Christmas Mass is a very sensitive matter. He has no intention of grabbing a good position in the College of Cardinals. Another day at sea is a better choice.

Although it is economical and comfortable to escort Spanish warships, the navigation performance of the capital ships is much better than those of small boats, but even Ladislaus, a miser, knows this. This has damaged his prestige and Austria's

**sex.

This is a gesture that satisfies His Majesty Ferdinand. A gesture that makes it possible for him to spend a little more money.

"My dear brother, thank you so much for coming to Rome to support me." Although Ladislaus did not show any courtesy as a vassal, the person who canceled this relationship was the former Acting Archduke of Austria, Ferdinand, who had gone to great lengths for Austria's independence.

After so much effort, now he can only fend for himself.

It was important that Ladislaus came to Rome to support his demand for the investiture of bishops and archbishops of the Church of the Dark Sun in all regions of Spain.

Although the bishops and archbishops in Spain have basically always been served by the youngest sons of local nobles, foreigners, especially the Italians, who are the most powerful in the Holy See, cannot get involved at all.

But unlike the Kingdom of France, these appointments are still issued by the truly elected pope in Rome. Although generations of truly elected popes have honestly accepted the "recommendation" of the King of Spain for decades, they will indeed continue to do so for a period of time.

There were one or two appointments that were controversial. Perhaps the Spanish side received a sum of money to give up the position, or perhaps they paid a small amount of money to gain the position.

And generally speaking, any appointment, especially the appointment of mid-to-high-end clergy, still needs to follow some Roman rules and requires trial and error.

His Majesty Ferdinand wants to sever this relationship. He is no longer willing to waste the energy of the state machinery on this issue. Countless temptations and compromises with the Holy See will consume too much of his governing ability.

He wanted the same power as the King of France.

"Your Majesty, it won't be easy this time. The Holy See has only acquiesced and refused to recognize the power of the King of France over the years. If it loses the right to appoint bishops in Spain, it will be even more difficult for the Holy See to control the various dioceses in Europe. They won't be able to

Agree." Ladislaus was hesitant to put too much pressure on the Holy See now.

If such words appear in the letter, it means rejection. However, His Majesty Ferdinand is not very worried at this time. Ladislaus has come to Rome to support him. Now the two of them are just conducting private matters between cousins ​​and monarchs.

Dialogue, this is the benefit of two powerful monarchs using the same surname. The two sides can occasionally communicate directly and honestly on minor issues.

"I can't give in. Spain must have the power that France has. It can only be more but not less." The content of His Majesty Ferdinand's words was very serious, but his expression was very understated, but Ladislaus clearly felt his

There is indeed a sense of urgency dominated by ambition and lust in the cousin emperor. Spain already has too much, but the more it has, the greedier it becomes.

This is not the desire of an individual, but the desire of a nation at its peak, and a desire that a good monarch must try his best to satisfy.

"How to do it, use force to suppress others or compromise in exchange?" Ladislaus also has his own desire to satisfy, but it is not so hot and dangerous.

"Use force to suppress the Roman Church and reach a compromise with the Medici family." This is also the traditional method used by all major powers towards the Roman Church.

"How long can the Spanish fleet be assembled?" Ladislaus was careful not to immediately mention the original purpose of gathering the fleet. The sudden compromise of the Knights Hospitaller made His Majesty Ferdinand's Mediterranean strategy lose focus.

"Not too long." Although they are both Habsburgs, this kind of important information cannot be fully shared. Pressure on the Roman Church is Spain's secondary goal, but the fleet is Spain's core wealth.

So Ladislaus could only get a vague answer, but that was enough.

"So we have to make an offer to His Majesty the Medici," Ladislaus continued, "to help him settle the Florentine Parliament?"

Since the election of the True Pope, the position of head of state of the Republic of Florence, the "Standard Bearer of Justice" has been vacant. The True Pope wanted the child that Ladislaus had seen to take this position, the Asian with nomadic ancestry.

Alessandro.

However, many congressmen were unwilling to accept such a little kid, who was obviously of Moorish descent, as the head of state. Many of the Medici's allies were also dissatisfied, and some traditional Medici vassals were also upset.

** for this location.

Enemies object and allies lose their voice.

The truly elected pope can only control the Republic of Florence in name only. This is an unstable and dangerous state.

Although the emperor's power was very limited in the Florentine Republic, there were still a few unionists. Moreover, the emperor's support would stop some outsiders from opposing the Medici family.

This is a very good offer.

"No", but this kind of offer is not in line with the taste of the Holy Roman Emperor. "Let that little Medici be the Duke of Florence. I will crown him."

His Majesty Ferdinand lightly wanted to fulfill the biggest dream of the city's nobles. This was the benefit of becoming the true elected pope. One-tenth of the church's losses could be compensated for his family.

"That should be enough. There will definitely be details, but that's what diplomats do." Ladislaus bowed slightly at this time, "So how can Austria serve you?"

"I have nothing else to ask for. Your presence is the greatest support for me." His Majesty Ferdinand's main bargaining chip is indeed the close alliance between Spain and Austria, the two top powers and the secondary powers, but he does not really have nothing else.

What he asked for. "Of course it would be better if you could exert some influence in front of His Royal Highness Lange, the chief political officer of the Holy See."

Although Colonel Lange was driven away to Rome by Ladislaus, he was compensated by the post of Colonel after all, and his interests in Salzburg were also guaranteed and he was not eaten up.

However, Ladislaus asked himself that he could make another exchange with him. After all, the other members of the Lange family were still in Salzburg and had to make a living under Ladislaus.

"No problem. Your Majesty, I will visit him tomorrow." Ladislaus agreed happily, "And what are your plans for the Knights Hospitaller."

Most of the evacuated hospital knights are now gathered in Rome. After all, they are nominally subordinates of His Majesty the True Chosen Pope.

Although the Knights Hospitaller lost Rhodes Island, they retained all their weapons, money and the most important fleet. The thousands of people who migrated together could immediately build a large city.

Coupled with the nearly a thousand elite soldiers who have fought countless battles, this is still a force that cannot be underestimated, a sword that has been tempered thousands of times.

The Habsburg family absolutely does not want the real elected pope to control this sword.

"Currently, the various branch leaders are in a quarrel and are about to divide the luggage. If it is really disbanded, the property scattered in various countries will definitely not be preserved." His Majesty Ferdenand did not see clearly the value of this knighthood for a while.

"Have you not thought of taking the opportunity to recruit this powerful group into your ranks and become the guardian of the Holy Land?" Because of some historical habits, if the Knights Hospitallers are loyal to the secular monarch, the monarch of Europe calls this monarch the Guardian of Jerusalem.

For other monarchs, this is simply an honor, but for Spain, it is not only a false title but also an opportunity.

"I really want to control them. But I can't pay a high price, and the Spanish nobles also covet the property of the Knights Hospitaller." His Majesty Ferdinand thought that Ladislaus at least wanted to share some elite knights, but he didn't expect it.

It is to bring them under the wings of the two-headed eagle.

The failure of the Knights Hospitaller gave all greedy people an excuse. Most of the property was donated by the ancestors of the nobles during the Crusades for their faith, but now the descendants are scratching their heads and want to take it back.

Although Ladislaus is equally greedy, he can barely restrain himself because these properties can be owned by the sorcerer royal family. Of course, he does not want remuneration. Austria cannot work in vain for the sake of Spain.

The system mission "Knights Hospitaller of Malta" only gives a small reputation reward, and the real reward needs to be paid by Spain.

"No, Your Majesty, the Hospital Knights together are a sword. If anyone wants to control them, then after tearing them apart, the sword will only fall into pieces, and then the sharpest piece will fall into the hands of the true chosen Pope. You should grant

Give them what they want most, liberty and freedom. Malta is just a desert island and give them a new city to build. Naples, Malta, and Algeria are the eastern territories of the Spanish Empire."

"If the military supplies concentrated in Naples to save Rhodes Island are transported back to the mainland, it will not only cost a lot but also be frustrating. We can just sell some of them to them so that they can rebuild their castle." His Majesty Ferdinand showed a knowing smile.

, he did not let Ladislaus make the request himself but said, "And Austria can also share part of it as armaments."
Chapter completed!