Inside the council chamber of the Hofburg Palace, a Privy Council meeting was held once again after a long absence. Austria temporarily bid farewell to the Regency Council and welcomed the return of its monarch.
No one knew how long the Emperor would stay in Vienna this time, and even more unexpected for the ministers was that the Emperor threw a difficult problem at them as soon as he returned.
The topic of how to integrate Bohemia and Milan was so provocative that even the usually steady Chief Minister, Archbishop Georg, found it difficult to keep up with the Emperor's leapfrogging thoughts.
Over the past year or so, the Emperor had toured Italy to the south, campaigned against France to the west, and subsequently demonstrated the imperial majesty and power to the world in the northwest of the Empire.
As a result, just after returning to Austria, the Emperor turned his thoughts back to the goal of strengthening Austria.
This certainly couldn't be called a bad thing; at the very least, it proved that the Emperor still kept Austrian affairs in mind—even at the forefront—while handling Imperial matters.
For the officials serving in the Austrian government, this was undoubtedly fortunate; after all, they didn't have to worry about the Emperor being whisked away by another country's government one day, reducing Austria to a vassal state.
They could remain around the core of governance for the long term, which meant more power, resources, and opportunities.
At the same time, this also meant that their upcoming workload would be even heavier and they would face significant obstacles.
There was no other way; the Emperor had to focus on Imperial reform, and there was an Imperial Diet to be held next April.
Eastern affairs could not be ignored either. It had been a long time since he visited Hungary; he had to make a trip there, didn't he?
Otherwise, those restless nobles might find opportunities to cause more trouble.
The Eastern Empire and Serbia were implementing local autonomy managed by members of the royal family. They were currently promoting Roman Catholicism across the Balkans and absorbing immigrants to strengthen national power and maintain the army against eastern threats.
The Emperor was also extremely concerned with the affairs of the Eastern Empire, maintaining constant correspondence with Prince Regent Frederick even from thousands of miles away, often providing policy instructions.
The many independent nations existing in the form of a personal union had constructed a brand new Central-Eastern European and Balkan order under the Emperor's rule.
The dual monarchy of two massive empires greatly consumed the Emperor's energy. As an increasingly refined central institution, the Austrian government was created precisely to share the Emperor's pressure and heavy workload.
Since the Emperor was determined to further strengthen Austria and integrate more territories, they naturally had to take on the specific implementation of these plans.
Furthermore, this was a precious opportunity to expand the authority of the Vienna government, and the ministers were quite interested in it.
Compared to the Hungarian Regency Cabinet, which had been constantly weakened and segmented by the Emperor, the power of their Vienna government had been expanding. Now, the population, land, and economy actually controlled by both sides were basically equal.
Once Austria completed the integration of the densely populated and wealthy regions of Bohemia and Milan, the population of the areas directly or indirectly controlled by the Vienna government was expected to approach five million. Surpassing an annual tax revenue of one million florin would be effortless, and overtaking the Hungarian Regency government in economic and political resources would no longer be just empty talk.
Such a future was worth looking forward to. They did not want to be constantly slandered as an "incompetent central government," and the secret rivalry with the various vassal states had never stopped.
As for what to do next? The Emperor would give clear instructions, and after discussion in the Privy Council, feasible policies would finally be formed. This mode of operation had been fixed through more than a decade of government standardization practices.
"The autonomy of Bohemia and Milan needs to be weakened. I intend to incorporate these two regions as new provinces into Austrian rule. Tell me your thoughts."
Laszlo placed the thank-you letter from the people of Dithmarschen by his hand, his tone much gentler than usual.
Even though they were discussing sensitive topics that could cause great upheaval, the Emperor's mood did not seem affected; he remained as calm as a breeze.
"The issue of Milan is much more complex than Bohemia. I believe territory integration should start with Bohemia.
Regarding Bohemia, we have the foundation of the 'Prague Domain Decree.' The Bohemian Diet's most important right—the election of the throne—has been abolished, and judicial power is controlled by the Imperial Supreme Court.
Next, we only need to strip it of its legislative power and take control of official appointments, reclaim the tax authority allocated to the local diet, and have Bohemia send representatives to the All-Austria Conference. That should be sufficient."
Since taking over the Court Chancellery, Archbishop Georg had dealt with the Bohemians frequently.
The local Catholic noble forces could not be called very strong after the baptism of years of Hussite Wars.
The Rosenberg family, leaders of the Bohemian Catholic nobility, had fallen into a period of decline after the death of Ulrich von Rosenberg.
Previously, while touring Bohemia, the Emperor had given Rosenberg a warning, reducing the family's influence in Bohemia. Through political maneuvering, he arranged for Ulrich's two sons to be sent to Silesia, one serving as the Governor of Silesia and the other as the Bishop of Breslau.
Three years ago, the Bishop of Breslau unfortunately died of illness at the age of twenty-four. For a time, the Rosenberg family's presence in Bohemian politics was reduced to just one survivor: the Governor of Silesia.
Within Bohemia itself, several established Catholic great nobles refused to submit to one another and began infighting for power and profit. Rosenberg's absence caused the once-solid noble alliance to crumble into a heap of loose sand.
The new German and Hungarian military nobility in Northern Bohemia had also gradually grown in strength due to the Emperor's rewards and the influx of immigrants.
For the Emperor, this was an excellent opportunity. External threats were eliminated, and internally Austria maintained absolute stability, making it the perfect time to expand territory.
"Your Majesty, the Province of Bohemia itself bears over forty percent of the military expenses for the two Bohemian legions and pays a fixed tribute to Vienna. The mines in Kutna Hora are also managed by your officials. If we further increase the squeeze on Bohemia, I fear it will incite fierce resistance."
The Minister of War, Baron Grafenegg, expressed concern.
Milan operated entirely as an independent state, so strengthening control there was an inevitable choice.
But the Bohemian Army was already under the jurisdiction of the Court Military Council he led, and the Province of Bohemia had basically accepted the Emperor's control and penetration.
Given how much the locals valued their rights to freedom, if the Emperor insisted on reclaiming tax authority for the central government and integrating Bohemia into Greater Austria, it might spark another rebellion.
"Resistance, and then meeting the same end as the Hussite rebels? I don't think they would be so unwise, but we do need to take some precautions.
Grafenegg, how is the replenishment of the army proceeding?"
"Recently, following your instructions, we have increased the proportion of Hungarian soldiers in the army. The source of troops is quite abundant. The Pressburg Legion has completed its replenishment, and the Moravia and Kremnica Legions are ready for deployment. The Imperial Guard in Vienna New City still needs some time..."
"That is enough," Laszlo nodded with satisfaction. "However, I am not a cruel or bloodthirsty person. The reforms in Bohemia should still prioritize negotiation and compromise.
Incorporate the Bohemian Estates into the All-Austria Conference. I want to sign a separate tribute and tax agreement with them; Bohemia must hand over more fiscal revenue."
Taxation and the army are always the core of reform, especially for the Habsburg Union which was gradually moving from a feudal state to a modernized military-fiscal state.
The two formed a complementary relationship: those who controlled the army could use unrestricted violence to extort taxes, while those who controlled taxes could use money to organize and maintain more troops.
Although France, which took this path to its limit, eventually met the great blade of the guillotine, at the end of the Middle Ages, this path of stepping on one's own feet to spiral upward was undoubtedly a progressive road for strengthening national power and imperial authority.
In principle, the Bohemian Diet could not influence the army. However, in the two legions split from the Bohemian Army, soldiers and officers of Bohemian origin made up the majority. It was difficult to judge whether they would be influenced.
Laszlo did not want to force the Bohemians into rebellion because of his own impulsiveness; that could trigger a series of chain reactions.
"Your Majesty, I think we can start with customs. Just as you did in Moravia, reducing tariffs between Bohemia and the Austrian heartland might gain support from the various estates," suggested Finance Minister Ulrich Fugger.
Bohemia relied heavily on the Venice-Vienna-Prague trade route. Many rare goods could only reach Bohemia through this route.
If the tariffs between the two places could be reduced and coordinated within a primary customs union among the Austrian provinces, it would be very beneficial for Bohemia's development.
However, the local guilds might not think so, and city representatives might strongly oppose this.
"I believe it is more appropriate to recognize the local estates—especially the freedoms, privileges, and old customs of the nobility—and ensure the locals' right to participate in Bohemian and even Imperial politics. They will choose to compromise."
Archbishop Georg was well aware of the 'boiling a frog in warm water' strategy the Emperor excelled at.
He had more or less come into contact with the estates of various regions. Except for the remote western territories, in the Austrian heartland and Inner Austria, the Estates Diets initially insisted on their many privileges, including approving taxation and even demanding to decide how those taxes were used.
However, successive military victories and the Emperor's growing standing army caused the attitudes of the various Austrian estates to gradually soften.
The most significant change among them was the Styrian Estates.
When the mercenaries of the Independent Army collected supplies on their own and forcibly requisitioned private houses as barracks according to the Emperor's orders in the early years, even the most stubborn local estate representatives had to admit how necessary it was to provide tribute and taxes during peacetime to support the army and find suitable quarters for them.
After the Emperor purged the parasites within the Styrian noble estates, there were basically no more estate representatives in the Austrian heartland protesting against tribute... the Styrian noble faction that jumped out during the western campaign against France was an exceptional case.
The current Province of Bohemia was still in the stage of undergoing transformation. They were similarly suffering from the economic and livelihood burdens brought by the army, yet they were unwilling to give up the fiscal power in their hands.
This was not hard to understand; after all, how could forced centralization and redistribution by the central government be as satisfying as holding it in one's own hands and spending it however one wished from the start?
However, relying on the Emperor's prestige and the pressure of the army, Georg did not believe the Bohemians had the capital to oppose the Vienna government.
If they negotiated with the Bohemian Diet later, appropriate compromises could make them yield more quickly. Then, by continuously 'diluting' the Bohemian provincial government, they would eventually achieve more thorough control.
"Hm, I have already abolished Bohemia's Supreme Court and the Kingdom's Court Chancellery. Next, we just need to slowly complete the final control over finances and the army, and Bohemia will become a mere geographical term."
Laszlo glanced sideways; Matthias had already recorded everything they had just discussed. He would next be responsible for drafting the new agreement to facilitate Laszlo's interface with the Bohemian local diet.
The special status of the Kingdom of Bohemia established by the 'golden bull' was still remembered by many Bohemians.
To annex the Kingdom of Bohemia, Laszlo could be said to have exhausted all his skills. First, he used the lingering prestige of the Second Hussite War to abolish the right to elect the king, and then he split Bohemia into three.
At that time, some questioned if he wanted to turn Bohemia into a province of Austria, but Laszlo flatly denied it.
It wasn't until after years of development, when Moravia, Silesia, and Bohemia had completely drawn clear lines, that Laszlo revealed his ambition. He first carved away Moravia with one stroke, and now it was the Bohemian heartland's turn to accept the fate of being annexed.
Splitting and annexing one of the only two sovereign kingdoms in the Empire and turning the title of King into a mere appendage of the Archduke of Austria was undoubtedly a bold plan.
Just as in history when Bohemia and Hungary fell to the Habsburgs, Moravia and Silesia first recognized the monarch's hereditary rule, while the diets of Bohemia and Hungary coincidentally refused to accept Austrian autocratic rule.
That succession eventually led to Austria fighting the Bohemian rebels, the Hungarian rebels, and the Ottoman Empire simultaneously, causing military pressure to go through the roof.
Fortunately, Laszlo did not need to face such pressure. He was best at separating troubles one by one and solving them in order.
For example, this time, the difficult Milan was put off until later, while Bohemia, half of whose body had already been pulled into Austria, became the initial target for annexation.
As for Greater Hungary, which loomed like a monster east of the Leitha River, Laszlo still needed more time to prepare for the riots that might occur there.
Having made up its mind, Austria's many government agencies immediately began to operate.
The Court Military Council ensured the army was ready for deployment and began coordinating the transport and stockpiling of military supplies to support a sudden short-term war, while simultaneously sending commissioners to Prague to closely monitor every move of the Bohemian Army.
The Court Finance Committee began selecting suitable tax collectors and accountants to prepare for the establishment of subordinate tax institutions in Bohemia.
The Vienna Court Chancellery notified the Bohemian provincial government and diet of the Emperor's decision.
This immediately caused an uproar in the Prague Diet, as Bohemian Catholic nobles angrily denounced the Emperor for betraying their former alliance.
Soon, messengers from Bohemia rushed to Vienna at full speed.