In the Imperial Diet Hall in Frankfurt, Joseph II gave an enthusiastic speech in which he thanked the members of the Imperial Diet for their selfless service to the Empire over the years, and the Emperor also expressed his commitment to safeguarding the interests of the princely states within the Empire and leading the entire Holy Roman Empire on the path of happiness and well-being.
The Emperor's speech was welcomed by all the members of the Imperial Diet, who expressed that they would unite around the ruling class of the Holy Roman Empire with Joseph II at its core, that they would unswervingly support the policies proposed by Joseph II, and that they would continue to support the development of the vassal states within the empire.
In official parlance, this is a peaceful, progressive congress!
After visiting the Imperial Diet, Joseph II put the highlight of his trip on the agenda: a meeting with King Wilhelm of Prussia!
Although Joseph II and Wilhelm last met several years ago, the emperor still remembers Wilhelm vividly, especially when Wilhelm carried out a series of reforms in the country, and the emperor was not far behind in reforming Austria and other Habsburg possessions.
Of course, Joseph II's reforms were not as successful as Wilhelm's, after all, in Austria, the power of the old forces was far from being shaken by the emperor, and in Prussia, with the authority that Wilhelm had accumulated in previous wars, Wilhelm could reform the entire kingdom from the top down without any qualms.
"His Majesty, I have taken the liberty of asking for a meeting this time.
I'm really sorry below!
” At this moment, Wilhelm and Joseph II were in the town hall of Frankfurt, and it was clear that relations between Prussia and Austria were not very harmonious at the moment.
Therefore, Joseph II also had the foresight to arrange the meeting place of the two monarchs in the city hall of Frankfurt.
"His Majesty the Emperor is really too polite, as a member of the empire, he should obey His Majesty's call, His Majesty is so polite is really tormented."
After hearing Joseph II's words, William hurriedly said in a sincere and fearful tone, no matter how many contradictions he and Joseph II had, since the two were already sitting together at this moment, William must show an appropriate demeanor to show his sincerity.
"The Kingdom of Prussia has come a long way in recent years under your leadership.
We all see this, and the fact that Frederick the Great has a successor is really a relief to all the princes in the empire!
” Joseph II's praise came at William as if he didn't want money.
Fortunately, William still had a clear mind at this moment, otherwise he might have heard Joseph II's praise.
"We admit that the Kingdom of Prussia has made some progress over the years, but this is all under the leadership of His Majesty the Emperor, and it is indeed a blessing for our entire Holy Roman Empire to have an Emperor like you!"
As the saying goes, everyone carries a sedan chair.
Since Joseph II was so unsparing in his praise.
Then William naturally reciprocated the favor and attributed all his success to His Majesty the Emperor, but there was a bit of sincerity in his words, and it depends on your own understanding.
"Your Majesty, you don't have to be so polite, I don't invite you to meet you this time, as the leader of the Habsburgs, I hope to get your promise!"
said.
Joseph II's tone was a little impatient, and his words went straight to the point of the trip.
"Oh.
I wonder what His Majesty the Emperor needs me to promise?
” William's face was a little playful, and he could understand the meaning of Joseph II's words, but he was not willing to give up.
In fact, before William came to Frankfurt, he speculated about Joseph II's motives for inviting him to meet, and in William's opinion, it was obvious that the only thing that could make Joseph II take the initiative to ask to meet with him was the issue of the Holy Roman Empire!
You must know that in the original history, the emperor died in 1790, and now it is the second half of 1789.
Seeing the hint of banter on William's face, Joseph II was a little dissatisfied, being able to be a promising king of Prussia, Joseph II believed that William must have understood the meaning of his words, and now William actually pretended to be stupid, how not to make Joseph II's heart dissatisfied.
"Your Majesty, I need to reiterate that throughout the centuries of the Holy Roman Empire's history, except for some accidents, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire has always been a member of the Habsburgs, and now I do not want this tradition to be abandoned!"
As he spoke, Joseph II's gaze stared at William, and the threat in his eyes became more and more intense.
However, in this regard, William's face was still calm and breezy, and there was not even a slight fluctuation.
"Your Majesty the Emperor, I don't think you will forget the Golden Seal Edict, which was enshrined as the supreme code of law by the Empire!
I remember that in the edict it was clearly stated that the emperor of the empire should be elected by the electors, and this is a God-given right that no one can take away from us!
” William's words, though spoken slowly, struck Joseph II like a hammer on his heart.
Joseph II knew William's desire for the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, otherwise he would not have asked for a meeting with William.
In the eyes of Joseph II, he did not want a war to break out after his death, as the war of the Austrian succession decades ago, he hoped that the Habsburg throne could be passed on smoothly and smoothly, which was the main purpose of His Majesty the Emperor's request for this meeting!
But seeing the unruly look on the face of the young monarch sitting opposite him at this moment, Joseph II knew that if he did not pay some price, he was afraid that after his death, because the throne of the Holy Roman Empire would break out into a war on a larger scale than the previous ones!
Thinking of this, Joseph II had some secret hatred in his heart, if Joseph II could give birth to a son, then he could not have these troubles at all, although the electors had the right to elect the emperor, but that was in the case that there was no direct heir to the throne, if Joseph II could have a son, then his son would be the undisputed heir to the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, but now because Joseph II's first heir is his younger brother Archduke Leopold, That's why there is so much trouble.
Passing the throne to the son and passing the throne to the younger brother are completely different concepts, because the son is the natural first heir, and the younger brother is obviously not, so if the electors do not agree to Leopold's succession to the imperial throne, then Austria has no legal recourse.
"Your Majesty Wilhelm, I think that the electoral system has fallen far behind the development of the times, such a rotten system is obviously not suitable for the current situation, I think that the electoral power should be abolished within the empire, of course, as one of the few powers in the empire, I think Prussia should get more living space, such as Saxony, Bavaria, etc."
Saying that, Joseph II's eyes were a little playful, the Saxony and Bavaria he mentioned were directly or indirectly under the control of Prussia, mentioning these two princes, it was obvious that Joseph II hoped to arouse the greed in Wilhelm's heart!
Indeed, Joseph II's idea succeeded, and in Wilhelm's mind he was not satisfied with the present territory of Prussia, which, in Wilhelm's view, although Prussia actually controlled Saxony, lacked a name to be able to annex all of Saxony to Prussia.
As for Bavaria, Wilhelm didn't think so much, although Joseph II said it well at the moment, but Wilhelm believed that once he said that he wanted to annex Bavaria, then Joseph II would have to fight himself to the end even if he exhausted the full strength of the Habsburgs.
Because Bavaria is located right at the head of Austria, if Bavaria is annexed to Prussia, it will be equivalent to hanging a sword of Damorik over Austria's head.
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So Bavaria is just a lure thrown by Joseph II, and only Saxony is really profitable!
But Wilhelm was not willing to annex Saxony now.
Although Prussia would have stood on the moral high ground, at least within the Empire, Saxony was unlike any other region if the will of Joseph II had been obtained.
As one of the seven Electors of the Empire, the Elector of Saxony had broad support within the Empire, and in Saxony itself, the current Elector of Saxony did not commit crimes sufficient to make the people abandon him, and if Prussia forcibly annexed Saxony at this moment, it would only have a counterproductive effect.
"Your Majesty, I thank you very much for your concern for Prussia, but I think that as a country as historic as Prussia, Saxony and Bavaria should have their own ideas, and if the two electors are forcibly removed just by our words, it will definitely cause panic among the princes within the empire, and it will definitely affect the unity of the empire at that time!"
Hearing this, Joseph II secretly cursed in his heart a little fox!
Now Prussia's ambitions for Saxony can be said to be well known to passers-by, but William is still hiding it at this moment, which makes Joseph II's heart even more dissatisfied with William.
In the eyes of Joseph II, the most important thing at this moment is to determine the throne of the empire, and everything else is not important, but now Wilhelm is very tight-mouthed, and it is clear that Prussia has a great appetite!
Thinking of this, Joseph II hesitated a little, although he hoped that Prussia could confirm the Habsburgs' inheritance to the imperial throne, but it did not mean that Joseph II could tolerate Prussia's unbridled demands.
Everyone knows the truth that raising tigers is a problem!