Early spring, the air slowly warming, the siege of Dijon drags on.
The Duke of Bourbon, however, has long since abandoned any hope of taking the city by furious bombardment or storm.
After several successful sallies by the defenders, he was even forced to pull the siege lines back several miles, giving up any attempt at a tight cordon; the French are massed only west and south, while cavalry patrols try to choke the roads elsewhere.
Yet the measure achieves precious little.
Nearly half a year has passed, and the cooking smoke rising above the walls each morning shows no sign of thinning.
Dijon is, after all, the cradle of the Burgundian line; even now, with the dynasty's center of power shifted to the Low Countries, it remains the heart of eastern Burgundy, its granaries able to last a year or two.
Were it not for the cursed Imperial Army, the city would have fallen effortlessly and all Burgundy would be his.
Then the usurper Charles would be finished, and the Duke of Bourbon would seize the power, wealth, and glory he craves.
But there are no ifs in this world—worse tidings have just arrived.
His reckless younger brother has actually accepted the appointment of Louis XI and the French Church Council, letting himself be proclaimed antipope.
For the House of Bourbon it is, in a perverse way, a distinction, yet at a moment when the Roman Papacy's prestige burns brightest, an antipope is singularly ill-timed.
Louis XI, safe in his Parisian court, may still indulge in over-optimism, but the Duke of Bourbon—who has faced the Imperial troops in Italy—knows that once the Emperor uses this pretext for all-out war the deadlock will turn into a French rout.
He knows Louis XI keeps a reserve: the ordinance companies, cut from forty...
...to twenty-two under Estates-General pressure, can be recalled in the realm's hour of need.
Eighteen companies—close to ten thousand men—plus fresh levies could push France's strength above forty thousand.
Yet those are only paper figures; after the Pope's anathema many knights will refuse the king's call, while the Armagnac brothers' rising in the south swells daily and also demands troops.
In this crisis the Duke of Anjou may lend a hand, but the great lords of the south will hardly stir, and both the Duke of Brittany and the Duke of Berry are unlikely to spurn so choice an opportunity to strike a foe when he is down.
A sigh escapes the duke whenever he surveys the maze of dangers.
He is half-minded to march away; indeed, he has already petitioned Louis XI for permission to withdraw to Paris.
Meanwhile, inside Dijon, the forty-metre Tower of Good Philip rises beside the ducal palace; from its summit the whole city lies open to view.
Up there stand Matthias, Gunter, the mayor of Dijon, and several officials appointed by King Charles.
Directly below, in the square, citizens queue for their daily ration in orderly fashion; the city guards look almost bored.
Such scenes have continued for four months; throughout the past winter the people lived thus.
'At the planned rate the stores will last another three months?' asked Matthias, the Emperor's chosen commander.
'If we tighten our belts, perhaps an extra month or two,' the mayor answers cautiously.
With Imperial aid Dijon has survived the fiercest French assaults and, under Matthias's direction, has even sallied out to bloody the besiegers—yet more than ten thousand French still wait beyond the walls.
'No need for harsher measures yet; the French have lost stomach for assault, and with their wretched supply situation we need only sit tight a few more months.'
Matthias speaks with confidence.
Thanks to the incomplete blockade, news still reaches the city: the French have stripped the countryside bare, but the grain seized at harvest is nearly spent; royal merchants requisition supplies for Burgundy, yet their slow convoys are harried by Burgundian partisans.
Meanwhile Paris itself is under threat, so most grain is diverted there, leaving the front short.
The French troops are hungry, with nowhere to forage; that they have not mutinied is a miracle.
'Refugees from Bresse say the Savoyard rebels under Louis of Savoy have overrun the whole duchy and may march to aid the French,' the mayor adds anxiously.
It is no secret: from the rising at Chambéry to the fall of Bresse, last Burgundian stronghold in Savoy, barely three months elapsed.
Long planned, the revolt flared the moment French pressure offered the chance.
When King Charles reconquers those lands, their people will learn what fear means.
For now the question is whether Savoy will reinforce the French.
'Have no fear—they are almost out of time.'
Under their startled gaze Matthias draws a sealed letter and reads its contents.
'The Emperor has resolved to wage Imperial war upon the kingdom of France and the Avignon antipope. Hold out a little longer; the Emperor will lead the host to relieve Dijon. Then the French will flee with tails between their legs, and the Savoyard rebels will be crushed.'
The mayor takes the letter; the Burgundian officials crowd round. When they read that the Emperor himself is coming, every face lights with deliverance.
"This is wonderful! May I make this news public? The people of Dijon will never forget Emperor's kindness," the mayor said excitedly.
Matthias was silent for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement.
If the Emperor's scheme succeeded, the Habsburg Family might truly enter Burgundy through Miss Marie's inheritance.
By building the Emperor a good reputation in Dijon ahead of time, he might create some future advantage.
After the Burgundian officials left, Gunter frowned and asked, "Aren't you afraid there are still French Army spies in the city who could leak His Majesty's plans?"
The Emperor had three routes to lead the Imperial Army into France.
Through Rhineland to reinforce Charles directly from Flanders; through Alsace to Dijon, then decide the next step; or from Italy across the Alps north into Savoy, then west or north.
If the Emperor's route were exposed now, the French would prepare, possibly causing new trouble.
"Actually, His Majesty mentioned no war plans in his letter; what I said was only my guess.
Yet if I commanded, I would make Dijon the primary target: northwest strikes straight at Paris, southwest leads to Lyon and on to Avignon—those are the two key objectives.
As for the French, what could they do even if they knew?
With Burgundian forces besieging Beauvais and threatening Paris, once His Majesty's army reaches Dijon the French here will be outnumbered, worn down by a long siege and low in morale—how could they stand against the Imperial Army?"
Matthias smiled; he almost hoped the French outside heard the news and lifted their pointless siege.
The fearsome reputation the Emperor had forged in real battles over the past decade could be put to good use here.
If the main French force retreated to Paris out of fear, there would be room to maneuver and Charles's burden would grow heavier.
Matthias cared little; they had come to fight for Charles, but this war's leading role was not the Empire's.
For the Emperor and Austria the best outcome was for French and Burgundian armies to mutually exhaust themselves, letting the Imperial Army step in to save the day.
Then Burgundy would rely more on the Emperor, weakening its independence within the Empire, while France would be too fragile to inflict heavy losses on Imperial troops—a double win: the Emperor wins twice.
In Matthias's view there are no eternal allies; diplomacy between states is about interest. Even if the Emperor had not thought this way, he could help him in his own fashion.
Gunter pondered but could not fathom Matthias's intent; still, he hated being besieged, and a French retreat would be welcome.
News that the Imperial Army would soon arrive to save Dijon spread quickly among the populace.
Though the Frankfurt Imperial Diet that would formally decide on troop mobilization was still more than a month away, the townsfolk, besieged for over half a year, knew nothing of that.
Gratefully they prayed day and night for the Emperor's heavenly host to destroy the cruel French outside the walls.
The news was soon passed on by spies lurking in Dijon, costing the Duke of Bourbon several nights of sleep.
At last, one mid-March day, an order from Paris delivered him from this misery.
Through Charles's unrelenting efforts, the Duke of Brittany, Duke of Berry, and Count of Nevers—hitherto neutral—joined him against Louis XI.
The Duke of Brittany was raising troops in his duchy, preparing to march into Normandy.
The Duke of Berry fled Paris by night; returning to his lands he agreed with the neighboring Count of Nevers to join forces and press on Paris.
The Count of Nevers, a cadet of the Burgundian line, had wavered between France and Burgundy since Charles's accession and entry into the Empire.
Carrying Burgundian blood he ought to stand with Charles, yet he refused to leave France for the Empire and had remained undecided.
After Louis XI incurred excommunication, the torn count finally chose, again swearing fealty to Charles and resolved to fight at his side.
In La Marche, once Armagnac territory and now held by Armagnac rebels, the Duke of Armagnac organizing troops there soon reached accord with the Duke of Berry and Count of Nevers to combine their armies and advance on Orléans, threatening Paris from the south.
Suddenly Paris's situation worsened; sensing danger, Louis XI ordered retired gendarmes recalled and commanded the Duke of Bourbon to rush the French Army main force back to Paris.
Receiving the order, the French fled Dijon at top speed; they had no wish to await the Emperor's host.
Joy filled liberated Dijon, yet Matthias, commanding the Imperial Army, did not rashly pursue to retake Burgundian lands.
Only after scouts confirmed the French were indeed racing toward Paris did Imperial troops move boldly to reclaim the ravaged territories.
Laszlo had not yet heard of these French developments.
He had just united his Imperial Guard with the forces stationed in Venetia and was bound for Innsbruck.
Besides his two field corps and cavalry corps, Bohemia and Hungary each contributed a corps, supplemented by contingents from Croatia, Serbia, and Albania—Laszlo's core force for the French expedition.
The Italian states, drained by the Crusade, offered only token aid; the King of Naples pledged naval support—his fleet already prowled off Marseilles to seize French merchantmen for profit.
How much additional help the Imperial Princes would give would be decided at the coming Imperial Diet.
The royal castle nestled in the valleys of Innsbruck once again bustled with activity due to the arrival of the Emperor's court and the Imperial Army.
Every time Laszlo looked down at Innsbruck from above, his heart would find peace.
It was a fairytale town, like a gem set amidst the mountains.
The Inn River, like a jade belt, wound through the city, dividing the valley in two, with Romanesque, Gothic, and even some Renaissance-style houses scattered gracefully along its banks.
The distant mountain peaks were still covered in pristine white snow, shimmering with a soft glow under the warm spring sun.
It was no wonder that Maximilian I in history had loved this place so much.
Contrary to common stereotypes, during Maximilian I's reign, the true capital of Austria was not Vienna, but rather Innsbruck.
He established new government institutions and the Privy Council here, invested heavily in building the Innsbruck Arsenal, and constructed the world-renowned 'Golden Roof' marvel to commemorate his victory over the French Army in Italy.
Unfortunately, the story did not end perfectly.
He was forced to wander due to unpaid debts, and at the end of his life, he carried his coffin, hoping to spend his remaining days within Innsbruck, but the people of Innsbruck denied him this last wish, closing the city gates and refusing him entry.
This emperor, who had dominated Europe for decades, ultimately passed away in a hunting lodge near Innsbruck. After his death, his heart was removed and buried in Burgundy, while his body was transported back to Vienna Neustadt, where he had lived since childhood, for burial.
Whenever he thought of such an ending, Laszlo couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
No money, indeed, is a man's greatest enemy.
He wondered if his own end would be like that of Emperor Maximilian, seemingly living a glorious life only to be ultimately scorned by the people who once adored him... Probably not. After receiving Miss Mary's dowry last time, Laszlo immediately settled all the outstanding bills with Innsbruck merchants.
Laszlo's court was the largest in Europe, and its expenses were naturally high, but fortunately, he always found ways to get money to pay the bills, so the citizens seemed quite welcoming of his visit.
After a moment of reflection, Laszlo stretched out his hands and ruffled the heads of the two little fellows beside him.
While not expecting Christopher and Maximilian to fully grasp the concept of putting people first, they should at least learn to treat their subjects kindly.
After all, the historical Maximilian, with the unanimous support of the people of Tyrol, drove out his extravagant uncle Sigismund and seized control of the Habsburg Family's western territories.
Yet in the end, he became as hated by the people of Tyrol as Sigismund was...
Thinking of his uncle, who was still regent in Serbia, Laszlo felt a little worried.
Not afraid that Sigismund would mess things up, but because the local powers there were a bit too strong, and might not be easy to deal with.
However, that place hasn't had any trouble so far, which has saved him a lot of worry.
"Father, let's go back."
Christopher said, shrinking his neck.
"What's wrong?"
"It's cold here."
This is what they call 'cold at high altitudes'.
Laszlo smiled helplessly, deciding that he should take this boy traveling more often, otherwise, if he turned into a homebody like Wenceslaus of the Luxembourg Family, it would be a disaster.
"It's time to say goodbye to Joanna. You two must come with me to Frankfurt."
"To attend the Imperial Diet?" Maximilian seemed a bit displeased with this decision.
"Yes, I plan to introduce you two to the various princes. It's very beneficial to make connections with people who might be helpful to you in the future."
Laszlo stated his true intentions.
Even before the conference began, Laszlo could pretty much guess the outcome. It wasn't hard to figure out who would be willing to help and who wouldn't.
Mainly, he wanted to take his sons to meet the Electors and see if there was a chance to transfer the title of Standing Vice-Emperor to Christopher in advance.
"Aren't you going to fight the French now? Then you should assemble the army and launch an attack as quickly as possible. What's the point of dragging it out like this?"
Hearing Maximilian's words, Laszlo's eyes widened in anger, almost pulling out a 'Seven Wolves' (a brand of cigarette).
This kid, his wings have hardened, and now he speaks so impolitely.
"War is not the goal, it's a means. In other words, whether to fight and how to fight is determined by political objectives. How can you just rush into it on a whim?"
Laszlo tried his best to maintain a calm and composed demeanor, teaching his second son, who often let his muscles do the thinking.
"But, Father, the Queen of Burgundy's recent letters to Marie have repeatedly mentioned the alarming state of the Burgundian army. She and the Burgundians are eagerly awaiting your assistance."
Christopher, for once, agreed with Maximilian. Marie had been distracted whenever she was with him recently, and he had to find a way to cheer his wife up.
If their father could lead the army out sooner, these worries would quickly vanish.
"Sigh, women, they all like to worry too much. Don't worry, Charles is very stubborn... Charles's army is very strong. He often compared himself to Alexander and Caesar. If he can't even hold off the French Army, that would be too embarrassing.
''
After dispelling the two little ones' wild thoughts, Laszlo returned to the castle and found the Empress, who was resting peacefully in her room, pregnant.
Joanna, with her large belly, leaned against the headboard, reading a religious book. Seeing her husband and two stepsons arrive, she immediately showed a warm smile.
"How are you feeling? I really should have left you in Italy. It's hard on you to follow me over mountains and rivers while pregnant."
Laszlo sat beside Joanna, his gaze fixed on her swollen abdomen as he spoke with concern.
Joanna smiled and shook her head, saying, "If you had really done that, I would have been very sad."
"That being said, I won't be able to take you along on the next journey. I need to go to Frankfurt with these two little ones to convene the Imperial Conference and discuss the attack on France.
I'll leave the Innsbruck court to your care. If anything comes up, just tell Zoe; she's a capable woman.
Georg is in charge in Vienna, so there shouldn't be any problems... Of course, the most important thing is the child in your womb, so you must take good care of yourself."
Laszlo, uncharacteristically, became a bit doting. After experiencing the pain of loss, he began to value those around him more. It was a pity that, constrained by his duties as emperor, he was always forced to be away from those he should be close to.
"You're going to war again..."
Joanna felt a pang of reluctance. It had only been a year since he returned from the East, and she was again facing the sorrow of separation from her husband.
Honestly, she thought, it would be better to be a nun, pure in heart and free from suffering.
"There's nothing I can do about it. After all, the King of France, for his own selfish reasons, supported an opposing Pope. I can't just stand by and do nothing."
"It's a pity, my father probably won't be able to offer you any help."
"Hmm? Alfonso V replied?" Laszlo asked curiously.
"Yes, my father is in a terrible mess right now. He's preparing to lead an army to personally conquer Tangier." When talking about Portugal, Joanna's face showed even deeper worry.
Not only was her husband going to confront a powerful enemy, but her father was also venturing onto African soil again.
"Tangier? Why such a sudden expedition to North Africa again?" Laszlo asked with a frown.
That unlucky fellow Alfonso had suffered several defeats in Tangier. Portugal's relations with Castile and Aragon were quite tense at the moment, so why choose this time to challenge his weakness again?
"Uncle Ferdinand died while suppressing pirates in North Africa. My father, in grief and indignation, decided to personally lead an expedition for revenge."
Joanna relayed this sad news to Laszlo, who was momentarily unable to react.
Ferdinand? Is it the Prince Ferdinand I know? Laszlo could hardly believe his ears.
If he remembered correctly, that prince, who inherited the legacy of Prince Henry and oversaw Portugal's maritime endeavors, was only in his thirties this year, wasn't he?
During Laszlo's first Crusade after his ascension, Ferdinand had led troops to participate in the Battle of Varna. During the second Crusade, he had also led troops in the Siege of Constantinople and the Battle of Izmit, making him one of the Portuguese closest to Laszlo.
As a result, he actually died at sea in the prime of his life?
Joanna took Alfonso V's reply from beside her pillow, and Laszlo took the letter and began to read it.
Alfonso V's reply was filled with sadness, hatred, and a slight complaint about Laszlo at the end.
After deciding to personally lead an expedition to North Africa to seek revenge on the Moors, he struggled to find a trustworthy person to act as regent, and even began to regret marrying his daughter to the Emperor.
With his talented brother dead, his carefully nurtured daughter married far away, and his only heir, Prince João, still young, Alfonso V tragically realized that he could hardly find anyone trustworthy to entrust his affairs to. It was, undeniably, a unique kind of sorrow.
Laszlo had long heard about the ferocity of Portuguese nobles in seizing power, but he couldn't possibly return Joanna, so he could only wish his father-in-law good luck.
As for whether he would regret not getting Portugal's support, he hadn't counted on Portuguese aid from the beginning.
Contacting Portugal and Naples was merely a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Since Alfonso V was now focusing on North Africa again, the matter of alliance would be left for later.
"This is truly unfortunate news. Write a few more replies to comfort your father, and on my behalf, express my best wishes to him. I hope he can beat those heathens black and blue, just like I do."
"Yes, I will convey your blessings to him." Joanna nodded earnestly in reply.
After bidding farewell to his wife, Laszlo set off northward with a streamlined entourage, heading for Frankfurt on the Rhine River.
During the journey, Laszlo received the latest news from the French battlefield.
The main French Army withdrew from Dijon to Paris, and the lost Burgundian territories were reclaimed by the Imperial Army.
The rebellious Savoy region had not yet been dealt with, and Matthias's plan was to continue advancing north to threaten Paris's flank, supporting the war efforts in the Flanders direction.
However, news from Charles indicated that after learning of the lifting of the siege of Dijon, Charles also led his army back to the Amiens-Saint-Quentin line, and seemed to intend to retreat further.
As for the reasons for the Burgundian army's retreat, firstly, morale was low, supplies were scarce, and military pay had been delayed for several months, making it impossible to confront the French Army head-on—although the French Army was in a similar situation;
Secondly, news from London across the English Channel reported that the Earl of Warwick was assembling an army, intending to land in Flanders and cut off the retreat of the Burgundian army.
To prevent the worst-case scenario, Charles had already dispatched Edward IV with two companies, totaling 1,200 men, to garrison Calais, guarding against an English landing.
Beauvais certainly could not be besieged. Even though the city had been without food for many days, and there were even instances of cannibalism, the citizens resolutely refused to surrender.
Charles was unwilling to waste more troops on this small city, so he had to lift the siege and return to the Somme River defense line to hold firm, awaiting the Imperial Army's attack on France.
Considering that Charles had already fled, Laszlo then ordered Matthias to lead his army to Savoy to quell the rebellion.
The Milanese army in Turin later received orders to march north under the command of Piccinino the Younger to attack Chambéry, cooperating with the Imperial Army to wipe out the remaining forces of the Duchy of Savoy.
After more than twenty days of arduous travel, Laszlo's entourage finally arrived in Frankfurt.
The citizens of Frankfurt also warmly welcomed him, not only because of the prestige and glory he had achieved in war, but also because he had brought valuable peace and stability to the Empire.
In the reform of the public tax system, the rights of free cities were guaranteed by the Emperor.
Citizens living within them did not need to pay additional taxes, as these cities had already borne most of the imperial obligations prior to this.
Large imperial cities such as Frankfurt and Nuremberg contributed over a thousand florins in general taxes to the imperial treasury annually, and almost never defaulted, making Laszlo a staunch protector of numerous imperial free cities.
Their privileges in land and commerce, the right to open markets, and their independence from land-owning nobles were all strongly guaranteed by the Emperor and the imperial laws he enacted.
Although the Imperial Court of Justice was permanently established in Vienna, branch courts were set up in Rottweil in Swabia, Regensburg in Bavaria, and Frankfurt in Rhineland, specifically responsible for handling local disputes within the Emperor's sphere of influence.
This way, the entire southern Empire was under the Emperor's military and judicial protection, thus maintaining an almost unbreakable peace.
A few years ago, a serious riot occurred in Frankfurt due to religious reasons. After the chaos was quelled with Laszlo's help, most citizens' perception of the Emperor greatly improved.
However, the recent turmoil caused by the Kingdom of Burgundy joining the Empire also affected Frankfurt.
Rumors that King Charles of Burgundy would swallow up the entire Rhineland region in one go were widely circulated among the states and free cities along the Rhine River, leading to some doubts about whether the Emperor could truly protect them.
But the Emperor's personal arrival with his army quickly suppressed the voices of doubt; they now believed that the Emperor attached great importance to Frankfurt and the entire Rhineland.