Raphael Alexander was the 43rd emperor of the Norman Empire and the supreme ruler of the Norman Empire today.
However, as the emperor of the empire, he did not enjoy the supreme majesty exclusive to the emperor.
The Norman Empire was the most powerful empire on this continent, bar none.
Even though the Odin people are brave and good at fighting, they can only be inferior in terms of overall strength.
However, if one does not take into account the territory he rules, the population and the actual wealth he possesses, his power is not even as good as that of the King of Basel, who is huddled in the southeastern corner of the continent.
It can be said that...it was the Norman Empire's example that prevented the Kingdom of Basel from following in the footsteps of the Norman Empire.
Therefore, no matter from which point of view, Raphael Alexander did not have any good impression of his ancestor, Helle Alexander, who was known as the "Wise King".
It's true that not just anyone can do the thing of undermining one's own authority when you have nothing to do.
I have the right, but I don’t use it, I’m just playing!
Heller Alexander's actions undoubtedly won praise from the nobles of the Norman Empire, earning him the title of "Wise King", but it also caused suffering for generations of Norman emperors after him.
After all, high-end gadgets like the Regency Council are not something that just anyone can master.
If he hadn't seen the Norman royal family, who was the instigator, stretching his hips like this, Bruno might have thought that there had been time travelers in this world before, and then he would have wanted to do something advanced.
Even though the Norman Emperor at that time had a fairly good original intention, he ignored one very important thing - the vassals of my vassals are not my vassals.
This description is generally used to describe Western medieval feudal monarchs on Earth, and it can also be used to describe the political system of the Norman Empire, except...
In some aspects, there are also differences to a certain extent.
The Norman Empire did indeed implement a title system of duke, marquis, count, son and male. However, in this title system, the hierarchical order between earl, viscount and baron was far less strict than that of duke and marquis.
.
As for the title of knight... although it also bears the title of noble, it is just a title granted by the local lord.
Just like the Idar Territory, as long as the lord is willing, anyone can become a knight, even a cook...
Perhaps the original intention of the rulers was not this, but in the process of continuous implementation, it has evolved into the current situation due to various reasons...
A duke is a vassal of the emperor, and a marquis is a vassal of the emperor. Counts, viscounts, and barons can all directly become vassals of a duke or a marquis.
So, this also means...
Except for the level of title and the size of the territory, the differences between earls, viscounts and barons are not too big.
At the same time, the rights of dukes and marquises have been expanded to a great extent.
For example, taking Bruno himself as an example, the Idar and Sauron territories, as well as all the noble territories in the remote and desolate lands in the eastern part of the empire, are nominally loyal to the same marquis - Warren, who rules the Valens Plains.
Marquis of Si.
Originally, the strength of the dukes and marquises could not be ignored, and then a regency council was formed, and the power of the nobles became even more boundless.
But fortunately, the former Norman royal family was not too stupid, and at least they knew how to keep the imperial army in their own hands.
But this is not very friendly to Bruno...
If the Norman royal family at that time had given up all the imperial military power, then maybe after time traveling, I would no longer be just a little earl in a remote area. If I was lucky, I might even be able to become a prince...
Therefore, Raphael Alexander, the ambitious 43rd emperor of the Norman Empire, was determined to eradicate this shortcoming from the first day he took the throne.
It was precisely driven by this ambition that Raphael Alexander made the decision that horrified all the imperial nobles - to directly abandon the northern frontier of the empire!
After all, although the northern border of the empire ravaged by Odin's army will be riddled with holes, it can also become a blank slate on which one can write.
Let that area, which was originally heavily populated by nobles, complete a comprehensive reshuffle and return to the jurisdiction of the imperial royal family without any resistance.
This is no longer killing monkeys to scare monkeys, but killing monkeys to respect monkeys.
But... in order to regain his supreme rights, it was all worth it for Emperor Raphael Alexander.
In fact, he knew very well that such an approach would undoubtedly cause the civilians and serfs in northern Xinjiang to suffer unbearable huge losses, reduce food production, shrink wealth, and even cause famine, leaving corpses strewn across the fields.
But... the Norman Empire was vast and rich in resources, and Huang Shi's presence in northern Xinjiang was already minimal. He could fully afford such a loss... at least, that's what he thought.
Only what you get is your own. Compared with boiling the frog in warm water, Raphael Alexander prefers to cut the knot with a quick knife. The long-term pain is worse than the short-term pain.
Moreover, "meat eaters are despicable" is not just a saying.
For a leader like Raphael Alexander, what does the life and death of serfs and common people have to do with him?
The luxurious palace is magnificent, with orange-red flames dancing on the pure gold candlesticks, and a lavender flag with the royal emblem of the Norman Empire hanging behind the throne...
Like most nobles of this era, Raphael Alexander had never seriously thought about the meaning of the existence of serfs and commoners, nor had he thought about the foundation that supported the long-term continuation of the empire.
"Your Majesty, the messenger sent by Marshal Teodoro has arrived..."
The heavy bronze door was slowly pushed open, and a palace servant walked in cautiously and spoke softly.
Hearing this, the emperor, who had closed his eyes to repose, suddenly opened his eyes. His deep eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the obstacles of distance and look directly at the front line of the war.
"Let him in." Raphael Alexander said calmly.
"yes."
Under the leadership of the chamberlain, a knight wearing gorgeous armor walked into the hall.
"His Majesty……"
The knight knelt down on one knee and extended his highest greetings to the emperor in front of him.
"How is the battle going? Is there any news about Teodoro?" Rafael Alexander said in a deep voice.
"Marshal Teodoro's tactics have achieved initial results. Within a month, the Odin people will inevitably retreat."
After speaking, the knight carefully took out a letter from under his personal armor: "This is what Marshal Teodoro has specially ordered to be delivered to you."
Raphael waved his hand, and the chamberlain, who had served Raphael for many years, took the letter from the knight's hand, walked carefully to Raphael's side, and handed the letter over respectfully.
only……
"Kerry, step aside, you're blocking the light..."
Raphael opened the letter and said to the chamberlain.
but……
No one answered…
Raphael frowned, raised his head, and then...
He saw his chamberlain respond to him with a bright smile.
"Goodbye, Your Majesty..." Kerry said with a smile.
Immediately,
Raphael suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and saw a sharp dagger piercing his abdominal cavity without any precautions...