War Palace and Knee Pillow, Austria’s Destiny

Stephen's Cathedral is the largest church in Vienna and the place where the Austrian Emperor was crowned and buried. It can be said to be a symbol of Vienna. At the same time, it is located in the center of the city center of Vienna, so it is called the "Heart of Vienna".

The cathedral was built in 1304 and completed two centuries later. It has both Gothic style and Renaissance flavor.

Outside the church, you can see the 230,000 pieces of colored glass on the roof. Under the sunlight, the colored glass that looks like a double-headed eagle is a masterpiece.

When I opened the church door, I was greeted by the smell of staleness and dust, followed by the smell of resin and frankincense.

Entering the cathedral, the light inside gradually dimmed, and only the candlelight on the shrine shone brightly. The temperature seemed to have dropped as well, making it feel peaceful and calm.

There was a solemn and sacred atmosphere far away from the smoke and smoke of the world, and Franz II's heart seemed to calm down.

When the emperor came in person, Rauscher, as the Archbishop of Vienna, naturally had to welcome him personally.

It's just that his fat body and exaggerated clothes are incompatible with this ancient and sacred church.

Francis II was in a hurry this time and did not wait for Archbishop Rauscher who always arrived late. He walked straight to the shrine enshrined by his family and stroked the ancient words engraved on the shrine with his fingers.

Unexpectedly, Archbishop Rauscher, who was usually slow, was extremely fast this time. In fact, as a bishop appointed and dismissed by the emperor, how could he neglect the emperor?

"Oh! Praise the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which brought the great king of earth here."

Franz II waved his hand, "No more polite words, I'm just here to pay homage to my ancestors."

Of course Archbishop Rauscher could hear that there was something in this. Originally, as God's spokesperson, he wanted to be reserved. But he suddenly remembered that His Majesty the Emperor was obsessed with face and had very little patience.

"Your Majesty, you can talk about anything in God's abode."

".Me." Franz II thought for a moment and decided to speak out. After all, he was a devout Catholic. In addition, the Archbishop of Vienna in front of him was appointed by him and was not an outsider. The most important reason is that this fat man will definitely speak according to his own needs, which sounds very nice.

(European monarchs will also use special first-person titles. When the Tsar calls himself, he will use мы (plural first person) to show the unique identity of the monarch. French monarchs will say je or nous. German monarchs will call themselves Wir, which is translated as That’s what I meant.)

"My grandson, little Franz, displayed the prophecy of Frederick III in the children's room today."

"What is that?" Rauscher asked instinctively, and the next second he realized something was wrong. Isn't that what is written on the shrine he has been facing all day long? In order to cover up his embarrassment, he could only adopt a very indifferent attitude, as if nothing had happened.

"A.E.I.O.U" Franz II blurted out, with a bit of pride in his tone.

"This is a revelation." The archbishop immediately possessed the magic stick.

Magic sticks are the same in ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad, and Rauscher is no exception. He likes to follow the emperor's words, and he is a primitive man who has been looking for the so-called "born saint" his whole life.

"Archbishop, what do you mean?" Franz II seemed a little excited, because he thought so too. It's a pity that he is not a hero. Even if he has ideas, he still wants to rely on gods and ghosts to support his ideas.

Naturally, Rauscher would not miss this opportunity and send him a flattery.

"This is a good omen, indicating that the Austrian Empire's grand hegemony will surely be realized." Archbishop Rauscher looked confident, as if he had really received some revelation.

In fact, if you analyze it carefully, there is no difference between saying this and not saying it. Although Archbishop Rauscher said that the empire's hegemony would eventually be realized, he did not say when exactly or to what extent it would be accomplished. Therefore, strictly speaking, it was not a lie or a violation of doctrine.

But this was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the indecisive Franz II. Because this is not his idea, this is God's will. In short, something went wrong, and he didn't take the blame, and he immediately became happy.

Rauscher has been able to stay in the position of Archbishop of Vienna for so many years, and he still has the ability to observe words and emotions.

He thought to himself, "The emperor is not in the right state today. Is he planning to pass the throne to his grandson?"

Then Rauscher thought of the "State Rescript" and couldn't help but feel nervous, but then he thought of Queen Theresa, the prosperity of Theresa's era, and the strength of the church, and his mood calmed down again.

"Your Majesty, I have also met Archduke Franz. He is indeed a special child. I still remember that when I was baptizing him, he gave me a bad taste."

Rauscher had a good impression of Franz, because Franz always held a Bible in his hand and couldn't put it down, so he must be a devout believer.

In fact, Franz doesn’t know much German yet. I like holding the Bible because the book is big enough for my feet and the cover is soft enough to be used as a seat cushion. Sometimes, as a member of the royal family, Franz had to put a few more books under his buttocks in order to maintain a dignified sitting posture.

In addition, it can also be used to beat the younger brother (Maximilian).

Maximilian is Franz's second brother. The two seem to have a natural incompatibility and are always fighting. Maximilian naturally couldn't defeat Franz, who had lived two lives, but Franz couldn't really get into trouble with a child.

Then Franz thought of a way to find a book that was thick and big enough, put it on Maximilian's back, and then sit on it himself, so that the dispute between the children could be resolved peacefully, and the book It just so happens to be the Bible.

As a result, Maximilian was often pressed against his back by Franz with a Bible and could only move his hands and feet. That look was like a little tortoise being held in its shell.

But what the archbishop saw was a devout believer who never left his hand with the Bible.

On the other hand, Archbishop Rauscher himself has always wanted to find a natural saint and restore people's trust in Catholicism.

But after so many years of searching and countless failures, he made a decision.

Instead of waiting for a saint to appear, create one yourself.

Now that the old emperor is thinking about it, Rauscher will naturally not miss this opportunity. If this child is allowed to inherit the throne in the future, then he will become the emperor's godfather. At that time, his guarantee will be Richelieu. He will have all the power during his lifetime and after his death. Famous through the ages.

(Richelieu, a famous cardinal in history.)

"Your Majesty, you should follow your inner choice. Your choice is God's will." Naturally, Rauscher could not say what he wanted to do, so he could only leave the pot to God.

"Archbishop, what do you want to say?"

Rauscher didn't expect that the always straight-tempered old emperor would say this. He really didn't even want to lose face and smiled awkwardly.

"May the Austrian Empire enjoy long-lasting peace and stability."

The old emperor also smiled. He was not a wise king, but he would not be influenced by a magic stick. This was his pride as an emperor, although it was useless.

"Maybe this is a revelation."