"Previously..." "I am expecting your child, Your Highness." "If it gets out it could cost the Crown for you!" "Is it more important for my subjects what happens in my bedroom than your greediness?" "It's come to my ear that you are preparing an expedition to help Grijalva." "I want to lead that expedition." "You are not authorized to colonize new territories." "The election of a new emperor is only a matter of time." "Or will you not apply for the post, Your Highness?" "Why should Maximillian's successor be French?" "Because he will have our support." "Pay attention to Henry and his cabals, because they are growing so fast that they can be an obstacle for your ambition for the Imperial throne." "Can you guarantee the papacy to me?" "My lord will go to Rome to receive your blessing." "I assure you." " What do you expect from me, my lady?" " You will serve as the counterpoint of Chiévres." "You have to lessen his influence on Charles." "The challenges which our kingdoms submit us to are not pitiable, as you know it well." "That is why I have decided that Don Mercurino Gattinara should be my new chancellor." "Castile is waiting for you to fulfill your engagement with Isabella of Portugal." "I will not marry Isabella." " Let the King know it." " Are not offended by his rejection?" "I know Charles will accept me as a wife." "If you die without heir, your brother Ferdinand will have to occupy the throne of Aragon." "Doña Germaine has just given me a daughter." "I have asked you to come here because I have something to announce: your wedding." "Join me and I will grant you the commandment of one of my ships." "Hernán Cortés is saying goodbye to you untill his return." "The Cortes bent the neck to you." "It is the moment to return to Flanders." "No!" "You will not go back." "You will leave for Portugal to marry King Manuel." "I am only receiving you to tell you that you are no longer in my service." "The Chancellor of England had a plan against you what I wrecked successfully." "England will support your candidature, my lord." "The Emperor is dead." "Still with the loss of my grandfather the Emperor, I declare my decisive will to succeed him on the throne which belongs to me by rank and lineage." "The Empire on Auction" "Stop!" "Take care of provoking them with any gesture." "Sir..." "Are you the chieftain?" "Are you coming from the sea?" "From what land?" "Lord!" "Lord, show us how to redeem the well deserved punishment of Babel and let us expand Your Glory!" "Flanders" "Grand lords," "Maximilian died without being crowned by the Pope, so without having the right to name a sucessor." "According to the law of the Empire, you are entitled to choose him, aren't you, Frederick of Saxony?" "According to the law, we will make a decision in 3 month, following only the mandate of our conscience." "This way, I know that you agree to the wish of the Emperor that he should be suceeded by his grandson," " Charles of Spain." " Noble lords!" "Just because of this ley you invoke, your conscience obligate you to elect the best of the candidates." "Who are you?" "Anne de Montmorency." "At the service of the King of France, the best candidate to be emperor, no doubt." "His Holiness has a great dream which should be realized by the chosen one:" "to lead the crusade against the Turks and expel them from the borders of the Empire." "Several generations of my family have fought to defend those borders." "Your explanations are superfluous." "King Francis has already demonstrated that he is capable." "And he gives you his word that if you elect him he will take Constantinople in 3 years." "And I don't have to remind you that my lord descends from the lineage of Charlemagne." "And my nephew is grandson and great grandson of emperors." "So the rightful heir to the throne." "He is also son of a mad woman who is granddaughter of a mad woman." "Will you put on the front of the Empire someone who maybe inherited such a defect?" "Calm down." "The French only said what everybody thinks and withholds." "Now we know that they are ready for anything in order to win." "If I were the King of France I would also not allow that the possessions of Charles surround my kingdom!" "And is it less vital for us?" "If France and the Empire were one, how long would they hesitate to occupy Flanders?" "And it would only be the beginning." "It will be a war to death." "It is clear that they have an advantage." "over us." "The Pope is with them." " But he expressed his neutrality." " From the 7 electors 3 electors are princes of the Church." "We have to secure the 4 vote of the laical electors." "And, among them, the vote of Frederick of Saxony is fundamental." "His prestige will drag the undecided electors." "It will be difficult to come to an agreement with those 4 gentlemen." "We will have to fight for gaining every vote." "All of them coincide in something:" "in their hunger for gold." "The virtue is the least of all the necessary things to gain this crown." "Ferdinand, the Empire belongs to our family." "If we lose it our family will also perish." "I have told you:" "it is a matter of life and death to us." "Mother!" "Look at the wonderful armature that Leonardo is designing for my imperial coronation." "You are thinking about what you will wear that day if it comes, instead of what to do to gain this honour." "My lady, except for the things the nature gives us, everything around you was a dream in a man's head before." " What troubles you, mother?" " Seeing that you consider everything won." "It is not in my nature to suffer for a moment for something that will end in my favour." "The Margrave of Brandenburg committed himself to vote for you." " I see you ignore that he has doubts now." " How much did we offer to him?" " 40.000 guilders." " Give him 80.000." "Do you see how easy it is?" " The money will run out." " We will ask for a credit." "The bribes will not be enough." "You will need something else." "Seriously?" "These prince-electors are artists of a peculiar genre." " The greediness is their only muse." " Stop joking!" "You need the Pope's support." "And he suggests to offer it to you." "But, in exchange, he demands a firm hand with that german heretic." "Will the Saxon who protects him vote for you then?" "How do you think to combine one with the other, my Caesar?" "Telling each one what they want to hear." "Let Montmorency negotiate." "When I am crowned I will do what is necessary." "You will not succeed with gold and lies." "Only being the sovereign who everyone would like to see on the front of the Empire." "No doubt, you should be satisfied." "He is a robust and healthy boy." "A Tudor." "It can be seen in the eyes and on the forehead." "Congratulations, Your Highness." "What deserves this joy?" "I was going to tell you that because I have been thinking for days." "I have decided to present my candidature to the Empire." "It has been a great joy for Wolsey." "He is sure that I will triumph, becasue I am not less than Francis or your nephew in anything." "Wolsey!" "Do you think that such an old crown will disfigure me?" "From your words, I understand that it is gold what you solicite from us." "To obtain the Empire has a price." "And the King needs his noblemen's help." "Your Highness, Castile conitnues to pay while you delay with fulfilling the things which have been agreed with the Cortes." "Now, moreover, you solicite our help to go away from the kingdom." "If I am emperor that will serve everyone." "But Castile needs its King here." "It doesn't deserve to be governed from a faraway throne as if it were an administered land." " Like another piece of the Indies!" " It is not my wish that something like that happens." "Should I remind you that you swore loyalty to me?" "No, Your Highness." "But, just because of this, I warn you:" "there are noblemen amongst us who dream about returning to a Castile which was 60 years ago." "A Castile where the king wore the crown but others governed in their own benefit." "You have offended me very much!" "Leave!" "We will convoke Cortes and they will agree, as always." "It will be a long time to summon it which we don't have." "We need the money now!" "Meanwhile, we will ask for the contribution of your most humble vassals." " Who will do that willingly." " We will raise the taxes." "Those who don't pay will have to face the consequences." "But it will not be enough!" "We will only succeed in increasing the people's dissatisfaction!" "Indeed." "And they will direct it against the noblemen who we will obligate to get the taxes." "In a short course of time, they will eat out of your hand." "Do you want to provoke a rebellion?" "This is madness!" "This is efficient." "Or do you criticize it?" "You should have seen it." "The King is more and more alone." "He will rectify." "You will see it." " He will leave with his latrociny." " What he asks is to leave." "In order to do so, he reclaims our support, convoking the Cortes." "This is our opportunity." "We will not give Charles the money he needs so much without receiving anything in exchange." "It has always been that way so far." "What will you reclaim this time?" "He should cede us a part of his power and swear to comply with our demands." "Then, if he wants it, let him go after his empire." " Castile will remain well governed." " Are you talking about damaging the power of the Crown?" "The less power he has, the less occasion he has to use it against Castile." "I would like to have a Cortes whose voice is listenned to, a strong and reliable Cortes, but not a suppressed one!" "When you need money the most it is the most difficult to get it." "It is rare to have it exactly when you need it." "This is why bankers exist." "Your grandfather, the Emperor knew it well, but have faith:" "your aunt knows how to handle them." "Dear Jakob, you need not fear from any disservice." "The income of Castile and Aragon will stand as a security for the credit we ask for." "Your Highness, your nephew will not be emperor." "You are either a bad fortune-teller or in the service of France." "Although I admit that, when our meeting ends," "I will go there, where King Francis is waiting for me." "Is this what remained from the close relation you had with my father?" "This is, and an important debt which I have not been able to collect yet." "I will be able to liquidate it with even more difficulty if you contribute to the ruin of my family." "You owe a great part of your riches to us." "And you know it!" "Forget the Imperial Crown." "The King of France has payed important bribes from hand." "And have the Pope's support." "What kind of options do you have?" "Any kind." "Because you have just demonstrated that they need you as much as we do." "Your nephew is unknown." "He has not demonstrated anything yet." "Eveybody wants the French as emperor." "And I cannot bet on the loser." "And do you trust him?" "You see that he spends without inhibition." "Will he stop constructing his castles and enriching his adulators to pay what he owes you?" "I promise that I will obtain the money the Empire owes to you." "Take it as a proof of good faith." "I merealy ask for one thing in exchange:" "don't commit yourself to the French yet, untill I can give you the guarantees you need." "This fight will decide who is the master of Europe." "It doesn't serve you to be mistaken about the bet." "Governor!" "There is an armed ship to set sail for the mainland." "I've seen it myself." " And what does it have to do with you?" " You tell me." "Will you persecute my husband?" "Wouldn't I have the right to do so?" "Your husband's disobedience is clear." "What is done cannot be undone." "It cannot be impeded now." "No, it cannot." "But it can be impeded that more would follow this." "I just want to make sure the he doesn't forget what the King has disposed." "Only I can populate and trade on those lands." "What Cortés does is those land will have to do in my name and benefaction." "A very convenent agreement... for you." "Your husband wanted to mock me." "We'll see if he dears to do it with the King." "Sir!" "Sir..." "Come quickly." "There's something you have to see." "Are you Christian?" "Jerónimo de Aguilar." "Christian and subject of Queen Doña Joanna and his father Don Ferdinand." "How lond have you been in these lands?" "We wrecked in..." "In 1511." "8 years ago, then?" "Only ten of us reached these coasts." "And the others?" "Valdivia, our official was assassinated with four other men when were taken prisioner." "They sacrificed them and ate them." "We saw it from the cages where they feeded us for the nex ceremony." "How did you escape?" "Knowing that the end was close gave us strength to do it." "We found another town but... the enslaved us." "They used so cruel methods that only two of us survived and could even gain liberty." "Do you speak these people's language?" "From this day on, you and I are brothers." "Your new brother makes you this present." "This is the present my lord will regard the most." "So will I." "The gold is for the Emperor Moctezuma." "Everything you see here belongs to him." "He is a god to them." "But, sir, don't affront them and take these women." "This will be for you." "Be careful, sir!" "She isn't the first woman who tries to do it." "And I hope she won't be the last." "What is her name?" "They call her Malinche." "Translate it word for word, Aguilar." "We need the gold more than your emperor does." "Because we, the Spanish, are suffering from an illness which canonly be cured by gold." "I'm afraid this fulfills the prophecy." "They are merely intruders." "You have to send them off." "We must make sure first." "Sir, come!" "Come!" "What kind of fruit it is?" "What are you doing?" "Wait untill I call Aguilar." "Aguilar!" " What did he say?" " The Emperor is greeting you." "He likes the painting and this is why he would like to get to know you." "Just like you, I serve a great lord who likes the painting, too." "But tell your lord that he will be able to get to know us in person when he has the goodness to receive us." "He's saying that it won't be possible." "His lord ask us to return to our lands and gives you these presents as the prooves of his good will." "We will also bring wonderful presents to your lord when he receives us." "Do you want to give them a weapon?" "Do you believe them to be people who can be fooled by bulbs?" "In the Emperor's name, he wishes us a good homeward journey." "Bring it full with gold so we could compare them with those of Spain." "And, after that, keep ot as a memory of our meeting." "There is no doubt." "The gold must cover their streets." "Delicate work." "It is only that they aren't Christian what makes these men unable to be match for us." "Or they would be even better than us." "Thank you." "Go." "You will have to ride out without me today." "What is it, my lord?" "When I know how much you like it." "I promised to be concerned with matters that cannot wait." "Was it your mother who your promised this?" "What is so important that it impedes you to enjoy a few hours of tranquillity?" " A war?" "An invasion?" " An empire." "You have not even get that crown yet, but its weight already impedes you to entertain like a king should." "Very urgents matters impede the King to come to our meeting." "Nevertheless, I don't have to explain you why he summoned you." "My lady, I am barely called with other motives." "Will you lend my son the necessary sum to assure his election?" "Montmorency let us know that everything has already been discussed." " Or did he lie?" " No." "But I need a guarantee and I don't even have the King's word." "My son will be the next emperor." "Is it not sufficient guarantee?" "Do you consider Charles of Spain worthier of your credit?" "You are banket." "And you will not let the opportunity of making a good deal go." "Out of the two competitors, we give you better guarantees." "Show your conditions and let us make a contract." "My lady, we still have time." "In the case of deals, it is not good to rush." "Duke, my father always trusted you and your good judgement." "Tell me, have you already decided about your vote?" "My lady, because of good judgement, the election doesn't let me sleep." " Why this insomnia, what are you afraid of?" " The consequences." "Either your nephew wins or the King of France does, the equilibrium in Europe will be broken." "And we, the German, will see our liberty compromised." "Our lineage is german just like yours." "This should temper your distress." "But the King of France will be able to defend us from the Turks, the greatest menace which threatens the Empire and the whole Christendom." "Have you committed your vote to him?" "Understand me: out of the two of them, he is the less bad choice." "How mush has he offered you?" "Nothing." "Only the favour of His Holiness fo my protege, Luther." " He would say anything to get your vote." " No less than you." "Charles governs with asking his vassals' opinion." "He will know how ti respect the liberties of the German." "And will Francis do the same?" "You already know his way of governing." "Or will he not convertir your states to be the mere possessions of the French Crown?" "The King of Spain already possesses sufficient territories." "He will not be elected." "If I changed my vote, it would not be good for anything." "Ferdinand, leave us alone." "Go." "I will tell you about what was discussed." "Don't doubt that." "You committed yourself to receive the banker." "How will you pay the bribes without his money?" "Will he deny me it because he didn't see me?" "Charles will not receive him either." "This was exactly our advantage, and you wasted it." "Enough!" "The game is decided." "Nothing is decided." "Continue to trust in those who make up to you and you will find yourself completely sacked." " Let them dare to try it." " They have already done that." "King Henry of England has decided to compete in the election." "Damned Wolsey!" "This must be his work." "Henry doesn't even wink without consulting with him." "He must have found another who smoothes his way to Rome, and betrayed you." " I will write to him." " Do it." "But learn the lesson:" "the Imperial Throne is not yours yet." " Sir, a ship is coming." " Does it wear a flag?" "The emblem of the Governor and that of the Crown." "Go to them and let them explain it." "But make it clear that we will not let them disembark." "Let them know that we will have our cannons pointed in their direction." "The prophecy has been fulfilled." "Quetzalcoatl has returned." "I have seen them." "They are only a few strangers." "Bearded nad comes from the East where he serves a great lord." "And he came in the foretold moment." "They wear iron, their animals bear them, making them giant." "Do you remember the prophecy?" ""The bearded royal forefather comes to shake the bottom of the sky to conquer Tenochtitlan."" "Prevent them to reach here." "The prophecy speaks about a moment what happens more times during the many winters." "Let us send them off, and if they don't want to go away, let us finish them off." "They have to leave of their own choice." "They will do when they discover our power and strength." "Calm down." "The Governor only reminds you that we are under his mandate." "Yeah." "Nothing that we don't know." "If you don't accept the Governor's authority, you will rebel against the Crown." "I'll deal with the King." "And your men?" "Will you obligate them to remain out of the law without being able to go home?" " They won't accept it." " They will if I make them rich." "I swear you that they will go home and will be welcomed as heroes." "In the King's name, you is my only lord," "I take this place where we establish the rich village of Veracruz!" "So...?" "Have you made the negotiations with the Duke come to a good anchor?" "And I will with all of them." "I almost assure that the Imperial Crown will stay in our family." "But what have you offered to satisfy all of them?" "You." "You will be the next emperor." " Where does this joke come from?" " Frederick of Saxony will stand by you if the Pope supports you." "And he will, because you are the owner neither of Naples nor of Milan." "Ferdinand, you have many virtues." "And one of them is especially precious." " Nobody is afraid of you." " Nobody." "Not even the Turks." "That is a threat which no sovereign can stand up against if he is alone." "Neither you, nor Francis nor your brother." "Trust me." "Only a miracle could bring the throne to Charles." "It is either you or the French." "And do you think my brother will accept it?" "Leave him to me." "Ferdinand?" "Even my own family turns the cold shoulder to me!" "My lord, don't misinterpret your aunt's decision..." "There is nothing to interpret!" "Go away!" "You, stay!" "I would like to talk about a matter." "You said that I have the support of England." "An now, my uncle Henry decides to compete against me." "Because of that side, you have nothing to fear." "I let Wolsey fool me." "But your uncle has started late." "He has no possibilities." "Rejoice." "At least, we are sure that he will not give his support to Francis." "However, the money worries me." "And there cannot be more laaging." "We should look for it where we know that there is." "Your mother maintains properties which are worthy of a queen and she will not use anymore." " What kind of man do you think I am?" " You have to gain the Imperial Crown." "Your lineage and your position obligate you." "There is nothing above this." "The time always benefits the rival." "Think about it." "Your lord's candidature is evidence of your betrayal." "I am not a man who tends to forgive similar affronts." "However, I wait for a gesture which lets me trust you, so that your aspirationa would not be garbled for ever." "I always wishes that our meetings were short." "What do you want from me?" "The King has no possibility to obtain the Imperial Crown." "And you know it." "Make him see it." "I also know that it is better if he discovers some things himself." "Do you prefer submit him to such a serious humiliation to the treasury of the kingdom?" "Nothing like this worries you." "Only the consequencies of failing your King and the French." "You are right." "Otherwise, I would not need your help." "Well, don't expect it." "My husband will not win." "When he blames you for his failure, I will stand by him." "No." "You will not do such a thing." "It would do you harm." "Now that the King is sure that he can have healthy sons, your situation and your daughter's, the princess's, has become vulnerable." "Speak clearly!" "What did you come to ask?" "Do as I ask, and England will support your nephew Charles." "When he is emperor, his power will protect you." "When you fall into disgrace, I will only have myself." "If the moment comes, I will make your daighter's engagement with the dapuhin break." "It will be Emperor Charles who marries her." "From that day forward, you will only have to worrys about the fruit of that marriage and not about that you cannot give to yours." " Leave!" " No." "Not untill I know that you are with me." "I have to make sure that you understand the reasons you will convince the King with." "Take it." " Take it all." " What is it?" "I should not keep any jewel if it can serve you to gain the Empire you long for." "Thank you but we will not need so many." "The credit of the bankers of London has already been promised to the King of France." "And he will solicit more." "You will need gold." "A lot." "The treasury of the Crown is not so shrunk that we have to dispossess its Queen." "Our treasury will never be equal to those of France or Spain." "You will need to sell lands, titles..." "Hush!" "I see that you don't approve my candidature." "Are my merits that slight in your opinion?" "No." "They are not, my lord." "No doubt, they overcome those of your opponents." "But because of entering in this game with unsure result, you risk to lose the great opportunity it offers." " What opportunity?" " To be the arbiter of Europe." "No matter who wins, it is only a matter of time that our nephew Charles and the French stand up against each other." "Both will seek your help." "They will dance to the tune you sing." "You take it guaranteed that I will not win." "If I compete and lose what will change in what you have just said?" "Just that you will be a humiliated king, and poorer." "If I didn't fear that you would rive the Crown from me," "I would name you chancellor instead of Wolsey." "The Margrave of Brandeburg wrote to us." "The Duke of Saxony asks his vote to Ferdinand," " brother of Charles of Spain." " Does Charles resign from the Empire?" "Seems so." "And there will be our defeat." "I was a hundred times better than Charles and I am thousand times better than his brother." " Everybody will think like you, no doubt." " What difficulty do you see, then?" "The Pope supported you as the less bad choice." "But, now, he will prefer a less powerful emperor who has less pretensions to Italy." "With the Saxon's support, the banker will give him the credit to buy the votes he needs." "Charles loses against you." "But you will lose against his brother." "The providence will resolve your conflict." "Now, France will not be a threatened kingdom." "What do you know?" "How does an emperor benefit France who is commanded by the spanish king?" "Go." "Leave!" "We will take charge again." "But promise me that you will deal with this matter with the importance it has." "Don't doubt that." "WHat did you think?" "Your Highness..." "Has the preoccupation for my health brought you at this cold night?" "Does it surprise you?" "Maybe because you are not accustomed to talk to your family." "Your son Ferdinand is in Flanders and I am here." "It is my duty." "I am not happy that it is the duty what brings you to me." "Because it was what obligated me to separate from you." "Because of that, you will always be indebted to me, mother." "Do you think that I don't know it?" "Have you been happy at any time?" "I was the happiest women in the world because I loved and was loved as no one else." "The mules will carry 3 bunkers." "It is more than we expected." "Will God forgive me?" "Your Highness, your mother's madness is an obstacle to obtain the Imperial Throne." "It is fair if she comsates you." "Let us not kid ourselves:" "this is a robbery." "And if my aunt doesn't get th guaranty, it will have served for nothing." "I see you are laden, Duke." "I only came to your request not to offend you." "I know that, after the wine, you will reveal your intentions to me." "And what do you expect?" "You will want me to promise my vote again." "Since you have already given me gold, now, it will be the turn of the threats." "I only have the intention to show you that you are wrong." "A strong emperor would be good for you." "And not that young man who has not done anything and will a little." "The question is what is good for the Germans." "They, just like you, will win with me." "Or would it not strengthen the german territories if your Dukedom of Saxony became a Kingdom?" "Many people would not" " like to see me king." " I will be by your side." "And I could intervene, I assure you." "Take into account the my son's offer comes with everything he offered to you in its moment, too." "Also the grace of His Holiness to Luther?" "Of course." "That is how the Pope let us know." "And it could not be otherwise." "Even my own sister likes that friar's ideas." "If I win, the Empire will recover its glory." "And we will do it together." "Because you will be my right hand." "Your Highness..." "Master Da Vinci... is dead." " Will it be enough?" " Where did you get that from?" "You are going to travel with it to Flanders immediately." "But, more than gold, I need you to pass an inapellable mandate to my aunt:" "nothing has encouraged more my enemies than the reluctance of my family." " And it caused me deep pain." " My lord, understand..." "No!" "You understand and make everybody understand it:" "I am the head of this family and I will not permit that anyone, anyone try to divert me from my destiny." "I am the only one who will be candidate to the Empire." "This is my wish and order." "And whoever tries to argue with this, no matter who it is, will incur impudence and treason." " Understood?" " My lord." "So harsh words are not peculiar to Charles." "They are barely a pale reflexion of determination which accompanied them." "It hurt His Highness the most that you have chosen the Infante as an alternative." "Is there Chiévres's hand behind his reaction?" "No." "I believe your nephew has already become that king we feared he would never be." "That is why I sent you to his side." "Although I still have doubts I have to felicitate you for your job." "Thank you." "But the King's actual obstinacy puts us in an emergency." "On the contraty." "There is only one way." "And we must take it over without hesitation, with total decision." "Well then, may God be with us." "You are spending days with that letter." "It must be well explained." "Everything." "Do you think that it will be enough to get the King's protection?" "He hasn't consider you an ingenuous man." "The men are anxious." "Many of them would like to return with the things we've already gained." "They will follow me." "They are my men." "But they are fed up." "Lose their favour, and we'll be vulnerable to the dangers of these lands." "Moctezuma's men." "Powerful Moctezuma is offering you these presents és gives you what you wish for, as proof of his friendship." " He asks you to take them and leave." " He doesn't ask, it is an order." "Wait!" "Come, women!" "The collectors will soon arrive." "As their contribution, they will take 20 young men." "So that this sacrifice make the gods forget their betrayal." "When are you leaving?" "Where does this question come from?" "You have already got your gold." "If we left these lands, you could return with your people." "My father died." "My mother sold me to be a slave." "I have gone from hand to hand." "Like this, untill I am sacrificed for the gods." "That won't happen." "Because I will protect you." "I'm not thinkink about going anywhere." "There is only place for Moctezuma here." "Then he will have to go." "You are only a few hundreds against thousands of warriors." "But we have God on our side." "You could do better with the help of the people of these lands." "They hate the Emperor." "Alone you will not win." "You will not stay." "You will collect your gold and go." "There are some people who are waiting for our return, in their comfortable dwellings, to occupy the place which only belongs to us." "I've decided not to clear the way." "And if I'm not the only one in this," "I will ask for the King's contribution to only respond before him." "Will you obligate him to choose between the Governor and you?" "That's right." "Why do you think he will support you?" "Because we won't send him the fifth which belongs to him, but all the obtained riches." "A treasure which is worthy of a king!" "Our gold?" "Sir..." "Now it's time to return." "Will we have to do it with empty hands while others fill their purses at our expense?" "All that we got, all that we have is only a hundredth of what is waiting for us." "Why should we make do with so little when there's still much to find?" "When have I failed you?" "Some month more and you will never have to think about your future." "Is she the only one who shares my dreams?" "Only a woman?" "I assure you you will not regret it." "I trust in this." "The gold of Castile balanced our debt." "Mr. Fugger has land us the same sum kindly." "With new interests." "My lady." "This sum will not be enough to buy the necessary votes." "I already know that but we cannot remain with crossed hands while Charles collects the necessary sum." "We bet everything on one elector, the Archbishop of Mainz." "Do you suggest to break the unity of the ecclesiastic votes?" "Rome will not let it." "The greediness of the Archbishop is completely prooved." "It was him who fetched Luther from the shadows." " He will accept." " But here all end." "You don't have gold for the other electors." "What will impede the Archbishop to collect your money as the French's" " and vote for the one he wants?" " He cannot." "He will only collect it if Charles gets the Crown." "Now the important thing is to obtain the vote of Frederick of Saxony." " You shall not have it." " Os desdecís?" "I didn't promise my vote to your family, but to Ferdinand." "If the King of Spain competes, the reasons I gave you back then are worth the same now." "What do you want to support my nephew?" "Let me vote according to my conscience, my lady." "Make the King of France emperor and the conscience will harass you one day because of betraying the Germans!" "Grandfather..." "I have just run into your friend, Padilla." "The bad news seemed to cause him satisfaction." "What are you suggesting?" "The date has hardly been given to the Cortes and there are tumults in a few towns, already." "Only God knows how it will end." "Padilla doesn't understand the loyalty to the Crown as we do." "Nor dreams about the same Castile." "I though you share his opinions." "Though the King and his Flemmish disgust me," "God and the Crown are everything to me." "That is why I cannot share his plans." " What is his intention?" " Weaken the Crown." "In the Cortes, the towns will sell dearly the service the King demands." "Is the Cortes a trap then?" "Yes." "And the tumults will only wing his party more." " Warn His Highness!" " He doesn't want to hear me." "He will not hear anyone who obstructs the path of his imperial obsession." "I don't understand him." "Only a fool could have not seen where we go." "I know who he will listen to." "My lady?" "We have not talked for a while." "Only since my wedding, Your Highness." "Does your husband treat you well?" "I have no complaint about your choose." "And your daughter?" "She grows in love." "But I have not come to talk about me but to forewarn you." "You?" "What kind of danger do you have to tell me about?" "You trust in a Cortes which is only a trap." "The towns will only give you the money you solicite at the expense of decreasing your power." "Do they not understand that the Empire will raise" "Spain above the other Christian kingdoms?" "They want to use theirr opportunity, just like so many others do." "And they are ready to defy you." "The noblility turns its back on me." "And now I have to suffer the duress of the Cortes." "It is not the Queen who is mad, the whole kingdom is!" "Get married." "Castile insists that you should marry the infanta of Portugal." "You know that." "On the other hand, there is no sovereign who is as rich as her father." "Collect the dowry and you will not have to kneel before the Cortes." "It is strange to here such a proposal from your lips." "Don't think that I don't estimate your advice." "But I don't wish to marry." "Doing so, my will would also be seen bent." "I am afraid of the marriage." "Because I remember my parents' and I have learnt its consequences." "Sooner or later, you will have to get married." "I am not like my father." "When I take that step I will only belong to that woman." "I have to be sure that she is the appropriate one, and this way avoid the hell in life." "I am not mare of posts, Your Highness!" "When you feel the most alone then you will find that woman." "Actually, the infanta's dowry would relieve your problems." "Maybe it would be enough to ensure the Imperial Crown." "A knight should not marry a lady driven only by interests." "But, Your Highness, you are not just one knight." " You are King." " Even more reason." "For a King the marriage is a duty." "It will be the fairest, by the choice of the appropriate woman, if the interests of the King and of the kingdom were the same." "My lord!" "There are news from Seville!" "A treasury has arrived from the Indies!" "That Cortés out the Empire to your feet, Your Highness." "You can speak without concern." "I've heard what a few men spoke who believed that no one understood them." " Anything that I have to know?" " They will take one of the ships" " and go away." " A mutiny..." "Cowards!" "Are you with me?" "Call the most loyal ones." "I need men who fulfill my orders without the least vacillation." "Thank you." "Yes!" "I've scuttled the ship." "It isn't time to return to Cuba yet." "Leaving now, within some years we would come back, but working for those who will follow our steps untill this point." "Trust me and you will return not to the island, but to Spain!" "As rich men!" "And with honor!" "Now, we only have our hands and only one certainty:" "to conquer this land or die trying!" "Mr. Fugger, the good news must have reached your ears, too." "A true miracle!" "Now you cannot deny us the loan." "I am still waiting for the report of my agents in Seville." "When you get it you should think about that it only mentions one ship, not every one which will follow it." "How much can you give us?" "Some 200.000 guilders." "We will not need less than 500.000." "Determine the interest you consider necessary." "I will not bargain." "Don't offend me." "We will only Solo collect the 18% el 18 which is habitual to the family." "Well then..." "We already have emperor." "Are you sure, Montmorency?" "Completely." "Charles may have got the gold, but we have the votes bought and the Saxon on our side." "No one of these will be of use." "They will buy the votes again, rising the offer to the necessary sum." "You lost the crown." "Don't even talk about it!" "I will kill those damned usurers with my own hands!" "I will sell France if I have to!" "You should be a good king when you win and even better when you lose!" "If you are not emperor," " prevent Charles from being that." " How?" "Margaret showed us the way herself." "Me?" "To be emperor?" "You will win." "Because they will prefer you to the powerful Charles." "And, moreover, you are German, a quality which was never in my reach." "France quarantees you its help and that of the Holy See." "But incomes will be needed to maintain the peace of the Empire." "Saxony..." "You will have those of France." "You should not fear because of this." "What do you say, Frederick?" "Frederick of Saxony, who is so jelaous of his independency, became a puppet of the French?" "With Francis's power we could fight, but with the insignificancy of the Saxon we can do a little." "Do you give up the victory because of dispiritedness?" "He is a suitable candidate for the victory." "Nobody fears him, lives in the Empire..." "A strategy that we planted in their heads." "Do you think that I will give up 18% of such a sum?" "No, my lady!" "I haven't reached so far in order to turn back now." "What do you suggest?" "To protect my investment." "You have been humilliated by the King of France." "I also have pending bills with him." "Be of service to me, Sickingen." "I swear that we will profit!" "And, of course..." "it will not be the only reward." "Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, Frankfurt" "After long weeks of pensiveness," "I have decided to pay attention only to my conscience." "As representative of the German Church and with the blessing of Rome," "I grant my vote to Frederick of Saxony." "I swear!" "Nobody will defend better the interests of the German nobility from the throne of the Empire." "Frederick of Saxony is also my candidate." "I swear!" "Hundreds of mercenaries are surrounding us." "Who sent them?" "I don't know." "But you can be sure about one thing:" "I didn't." "I withdraw my candidature." "My vote is for Charles of Habsburg." "I swear!" "My lord, God wanted you to be the one who manages the reins of the Empire." "You have been elected by unanimity, Your Majesty." "The fight for the victory has been arduous." "Now, we know what we will confront in the future." "I will either be destroyed by the King of France or be the master of Europe." "Next time:" "Where are they?" " At the gates of Tenochtitlán." " When will the attack take place?" "Declare that the throne belongs only to you, or the enemies of our cause will not stop untill they annihilate us." "The rebels of Toledo have taken the Alcázar." "Dear God!" "What happened?" "What harm have I done to God to deserve Charles?" "Take me with you!" "I beg you!" "Do you suggest an alliance against Charles?" "Preside our session, my lady." "Because you govern us." "Your visit is a pleasant surprise, Your Majesty." "It honors us to welcome the brand new emperor." "They seems to be obsessed with fraud!" "And our men even more do." "They want to acquire the treasury before kneel before us." "Luther denies that Rome mediate between God and men." " What are you missing?" " Power." " Respect the Queen, miserable!" " No!" "If I lose the Pope's favour, the threat of England and France will extend to all of my borders." "I arrest you in the name of the Crown de Castile." "You will compensate the zeal you demand from us in the protection of the faith by rejecting an alliance between English and French?" "Go ahead." "And I will live to protect you." "I am sorry to entrust you with the regency in such a difficult moment." "I assume the challange but you will have to reconsider the powers you entrust me with." "The hour of the attack has come." "Damned Adrian!" "How could he permit it?"