Chapter 314: Formation of the National Militia

While Berengar was off at war, Chancellor Otto von Graz was running the state in his absence. While there were a few garrisons located throughout the Kingdom, the fear of invasion from foreign powers had begun to infect the minds of a small portion of the populace.

In response to this, Count Otto devised an idea and presented it before the Reichstag. This idea was loosely based upon some of the drunken ramblings Otto had engaged with between himself and King Berengar in the days before the war. 

Otto was an efficient statesman who was entirely capable of being inspired by Berengar's half-brained intoxicated ideas and turning them into a practical reality. At this moment, the Chancellor of Austria was standing within the Reichstag, speaking his mind to the congressman who was gathered within.

As a representative of the people, Gunther was among the crowd of men elected by people of all social standings to represent the people's interests. As such, he was privy to the ideas presented by the Chancellor as he spoke with passion.

"Months ago, I discussed with King Berengar, about a matter of critical importance to the safety and security of the Kingdom of Austria. We spoke about the possibility to form a National Guard. A registered and well-regulated group of civilians who undergo military training on weekends, and act as an extension of the pre-existing Armed Forces.

The purpose of this National Guard is to ensure that the Austrian people are sufficiently armed and trained to defend their life and property in the event that foreigners were to invade our country. Today, I have given every one of you a copy of my proposed plan for the Austrian National Guard. 

All able-bodied men between the ages of sixteen to twenty will be required to undergo weekly training based upon military standards, including physical fitness, firearms training, and tactics.  Of course, these men will be appropriately compensated for the time spent training in the militia.

W this said, I will leave this proposed bill for all of you to look over and discuss, however now more than ever, I think it is pertinent that we make sure that Austria is well protected from all internal and external threats."

With these words spoken, the Chancellor left the podium and returned to his chateau in Kufstein, where he began to relax until an agreement could be made between the legislature and himself. He had nothing to do while the Reichstag debated among themselves, and as such he enjoyed a nice cup of coffee.

While Otto was enjoying his free time with leisure, Gunther was in the middle of looking over the proposal. It was by no means a poor idea, and he knew that Austria had the capability to supply the militia with the weapons necessary for their objectives. As such, he was in favor of the idea of establishing a National Militia. 

After all, the garrisons spread throughout Austria were not enough to protect the fields and the village folk from a potential invasion. With this in mind, he looked over at the other representatives in a fierce debate with one another. 

Many of them had sons that were within the age group listed and feared their children being forced to take up arms to defend the Nation should it come under attack. Gunther decided he would do his best to convince the Reichstag to agree to Chancellor Otto's terms.

The man shivered in anxiety as he approached the podium and tried to gain the attention of the arguing representatives.

"Excuse me..."

However, his actions went completely unnoticed; as such, he decided to steal his resolve and speak with some force behind his tone.

"Quiet down!"

When Gunther shouted these words at the top of his lungs, everyone finally noticed that someone was standing at the podium and was intrigued as such; Gunther cleared his throat before speaking in an authoritative voice.

"Some of you may not be aware of who I am, but my name is Gunther; I am a representative selected by the people of Kufstein to represent their interests. I know many of those among you come from noble upbringing, but allow me to tell you who I am.

Until four years ago, I was a common serf; I tended to the fields in the name of my masters, the von Kufstein family. When I first met King Berengar, he was a frail, sickly youth, but he had a dream. A dream of a self-sustaining Kufstein where the people were appropriately compensated for their labor.

It is a dream that any man, regardless of their upbringing, could achieve in life whatever they desired based upon their merit! At first, I thought he was just an idealistic youth, but I have seen the town I grew up in transform into a marvelous city over these last four years.

Berengar von Kufstein conquered Tyrol after Count Lothar betrayed Duke Wilmar through the hard work of better men than me. To my surprise, the man who once toiled a field beside me was now the Count of Tyrol, and with it, he brought the same innovations that had led his Barony to Prosperity to the entirety of the County.

Yet that was not enough; as the Bavarians invaded, Berengar led the men of Tyrol to retake Austria as a whole. Unfortunately, the Duke and his line had passed away in its entirety shortly after, and Berengar was named the new Duke.

We have had a stable peace throughout these past two years, allowing us to grow in wealth and prosperity. King Berengar has done the unthinkable; he has created a world where a lowly farmer like myself can own my land and operate it entirely with my family. The wealth I have gained from this has allowed me to buy more land and expand upon that.

I now have a factory under construction that will be producing paper from the products I grow. Four years ago, I could never imagine such a fate, but this is the reality we all see. Without Berengar, and the brave men who have laid down their lives to pave the way for this future, I would not be where I am today; I likely would have starved to death alongside my family in a particularly harsh winter.

So, I think it is the duty of all men, capable of bearing arms, to at the very least provide a last line of defense for our Homeland. While our soldiers are away at war securing our independence, the responsibility to protect our homes, our family's, our businesses, and most importantly, our Nation should fall to every able-bodied man in Austria! 

I, for one, support the move for a National Guard, and I hope that every one of you will reflect upon what you have gained from the sacrifice of young men who have fought and died to achieve what we have all gained under Berengar's leadership. That is all I have to say..."

With this impassioned speech, Gunther stepped down from the podium and returned to his seat; as he did so, he heard a slow clap, which began to spread; before long, the entire room was filled with applause. After he did so, the House Leader stood up at the podium and began to cast a vote.

"All in favor of the establishment of a National Militia as proposed by Chancellor Otto von Graz?"

After Gunther's speech, those who had reservations about the bill were silenced and even showed their support for the idea. The decision was ultimately unanimous, and after the Reichstag passed it, it would be sent to the Senate, where they would vote upon it. It was only after it was approved in the Senate that it would be sent to the Chancellor's office, wherein Berengar's absence, he had the authority to sign it into law. 

The Militia Act of 1421 would become the first significant piece of legislation passed entirely by the fledgling Semi-Constitutional government that Berengar had established. While he was away at war, the capable hands he had left Austria's governance to begin the progress of creating a society where martial training at a young age would one day be considered the norm.

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