After inspecting the mercenary group, Laszlo had originally intended to proceed with integrating the three guards, as having three different guards for one monarch was inherently abstract.
The core of the Emperor's Guard was Swiss mercenaries, which was an old tradition of the Holy Roman Empire; everyone who used Swiss mercenaries spoke highly of them.
The Austrian Archduke Guard was a standing army composed of Austrians recruited from Lower Austria and Inner Austria, which is to say, the area around Vienna.
The history of the King of Hungary's Guard was even longer, dating back to the Sigismund era, with its core being the Dragon Knight Order, composed of many elite knights, supplemented by a strong guard of elite infantry mercenaries.
Laszlo had also wanted to take the opportunity to inspect the camp of the Austrian Archduke Guard to see what Austria's only standing army was truly like, but Ulrich stopped him.
"Your Majesty, it's getting late. I estimate that the empress dowager and the others are already anxious. Let's return to the palace first."
Ulrich was very anxious in his heart; if the Emperor really went to tour the Austrian Archduke Guard's military camp, he would probably be so angry that he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Those guards, one by one, didn't look like soldiers at all; they were all noble scions coming in to gild their resumes and idle away their time.
Laszlo thought about it and decided there was no need to rush, and integrating the army should be left to his subordinates.
"Alright, Ulrich. You are to assign someone to integrate the three guards and form a completely new… let's call them the Austrian-Hungarian Army First Legion and Second Legion. Regarding the legion commanders, do you have any recommendations?"
"To my knowledge, Adolf von Kuttenberg and Karl von Jerin are both very capable commanders in the guards, but the final decision on who to employ still requires Your Majesty's personal judgment."
"Bring them to see me in a few days. I will choose the suitable candidates. While preparing for the wedding, the integration of the guards must be completed as soon as possible. We don't have much time. We must act quickly and launch a lightning strike on Prague, otherwise we risk being dragged into a war of attrition and potentially inviting foreign intervention."
"I understand, Your Majesty."
Hmm, as an Austrian, it's normal to like blitzkrieg, right?
"Ah, That's right, what's the situation with the Ottoman?"
"According to the information our spies sent back, the army led by Mehmed II was once again defeated at Krujë, and along the way, they suffered incessant harassment and guerrilla attacks from Skanderbeg, incurring significant losses. They have now retreated back to Constantinople, and the Albanian resistance shows a growing trend of intensification."
"Impressive, as expected of him."
Laszlo heard another piece of good news.
This Skanderbeg was a gift from heaven to Albania, and also Mehmed II's lifelong inescapable nightmare.
Skanderbeg, the Albanian national hero; the modern Albanian flag, with its red background and black double-headed eagle, is Skanderbeg's own family crest and military banner.
The term "heaven-sent strongman" truly fits him perfectly.
To give the most intuitive example, Laszlo clearly remembered that in the 1444 start, there were a few divine rulers, but only Skanderbeg and "the Conqueror" Mehmed II possessed both divine ruler and divine general attributes.
He was like a stumbling block placed by heaven for Mehmed II, lest he have too smooth a journey.
His ruler attributes [Administration 6, Diplomacy 5, Military 6] even surpassed Mehmed II.
His general attributes [Fire 5, Shock 5, Maneuver 5, Siege 0] were slightly weaker than Mehmed II's, but still stronger than 99% of contemporary European generals.
After the decline of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire could almost be said to have easily swept across the Balkans.
Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and other countries successively suffered invasions from the Ottoman and Hungary, but only Albania remained standing, like a beacon in the darkness.
It was entirely due to Skanderbeg's powerful military capabilities that he repeatedly repelled the attacks of the Ottoman army with inferior forces; sometimes the difference in troop numbers could even reach over ten times, yet Skanderbeg always achieved victory.
Whenever Mehmed II conquered several countries and vast territories, he would feel confident again, then lead tens or hundreds of thousands of troops to invade Albania, besiege Krujë, then get thoroughly beaten by Skanderbeg, immediately becoming subdued, and retreating dismally back to Constantinople—oh, it should now be called Istanbul or Constantinopole (for Roman Empire loyalists, a tearful moment).
In the original timeline, Albania was not annexed by the Ottoman Empire until Skanderbeg's death from illness; shortly after he died, Albania fell.
It can be said that he, by his own strength, single-handedly resisted the Ottomans, and in the face of the Ottomans's tidal wave of attacks, he stubbornly preserved Albania's independence for half a century.
He was a true hero.
Mentioning him, Laszlo started to feel greedy again; such a talented person, it was truly a pity to keep him in that small place, Albania.
Especially since northern Greece is mountainous, Skanderbeg was definitely the strongest mountain warfare tactical master of this era. If he could be brought under his command, hiss, just thinking about it made him feel utterly delighted.
No, he couldn't think about it anymore; if he continued, he would even dream of strongmen at night.
Laszlo stopped his thoughts, just as the carriage had arrived at the Hofburg Palace gate.
Passing through this Swiss Gate, one could enter the palace.
Why was it called the Swiss Gate? Because the guards were Swiss mercenaries; of course, perhaps "honor guard" would be a more fitting term?
Clutching their poleaxes and clad in iron armor, the Swiss mercenaries were loyal, brave, strong, and handsome, so it was no wonder the Pope also liked to use Swiss mercenaries as guards and honor guards.
Switzerland, that place, was originally the ancestral property of the Habsburg Family, but it was all barren land. After moving to Vienna, the family gradually stopped investing resources and effort into Switzerland.
The mountaineers of Switzerland were fierce in character and brave in battle, and they naturally loved freedom, so they actually rebelled against the Habsburg.
After failing to suppress them, the Habsburg Family decisively abandoned this barren land. Switzerland was all mountainous, with a beautiful environment suitable for retirement, but the Habsburg pursued a far grander and nobler ideal—to rule the entire Europa.
Rather than engaging in internal strife with these bumpkins in the mountains, it was better to free up their hands to continue developing Austria.
Therefore, more than half of the territory in Outer Austria belonged to the free Swiss Confederation (which is the perpetually neutral Switzerland that continues to this day), with only two cantons of Aargau, where the Habsburg (Hawk Castle) was located, still part of Austria.
Laszlo had no desire to reclaim this barren land in the Alps.
Are you kidding? Why were Swiss mercenaries so famous? Why didn't they stay at home and farm peacefully? Didn't they want to? Or were they all ultimate warmongers, extremely eager for battle, which is why they went out to be mercenaries and fight to the death?
They didn't have the conditions, you know! How many people could that barren land in Switzerland support? Moreover, the fierce folk customs were not exclusive to the Habsburg rule; fighting at the drop of a hat was common.
Many ambitious young people chose to leave their hometowns to start businesses, while others were forced to go far away.
After leaving, these mountaineers found that they had considerable physical advantages, and their battle formations and military organization seemed to be stronger than others.
Thus, the historically renowned Swiss mercenaries stepped onto the stage of history.
Ulrich II jumped out of the carriage, and before leaving, he did not forget to turn back and admonish, "Be sure to spend more time with your mother. My taking you away from Vienna earlier broke her heart, and now she doesn't even want to see me, her cousin."
"Old Uncle, don't worry, I will help you plead your case. By the way, why were you so firm when you suggested I go straight to Hungary?"
"I just didn't think of it then… hehe." Ulrich scratched his head, revealing an awkward smile.
Laszlo almost fainted with laughter; this foolish Old Uncle truly was...