The return of the fallen king

Chapter 27: Going on a Mission (2)

<<"Diplomacy is the velvet glove that cloaks the fist of power.">>

― Robin Hobb

While Maletta persuaded Peter of Savoy to let Conradin pass through the eastern border, Galvano was entering the Pisa's palace in order to persuade the republic to join his lord's side.

He was certain that he could reach an amicable compromise with the rulers of Pisa, and that the republic would be a great ally and asset to the campaign. He was excited to begin the negotiations and convinced that he would soon be leaving this city with a written deal in hand.

Unlike the republics of Genoa and Venice, Pisa was administered by a council of elders, usually the richest persons in the republic, rather than by a single man elected by a senate.

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"Estimate envoy of His Royal Majesty Conrad IV, may the reason for such a pleasant visit be made known to Pisa?" One of the elders inquired to Galvano leading the latter to speak

''Noble and great republic of Pisa, your naval power is known throughout the world; my liege always speaks well of you, and he was distressed to learn that the usurper of Sicily, Charles of Anjou, had forsaken your prudent merchants in favor of the rascals of Venice. My liege Conrad III Roi Hierosolymitanum (Jerusalem), Roi of Siciliae, and Duke of Swabia , saw right to offer our two nations to join forces in repelling the French from Italy as a whole, in order to restore Pisan trade 'nel Regno' ( Italian for in Sicily).

The elders of the council erupted in discussion and uproar after hearing Galvano's introductory address. The Pisanian elders were reputed to be arrogant and self-centered. But Galvano was confident that he could persuade them to set aside their pride and arrogance and see the wisdom of assisting the royal expedition. He was willing to make any necessary sacrifices or concessions, but he was confident that the elders would see the wisdom in supporting the cause.

After a few minutes, the most accomplished of the elders volunteered to represent the republic in the subsequent negotiations. The negotiations began after the two entered a separate chamber to avoid being interrupted by the other elders.

Galvano was aware that he lacked decision-making authority, but he was permitted to negotiate and present the terms to his king. The Pisan elder opened the negotiation by giving his terms.

"In exchange for our assistance, we request that our merchants be granted a trading post in the capital, be exempt from all taxes and tariffs, and be allowed to be judged by a Pisan representative in the event of a legal dispute."

Galvano was evidently agitated by the length of the demand, and as such, he wasted no time in lowering the Republic of Pisa's demands.

''I apologize, but your request is too exorbitant for my king. What we can give is for you to have a trade station in the capital, for your merchants to pay 80% of the appropriate taxes, for tariffs to be reduced to 70%, and for the merchant to request a representative from Pisa to sit among the judges of the kingdom in case of a legal difficulty."

The Pisan elder was a difficult nut to crack and was not easily swayed. Galvano understood he'd have to make some sacrifices to gain their support, and he was willing to do so.

He was confident that the elders would see the benefits of associating with the House of Hohenstaufen and would finally agree to the suggested terms. He was also certain that the amended terms would still offer the Pisan Republic with enough advantage to make the alliance viable.

After some wrangling, a set of terms was reached, and Galvano attempted to confirm all of the terms agreed upon by both parties.

''To summarize, the Pisan Republic will provide support to House Hohenstuafen with 2000 warriors, 400 of them must be horsemen and the remaining one can be a footman or archers. In addition, Pisan will cover the costs to mantain all of his men during Conrad the IV's stay in the North of Italy.

In exchange, Conrad must provide a 40% tax break to merchants from the Republic of Pisa, let them to pay 70% of normal tariffs, and enable a representative from the Republic to sit among the judges when a merchant from their nation is under law enforcement.''

"Yes, that is correct." "The republic truly hopes that our two nations will prosper and succeed together."

"Likewise, from our king."

Even if the conditions had been agreed upon, the transaction had to be completed with Conradin's signature. Conradin was the last decision maker after Galvano had negotiated the arrangement.

If he was unhappy with the deal, he could refuse to sign it and restructure the negotiations.Galvano had done a fantastic job negotiating the contract, and when Conradin hears the details, he will be pleased with the terms that had been agreed upon. He would then be ready to sign the agreement and make the deal official, completing the terms and sealing the treaty. He was confident that this deal would prove to be a powerful and successful tool in the struggle for the throne, and he was also eager to see what effect this agreement would have on the campaign and the broader situation.

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