Royal Council

Carlo experienced the distinctive Spanish aristocratic banquet of this era.

Luxurious. Truly fucking luxurious.

Carlo couldn't help but sigh.

Although the scale of this castle was far smaller than Carlo's royal palace, its interior decoration was in no way inferior, showcasing the opulence and wealth of Spanish nobility since the colonial era.

The banquet's tableware was all made of gold and silver, and the wine served was private reserve stock costing hundreds of Pesetas per bottle.

Because Carlo was Italian, Jacopo, when planning this banquet, had specially invited several skilled Italian chefs to prepare Italian cuisine exclusively for Carlo.

The nobles were initially quite reserved, but once Carlo showed a very approachable attitude, they began to relax.

"Everyone, let us raise our glasses and toast our great king, His Majesty Carlo I of the House of Savoy!" When everyone had a glass in hand, Jacopo stepped forward at the right moment, raising his glass to propose to all.

"To the king!"

Everyone raised their glasses toward Carlo in salute. Even those with other intentions dared not refuse to raise their glasses on such an occasion.

Secret opposition was a matter for the shadows. But if anyone failed to raise their glass at an event like this, they would likely find themselves ostracized by the entire aristocratic class by the next day.

After all, there's a saying: if you give a gift, your superior might not remember you, but if you don't give one, he'll remember you damn well.

The same logic applied here. Carlo might not remember everyone who raised their glasses, but he would certainly remember those who didn't.

This was also where Jacopo's cleverness lay. As the host and a member of one of Spain's oldest and most prestigious noble houses, he was naturally the most qualified person to say such words.

Guiding the nobles to express their support and loyalty to Carlo at the right occasion—that was Jacopo's task in this banquet.

So far, Jacopo was quite satisfied with his actions. The nobles had shown Carlo the respect he deserved, as planned, and Carlo's smile had not faded all evening.

"Everything is going smoothly," Jacopo thought silently.

Taking a small sip of wine, Carlo maintained his good mood as Jacopo introduced him to the delicacies carefully prepared by the chefs.

If most of Europe was a culinary desert, then Spain was undoubtedly a brilliant pearl in that desert.

Not to mention the world-famous Iberian ham, but dishes like seafood paella, oxtail stew, and charcoal-roasted suckling pig alone were enough to place Spanish cuisine at the top of Europe's culinary rankings.

A dazzling variety of dishes filled two long, massive tables.

However, it was clear that most of those present weren't particularly interested in the food. Although this banquet was exceptionally lavish and sumptuous, the nobles' daily meals were no less refined.

The main purpose of this banquet was social interaction among the nobles, and many shared Jacopo's intention—to see if they could forge a marriage alliance with the royal family and gain connections.

Marriages among European nobles required matching social status. A king's wife had to be at least the daughter of a duke.

As for marquises and counts, they were essentially excluded; their daughters could never become Spain's Queen.

Carlo had underestimated how open the European nobles of this era were.

No sooner had the banquet begun than several noblewomen came to invite Carlo for a dance. If it were just a simple invitation, that would be one thing, but their postures and expressions clearly implied that if Carlo wished, they could share a night of passion at any time.

Among these women were not only unmarried young maidens but also seductive married women.

If it weren't for Carlo's two beautiful and alluring maids constantly by his side, he might not have been able to resist such ultimate temptation.

Carlo was initially curious whether the husband of that seductive married woman would mind, but when he turned his head, he saw that count chatting enthusiastically with another marquis's wife, completely unconcerned with what was happening nearby.

Witnessing this scene firsthand, Carlo truly understood just how open the Europeans of this era were and how debauched the lives of the nobility could be.

It was no exaggeration to say that if Carlo wished, he could sleep with at least half of the noblewomen present.

Having enjoyed luxurious aristocratic lives since childhood, these noblewomen were dressed beautifully and seductively, each with their own unique charms.

Carlo finally understood why lovers had become an unspoken secret among European nobles—because most people simply couldn't remain indifferent at such banquets.

"Your Majesty." Seeing Carlo beckon him, Jacopo quickly abandoned the two charming noblewomen beside him and hurried over.

"Duke Jacopo, are your banquets always like this?" Carlo asked somewhat helplessly.

Jacopo, thinking Carlo was worried about whether the husbands of these noblewomen might object, quickly explained, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. No one cares about what happens at the banquet, and no one will know."

With that, Jacopo considerately signaled another group of women to come forward and invite Carlo to dance.

To please Carlo, Jacopo had put in tremendous effort.

These women had all kinds of characteristics, guaranteed to suit anyone's taste. From girls who had just come of age to married noblewomen, they had it all—a complete variety.

The first batch were slightly older women; the second batch became young maidens.

Carlo shook his head helplessly, knowing he couldn't keep refusing forever, so he picked a few girls who looked pleasant to dance with.

These girls were quite bold when dancing with Carlo.

But then again, it seemed no girl could refuse a young, handsome king who owned an entire country.

The temptation of becoming Queen was enough to drive countless girls to take action, even if it led nowhere.

That said, although these girls each had their own appeal, none of them truly caught Carlo's eye.

Moreover, considering the interests of Carlo and Spain, it was highly unlikely that Carlo would marry into the local Spanish nobility.

Since he couldn't give these girls any outcome, Carlo naturally wouldn't go out of his way to provoke them.

But if someone truly threw themselves at him, Carlo wouldn't do nothing either—after all, having a lover among the nobility wasn't against the law.

Although this was a large banquet organized by Jacopo, the nobles interacted in small groups rather than all gathering together.

It could be seen that the hierarchy among the nobles was still quite pronounced.

Dukes often gathered together to chat; some marquesses of high standing might occasionally join in, but counts rarely did.

Some marquesses mingled with dukes, while others could only cluster with counts—this best reflected the disparity in status and influence among the nobility.

As the lowest tier at the banquet, the vast majority of counts could only converse among themselves.

For a count to chat with a duke was difficult; they had to wait until the dukes finished their conversations, then seize an opportunity to approach the duke they wished to speak with.

Carlo was undoubtedly the most conspicuous figure among the nobles. A large crowd of grand dukes and dukes surrounded him; those below the rank of duke could not even squeeze in.

Carlo held his wine glass, listening to the dukes' flattery and overtures of allegiance, his mood quite pleasant.

Of course, Carlo was not so easily elated by a few small compliments. What lifted his spirits was that these nobles were sensible enough to choose to draw closer to royal authority, genuinely rallying behind Carlo as their king.

The nobility was undoubtedly the most powerful force in Spain, and Carlo was determined to fully grasp that power.

Sensing that the conversation had reached the right moment, Carlo promptly put forward his proposal: the establishment of a Royal Council, forming a noble coalition under royal leadership.

The so-called Royal Council would be composed entirely of nobles; those of marquess rank and above were eligible to join.

This Royal Council, made up solely of dukes and marquesses, represented the Spanish noble class. By exerting influence over the Royal Council, Carlo could control the entire aristocracy and extend his sway over the government.

In this way, even if Primo were to withdraw from politics in the future, Carlo would not have to worry about whether a new prime minister would support him.

Relying on the strong backing of the noble class and the Royal Council, Carlo could ensure his influence over the government and prevent himself from being completely sidelined.

Beyond the Royal Council, Carlo also intended to establish the Royal Knights, cultivating elite military core members among the nobility.

As everyone knew, Europe's elite noble education placed considerable emphasis on military affairs. Spain had such a vast noble class that the number of noble children was likewise immense.

By forming the Royal Knights, Carlo could select capable individuals from among these noble offspring to serve him, ensuring that the next generation of nobles remained sufficiently loyal.

Truly capable noble youths could quickly enter the military and gain promotion by gilding their credentials in the Royal Knights.

Those without ability could still receive the honor of being a Royal Knight, serving as a reward to win over the nobility.

After all, not every noble child was talented. For those with lesser abilities, the best approach was to grant them honorary titles like Royal Knight—this would curry favor with the nobles without placing too great a burden on the government or the royal family.

After a few glasses of wine, the nobles' thoughts were no longer so rational. Urged on by Jacopo, they soon agreed to the establishment of the Royal Council and expressed willingness to have their sons join the Royal Knights.

After all, joining the Royal Knights was hardly a bad thing. Not only would they gain the honorary title of Royal Knight, but they would also be more readily appointed by Carlo, thereby earning his trust and securing their family's position in Spain.

Third thousand-word chapter, second update—please support!