Previously, although Lothar had already worn two crowns, the political structure of the Kingdom of Jerusalem had remained unchanged. At most, the King's authority had been restored, and there was no longer any so-called Regent controlling the government.
At its core, they were still two separate nations that merely shared Lothar as their King.
Like the dual monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the two countries each had their own governing body. There was no way the central government could meddle in Hungarian affairs.
As the two highest-ranking witnesses present, the many nobles turned their eyes toward them, hoping to read some clue from their faces. Yet both men looked utterly calm, and the clamor gradually quieted.
Richard lowered his voice. "As the eldest daughter of the Church, don't you have anything to say? I recall that when Emperor Henry planned to march south and seize the Apennine states, you were the first to answer the Holy See's call."
Philip gave a noncommittal hum. "The ones who should be worried are Henry and the Empress of the Greeks."
Times had changed. As Gaul's neighbor, Henry of Hohenstaufen was already powerful enough. If he were allowed to bring the wealthy Apennine states under his rule as well, the balance between them would immediately be shattered.
He was a pragmatist. If the situation favored him, he was the Church's eldest daughter and the defender of the Holy See. If it did not, merely standing by would be the least of it. If driven into a corner, he would rather ally himself with heathens.
In any case, with Lothar proclaiming himself Emperor overseas, the Pope and Emperor Henry of Hohenstaufen would bear the brunt of it. Philip, meanwhile, recognized no authority higher than his own. In Gaul, it did not matter whether one was