"Hungarian hussars? And they call themselves an army? I bet they can't even march in step when they're on foot!
"One or two Hungarians might indeed be fierce, but a whole bunch of them are just targets for our infantry! As long as we form a hollow square, the Hungarians are bound to lose!
"Could the Hungarians possibly be stronger than the French cuirassiers? Could Banyat be more ruthless than Napoleon?"
Everyone in the café smiled at that. After all, comparing the Duke of Banyat to Napoleon could not only bolster the Austrians' confidence, but also serve as a way to insult France.
The Duke of Banyat was nominally the supreme commander of the Hungarian Army at the time, but in practice, that gentleman had always kept his hands off military affairs.
His control over the army extended only to the private troops maintained by his own family and the vassals under it.
Besides, the Duke of Banyat's family was notorious among the upper classes for its stupidity and debauchery. There were, for example, all sorts of rumors about His Grace and his grandson's wife, as well as about the duke's second successor and his stepmother.
"Exactly! Once Austria unifies Germany, we'll have an army of a million men. Then each of us can take a piss and wash Budapest's walls away!"
Amid bursts of laughter, these men produced a platform for action they had prepared well in advance, urging the people in the café to join their side.
They would also take to the streets to seek more supporters, and together petition the imperial government to persuade Archduke Franz to accept the title of German Emperor.
With the noble lords leading the way, and Vienna having only just undergone a purge, those who remained were already Austria's obedient subjects.