Before launching a final offensive against Rome, William intended to launch a political offensive and use political propaganda to psychologically disintegrate the enemy. Fastest updates

William made a fuss this time with the "Imperial Decree of Constantine" that the Holy See relied on to maintain its position as the leader of Catholicism at this time.

According to the Imperial Decree of Constantine, Constantine bequeathed Judea, Greece, Asia, Thrace, Africa, and the city of Rome, Italy and the entire Roman Empire in the West, to Pope Sylvester I and his successor to Peter.

For seven centuries before the Renaissance and Reformation, it was used by the popes as a powerful basis for competing for secular power.

Of course, William, who came from later generations, naturally knew that the "Imperial Edict of Constantine" was a forgery, fabricated by the first-class scholars and experts of the Holy See at that time, and it was an out-and-out lie.

Although the wording of the Edict of Constantine echoes the terminology of the Roman Empire in the fourth century, and was fabricated by leading scholars of the time, it is not impeccable, because the wording in this public document is not a product of the fourth century, and it also refers to the proper name of the political system of "fiefdom", which was a feudal land tenure system introduced in the eighth century under the Frankish minister Charlemart.

As for the truth or falsity of the "Imperial Decree of Constantine", as long as a clear-eyed person can see the flaws in it, but the vast majority of people at that time believed in the "Imperial Decree".

At that time, people in the Middle Ages were simple-minded and did not doubt authority like people today, they were more likely to believe in authority, and even the Supreme Pope said that the Imperial Decree was a will left by Emperor Constantine, so who would dare to doubt it?

Now that William had decided to be an enemy of the Pope and the Holy See, it was only natural that he would expose their lies and reveal the truth about their forgery of the Imperial Decree.

As long as this truth is revealed, William will have the legal reason to have and legally recover the Papal States held by the Roman Church, and to have the perfect excuse to take back the Roman Church to lead the Catholic Church in Western Europe.

Fearing that his propaganda campaign would not have the desired effect, William had a plot about the Pope and his advisers plotting to forge the Imperial Decree

Theatre and sent dozens of theatre troupes to Italy and European countries to perform on a rotational basis.

William's play deliberately focuses on the hypocrisy and treachery of the pope, bringing to life the interaction between the pope and his personal advisers.

Theatre was a popular entertainment in the Middle Ages, and whenever a new play was released, the people of the city would gather to watch the performances of the theater troupe with great interest.

At about the same time, in Italy, the Holy Roman Empire, France, Spain, and other places, there were theater troupes of mysterious origins, whose performances were about papal intrigue and selfishness, and who would have been supposed to resist such plays, but in fact they were warmly welcomed by the locals everywhere they went, because it was the taboos that made them fatally attractive.

In Rome, the stronghold of the Holy See, this drama depicting the papal conspiracy can also be performed in a grand manner.

It is impossible to say that it was not hindered by the Holy See, but William, under the protection of the forces painstakingly managed by Rome, these plays successfully broke through the obstruction of the Holy See and showed the darkness of the Holy See naked in front of the world.

On the stage, there were only two actors, one of them was a dignified person, wearing a white robe and a high crown that symbolized the pope, and the other was wearing a red cardinal priest's costume with a lewd expression, and from the clothes of the two theatrical actors, the people of Rome could easily distinguish which one was playing the pope and which was his adviser.

The pope-playing actor on the stage paced with a worried expression and said: "How can Pepin protect the supremacy of the Holy See and the sanctity of its territory?" ”

Yile, the advisor beside him, said with a smile: "Holy Your Majesty, if we want to preserve the transcendent independence of the territory of our Papal States and Your Majesty's regime, prevent Peping from being arrogant in the future to hold Your Majesty hostage, and prevent his heir from regretting and recovering the donated land in the future, although we do not have a gun to escort us, we can use a pen to stabilize the country." ”

"Let's make it clear, what does it mean to use a pen to stabilize the country?" The pope on the stage was very moved.

"It's very simple, it just needs to be kept absolutely secret." The advisor replied with a flattering smile.

"It's just you and me here, so let's talk about it." The pope on the stage was very eager at this time, and he did not have the appearance of holiness and solemnity before.

The advisor sneered: "The so-called use of the pen is to ask Your Majesty to send someone to find a few well-informed and knowledgeable bachelors, these people must be proficient in church rules, Roman law, church history, Roman ancient history, etc., especially everything about the time of Constantine the Great, and then ordered them to imitate the tone of Constantine the Great to draw up a dying edict, saying that as early as the time of Constantine the Great's death, he had generously donated the land around Rome to the Roman Church as a religious property, not only that, Constantine also entrusted the entire western part of the Roman Empire, including Italy, to St. Peter's successors.

With this "Constantine Imperial Decree", Pepin's sacrifice of land is just a return to its original owner, and these lands originally belonged to us. ”

When the pope on the stage heard this, his face showed an exaggerated expression of heartbeat, and he asked in a hesitant tone for a long time: "Isn't it a fraud to forge Constantine's edict to grant land?" If the Buddha-figures do this, what is the difference between them and those who swindle?

Besides, even if he had this forged "Constantine Imperial Decree" in his hand, then King Piping of the Franks would definitely not give up, and he would not do what he wanted. ”

The advisor still smiled happily and said, "Your Majesty, there is a kind of white lie in this world, which can still be forgiven, because it does not harm the interests of others.

We are doing this to consolidate your theocratic rule, and we have no choice but to falsify.

What's more, Pepin already regarded himself as the successor of Emperor Constantine at this time, so how could he deny our forged "Imperial Decree of Constantine"? ”

The pope on the stage showed an ecstatic expression, but he sighed to himself: "That's it, that's it, the deity has no other way, just do as you say."

Remember that you should find fewer people and more people, and the fewer circles the better, and the person who wrote the "Imperial Decree of Constantine" must also swear to keep this secret until death, and even the deity can't say it when asked, everyone will rot this secret in their stomachs. ”

The pope on the stage showed him to the fullest, and anyone with a sense of justice would be indignant at the pope's hypocrisy.

At the end of the performance, there will be a person who will explain the loopholes and flaws of the "Imperial Decree of Constantine", so that everyone in the audience can easily distinguish the authenticity.