The Imperial crown has always reduced the number of enemies and increased the number of friends of the Most Serene Arch-Ducal House in wartime and peacetime alike, just as those Roman emperors who stemmed from it [i.e. the arch-ducal house] have drawn the strongest extraordinary aid from the empire when they knew how to make use of this prize.
The foreign crowns with whom Austria has stood in alliance have constantly paid attention to it, and even France, in consideration of the anticipated alliance, remained still for the very first time at the Imperial election of Your Imperial Majesty, who now gloriously reigns. Thus the election was unanimous and the great costs that your predecessors incurred to accomplish this ultimate goal [the Imperial election] could be avoided.
Possession of the Imperial crown even makes an impact on the Pforte [the Ottoman Turks], because of the easy attainability of Imperial aid and the tax for fighting the Turks [i.e., "the Turk Tax" or Türkensteuer].
The aforementioned questions are superfluous, because in reality the Imperial title rests with the Most Serene Arch-Ducal House, so only these questions remain:
3tio: whether a Roman emperor can attain something great in the German empire?
Ad 3tium: consider the following explanation. If the greatness of a Christian monarch exists in the serenity of his conscience by means of the precise fulfillment of his duties and in the attainment of fame and eminence, then Your Imperial Majesty, who now gloriously reigns, certainly has the most excellent opportunities to achieve a great deal. Considering the deteriorated system of justice, the rivalry between the two religions, the deficient execution of law, the feudal system, the minting [of coins], and many other matters, some referenced in the Imperial electoral agreement, some referenced in the latest committee statement of the electors, these offer the most appropriate opportunities.
It was precisely this concern for the best interest of the empire that won Maximilian I (who deserves thanks for the general peace, the division of the empire into circles, and many other noteworthy accomplishments) and his descendants such great acclaim, which might have led to a universal monarchy if this good work had not been undone by the then new teachings of Luther and the resulting religious divisions, the ensuing sinister politics, some abuse of authority, and the machinations of the crown of France, which could have easily been eliminated at the time.
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