DBWI: The Emperor is Dead

The Imperial New Agency has just confirmed that Franz IV, Holy Roman Emperor has died in Vienna. Crown Prince Karl is set to assume the throne as Karl IX. Anyone else care to reminisce on the 87 year reign, of a man who I believe was one of the greatest leaders in history?
 
I know the Germans out there may not like what I have to say, but frankly, old Franzie has been unfit to rule for years now. The man is (or rather, was) ninety-six years old and has been suffering from dementia for nearly a decade. He should have given up his throne a while ago.

Regardless, he will surely have an eminent place in history. When he inherited his throne, his land was divided into squabbling principalities, and through his efforts, a united Germany stretching from Oldenburg to Königsberg to Vienna to Baden was born. This unification can be compared to the consolidation of HRE authority under Ferdinand IV in the 1830s. His leadership in the Great War prevented the Russians and French from dominating the globe. The atomic bombings of Grenoble, Kursk, and Brest in June 1938 brought peace to the world and eliminated the hateful ideologies of the Franco-Russian axis in a crushing victory not seen since his forebears' success at Jena.

Americans, Chinese, Russians, and German Republicans may complain about how Franz IV held absolute power until the day of his death, but keep in mind the liberal reforms that Germany's made since the 1970s. Plus, of course, Karl, though aging, is an ardent supporter of these reforms. I imagine we'll see more and more reform in the future.
 
Indeed, I believe the Emperor's greatest accomplishment was the unification of all Germany although one could argue that Ferdinand IV really started the process and that Franz III would have completed it were it not for the Great War.
 
Another European monarch knobbles off, who cares, really? You're act like the man controls his citizens lives? The HRE is so decentralised that the people who hold all the authority are those appointed officials for the provinces - You know, the ones with the stupid hats.

All Franzy the Panzy did was unite a savage people who are about 300 years behind civilisation in actually forming a nation, and slaughtering people with those disgustingly primitive bombs of his, in a completely vile war that wiped out a generation of young men from atlantic to the pacific.

Wretched continent, wretched monarchs, thank god we're a channel apart.
 
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