1174 - Imperial Standard

An undertaking had begun almost a century ago. It began with a warlord rising up in southern Germania, proclaiming his Kingdom and claim. As more Dukedoms and Kingdoms rose up in the ashes of the former Empire of Germania, Leonel I believed that it was his Kingdom and bloodline that was destined to rule over all Germans.

It began with the creation of the Margraviate of Tyrol to the south, expanding Zintra's borders to the Adriatic. Leonel's subjugation continued with the defeat of the Prince of Pressburg, securing the eastern borders.

Under Leonel II, a new faith was adopted and spread throughout the lands of Germania. But it was only under the fourth King of Zintra that the undertaking the First Lion King had started would be finished.

The Palatine Duchies, divided but rich, offered their loyalty to Leonel III in exchange for his aid against the Vuugist coalition. Said loyalty was reinforced when the King promised the Adlerist Dukes and Bishops the lands of their fallen enemies. The Duke of Rothenburg was assuage with a royal marriage to Leonel's heir.

Luzycanska was firmly on Leonel's side with a marriage to Hana of Morawa and with the death of Hawštyno Bolesław, the succession of the Kingdom would fall to Leonel's heir - Sigismund auf der Zintra.

The final piece of the puzzle was to the north. The Landgrave of Havelland had been weakened due to a conflict with Houlant and a letter calling for aid from a rebellious Duke was all Leonel needed to march his seasoned army northwards where he crushed the von Ribbeck army. A loyal vassal replaced the von Ribbecks and would ensure the continued loyalty of the north.

By the end of the Havelland Campaign, Leonel had been on the field for close to a decade. But in that decade he had expanded Zintra's borders almost threefold. It was no longer apt to even call Zintra a Kingdom, as its size was closer to that of an Empire...

From all reaches of Zintra - all vassals and subjects were called to the city of Passau. The very same city Leonel II had proclaimed the new faith of Zintra to be Adlerism. There, a massive ceremony would take place where Leonel auf der Zintra was given Waug-given right to rule over the peoples of the Empire. Turning the cognomen of his grandfather into a title, the Lion King was announced as Leonel I auf der Zintra, Gaisar of the Heiliges Deutsches Reich.

The laws of succession of the Heiliges Deutsches Reich follow Zintran Law - Women being excluded from dynastic succession. The title of the Kingdom of Zintra remains, but is now mostly honourary. The heir-presumptive of the Empire would have the title of King of Zintra for instance.

The Empire would have a new coat of arms - a two-headed eagle facing West towards the seat of Emperor in Leustadt and East towards the Bellmaker.

Upon his coronation, the new Gaisar calls for an Ecumenical Council to be held in Augsburg to decide on the role of Adlerism and the various Bishoprics within the Empire.