Carlo experienced the uniquely characteristic Spanish noble banquet of this era.
Luxurious, absolutely damn luxurious.
Carlo couldn't help but exclaim.
Although the scale of this castle was far smaller than Carlo's palace, the interior decoration was no less magnificent, showcasing the luxury and wealth of Spanish nobles since the colonial era.
The tableware at the banquet was made of gold and silver, and the wine served was private reserve wine costing hundreds of Pesetas.
Because Carlo was Italian, Jacobo, when planning this banquet, specifically invited several skilled Italian chefs to prepare Italian cuisine just for Carlo.
Initially, the nobles were quite reserved, but after Carlo displayed a very approachable attitude, they began to relax.
"Everyone, let us raise our glasses and toast our great King, His Majesty Carlo I of the House of Savoy!" As soon as everyone had a glass in hand, Jacobo promptly stepped forward, raised his glass, and proposed to everyone.
"To the King!"
Everyone raised their glasses to Carlo. Even those with other intentions dared not fail to raise their glasses on such an occasion.
Opposing him in private was one thing. But failing to raise one's glass on such an occasion would likely lead to being ostracized by the entire noble class the very next day.
After all, as the saying goes, if you give a gift, the leader might not remember you, but if you don't give a gift, the leader will definitely remember you vividly.
The same principle applies here. Carlo might not remember everyone who raised a glass, but he would certainly remember everyone who didn't.
This was one of Jacobo's clever points. As the host and one of Spain's oldest and most prominent nobles, he was certainly the most qualified person to say such words.
Guiding the nobles to express their support and loyalty to Carlo on the right occasion was what Jacobo intended to do at this banquet.
So far, Jacobo was quite satisfied with his actions. The nobles had shown respect to Carlo as planned, and the smile on Carlo's face had not faded.
"Everything is proceeding smoothly," Jacobo thought silently.
Taking a sip of wine, Carlo maintained a pleasant mood, tasting the exquisite dishes prepared by the chefs under Jacobo's introduction.
If most of Europe was a culinary wasteland, then Spain was a bright pearl in that wasteland.
Leaving aside the famous Iberian ham of later times, just the paella, oxtail stew, and roasted suckling pig were enough to place Spanish cuisine among the top European culinary ranks.
A wide variety of dishes were presented, even filling two long, massive dining tables.
However, it was clear that most people present were not overly interested in the food. Although this dinner was quite luxurious and abundant, the nobles' usual meals were no less impressive.
The main purpose of this banquet was social interaction among the nobles, and also for many nobles who, sharing Jacobo's idea, wanted to see if they could form a marriage alliance with the royal family and forge connections.
Marriage alliances among European nobles emphasized matching social status; the lowest rank for a king's wife had to be the daughter of a Duke.
As for Marquesses and Counts, they were essentially excluded; their daughters could not possibly become the Queen of Spain.
Carlo significantly underestimated the liberated attitudes of European nobility in this era. The moment the banquet began, several noblewomen, both unmarried and married, approached him with dance invitations that clearly hinted at more intimate possibilities. Their alluring postures and expressions left little to the imagination.
Initially, Carlo wondered if the husband of one particularly attractive married woman would object. However, a glance toward the Count, who was engrossed in animated conversation with another Marquess's wife, utterly oblivious to the unfolding scene, provided his answer. Witnessing this firsthand, Carlo finally grasped the astonishing openness and sheer decadence of aristocratic life in this period. It was only the constant, distracting presence of his two stunningly beautiful and alluring maids that perhaps prevented him from succumbing to such high-level temptation.
It was no exaggeration to say that if Carlo wished, he could sleep with at least half of the noblewomen present.
Having enjoyed a luxurious noble life since childhood, these noblewomen were dressed very beautifully and alluringly, each with their own unique charm based on their different characteristics.
Carlo finally understood why having a mistress was an unspoken secret among European nobles because most people at such banquets simply couldn't remain indifferent.
"Your Majesty."
Seeing Carlo beckon to him, Jacobo quickly abandoned the two beautiful and charming noblewomen beside him and hurried towards Carlo.
"Duke Jacobo, are your banquets always like this?" Carlo asked with a touch of helplessness.
Jacobo thought Carlo was worried about whether the husbands of these noblewomen would have objections and quickly explained, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, no one will care about what happens at the banquet, and no one will know."
After speaking, Jacobo very considerately signaled another group of women to come forward and invite Carlo to dance.
To please Carlo, Jacobo had truly gone to great lengths.
These women had various characteristics and would absolutely suit anyone's taste. From girls who had just come of age to married noblewomen, there was truly a wide variety.
The first group consisted of slightly older women, while the second group of women were young ladies.
Carlo shook his head helplessly, knowing he couldn't keep refusing. He could only choose a few girls who seemed more pleasing to the eye to dance with.
These girls were also quite bold when dancing with Carlo.
However, speaking of which, it seems no girl could refuse a young, handsome king who possessed an entire country.
The temptation of becoming queen was also enough to motivate many young women to take action, even if it yielded no results.
But to be honest, while these girls were all unique, none of them particularly caught Carlo's eye.
Moreover, considering the interests of both Carlo and Spain, it was highly likely that Carlo would not marry a local Spanish noble.
Since he couldn't give these girls a definite outcome, Carlo naturally wouldn't actively provoke them.
But if someone truly presented themselves, Carlo couldn't do anything. After all, having a mistress among nobles wasn't illegal.
Although this was a large banquet organized by Jacobo, the interactions among the nobles were also in small groups of three or five, not entirely gathered together.
It was evident that the class distinctions among the nobles were quite clear.
Dukes often gathered together to chat, and some high-ranking Marquesses might also join them, but Counts were definitely rare.
Some Marquesses chatted with Dukes, while others could only chat with Counts, which best reflected the difference in noble status and influence.
Counts, as the lowest tier at the banquet, mostly gathered together to chat with other Counts.
It was difficult for Counts to chat with Dukes; they had to wait until the Dukes' conversations ended and then find an opportunity to approach the Duke they wanted to talk to.
Carlo was definitely the most conspicuous person among the nobles. A large number of Grand Dukes and Dukes gathered around Carlo, and those below the rank of Duke couldn't even squeeze in.
Holding a wine glass, Carlo listened to the Dukes' compliments and attempts to get close, and his mood was quite pleasant.
Of course, Carlo wouldn't become complacent because of a few small flatteries. The reason for Carlo's good mood was that these nobles were sensible and had all chosen to align themselves with the monarchy, truly supporting Carlo as their King.
The nobility was absolutely the most powerful force in Spain, and Carlo was bound to fully control this force.
Seeing that the conversation had reached a suitable point, Carlo immediately put forward his proposal: the establishment of a Royal Assembly and the formation of a noble confederation under royal leadership.
The so-called Royal Assembly would be entirely composed of nobles, with Marquesses and above being eligible to join.
This Royal Assembly, composed entirely of Dukes and Marquesses, represented the Spanish noble class. Carlo could exert influence over the entire noble class and the government by influencing the Royal Assembly.
This way, even if Prim de Rivera retired from politics in the future, Carlo wouldn't have to worry about whether the new Prime Minister would support him.
With the strong support of the noble class and the Royal Assembly alone, Carlo could ensure his influence over the government and prevent himself from being completely sidelined.
In addition to the Royal Assembly, Carlo also wanted to establish a Royal Order of Knights to cultivate excellent core military strength among the nobility.
It is well known that elite European noble education placed considerable emphasis on military matters. Spain had such a large noble class, and the children of nobles were also numerous.
By establishing the Royal Order of Knights, he could select capable individuals among the children of these nobles to serve him, ensuring that the next generation of nobles also had sufficient loyalty to him.
Truly capable noble offspring could quickly enter the military and gain promotions by gaining prestige in the Royal Order of Knights.
Those who were not capable could also receive the honor of the Royal Knight, which would serve as an award for them, used to win over the nobles.
After all, not all noble children were capable. For those noble offspring who were not particularly capable, the best way was to grant them honorary titles similar to Royal Knights, which could both win over the goodwill of the nobles and not place too much burden on the government and the monarchy.
After drinking a few glasses of wine, the nobles' thoughts were not as rational. Under Jacobo's encouragement, everyone quickly agreed to the establishment of the Royal Assembly and expressed their willingness to let their sons join the Royal Order of Knights.
After all, joining the Royal Order of Knights wasn't a bad thing. Not only could they obtain the honorary title of Royal Knight, but they could also be more easily employed by Carlo, thereby gaining Carlo's trust and making their family's position in Spain more stable.
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