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My first time drawing these fellers,, I love em

original:

Thinking about how long the Holy Roman Empire was around. He predates Austria a decade or so , the Teutonic Knights was established in 1190 (and became a state in 1237), and plenty of others that still persist to this day. Holy Rome was a kid for so long, but unlike the Italies he never got to grow up. And he was going in to battle and stuff too apparently 😭. I don't think Holy Rome is Germany in any way but I do think Ludwig sees paintings and stuff and notices the similarities and it haunts him. Ludwig basically inherited so much from Holy Rome, and I think Ludwig was a weird kid. Gilbert def threw himself in to being the best guardian for Ludwig, but with context of what led to a lot of strife for Holy Rome I think the other German states would treat Ludwig as something fragile. And that and what he knows (and doesn't know) about Nations and their workings would kind of give Ludwig a fear of death beyond normality.