The Empire is more akin to a confederation system, with each province having its own independent control over military, laws, diplomacy, conscription, and finances. The Emperor is the nominal national leader, but in reality, the Emperor of the Empire can only command his own directly governed territory.
Emperor Carl Franz and his family rely on possessing the Empire's most fertile and powerful Rick Territory to maintain their position as Emperor under this Prince-Elector system, where all provinces govern themselves most of the time and only unite to convene the Imperial Diet in the face of great external threats. Otherwise, Carl Franz is merely an "equal" Prince-Elector among others.
The sole contribution of each province to the Emperor is the "Vassal Taxes," approximately 3%-4% of a province's total tax revenue. This tax is often "ignored" by the Prince-Electors, but the assertiveness of Emperor Carl Franz has resurrected this neglected tax.
