Originally Posted by FactionHeir
Same happend to me in my Moor campaign. The pope for some reason took Florence when I was told by my council to take it (but I didn't want to walk thru allied land)
Also had happen that the papal state sent out an army against a general I had parked near naples and attacked outside his state (he didn't have any other province at that time). Chances are he maybe wanted to attack some rebel stack near its border and as it left rome, it figured it might as well take florence?
Anyway. The OPs problem is strange. Never seen that before. But then I hardly ever seen more than 1 cardinal of another faction. Most are mine usually :)