Presents for the Pope

Afternoon All,

I was wondering how many of you woo the pointed hatted one with gifts & provinces to win favour. I often have a regular payment going to the Pope to help upkeep the paintings etc!

I also make good use of taking regions, blitzing them (not churches) then offering them to the Pope as a present. Can be dash useful having an allied papal province on your border as a buffer - attack him if you dare etc.

One of the biggest things I missed in the game was offering the pope things as gifts - this is such a great tool for getting what you want!

Henri

If you are allied to the pope and don't constantly attack other Christians, you don't really need to give him any gifts to keep him happy.

If you play like I do (build up, storm one faction and destroy, ceasefire and build up)... you only need couple of florins.

make sure you ally with the pope before attacking other catholic factions.
By turn 50 or so I have enough cash to just bombard the Pope and keep it perfect, not to mention a theologians guild that pumps out cardinals..

A good, if somewhat tacky, approach is to pay 100 tribute for 100 years. It will make the pope automatically a bit happier each turn so you will grow to Perfect without impeding costs.
Also I sometimes give some extra cash when I have disobeyed the Pope by attacking a fellow Catholic he told me not to.

Oh yeah, and with easier difficulties like medium your relationship with everyone else gets better if you do nothing, but in VH or H your relationships deteriorate EVEN if you don't do ANYTHING. I assume that goes for the pope-o-meter as well.

I generally succeed in getting the Pope to like me (even to Perfect standing) while getting him to pay me tribute...

On one of my campaigns (can't remember which, modded or not), I would offer a deal (map or some such) and he would break our alliance which I would renew in the same turn for a large lump of money or a higher tribute...

I found that the Pope is prepared to pay handsomely to be allied with you...

In a recent French game, I went from 3 crosses on the PoM and Poor relationships to Very Good and seven crosses with Trade Rights (paid 300 by the Pope), Map Info for Map Info, and a Tribute of 100 fl. for 10 turns in my favour in return for an alliance...