What actually happens on the battlefield (like what happens in the throne room) is not always logical, especially when the 'blood is up'...

I don't think cav in ETW does the 'may charge without orders' but in the earlier TWs it did. At least the ETW human player can order them off.

It's a bit like the AI not accepting peace/surrender offers/demands. Hitler and Stalin weren't keen on the peace/surrender thing either, so why should 18th century absolute monarchs not do the same.

Cheers,
Dreadnought2