Each time a launch a new campaign, I make a solemn vow. I will be honorable, preferring defense above attack, and making money by alliance, trdae and agricultural improvements. I will always obey the pope (when playing Catholic). In a battle, I will take prisoners and treat them honorably. I will not senselesly slaughter them, not ven when the fight is going against me. I will build my empire as peacefully as possible, only invading Islamic countries. I will work together with other Catholic factions to keep away the armies of Islam, Crusading against the Egyptians and the Turks and helping the Spanish and the Navarrese keeping the Almohads at bay. I will use subterfuge rather than open force to reach my goals....

....But as the game progresses, I always, in the end, become a vicious, treacherous, expansionist bastard, who gladly breaks alliances with Catholics, sticking up his middlefinger to be Pope's excommunication threats, who loves to push the 'kill prisoners' button during battles, send my assassins after poor defenseless enemy princesses, cackles madly at the utter destruction of my foes, terrorises newly conquered peoples with heavy taxes, bloody oppression and inquisition, and changes allegiance at every opportunity, to ally with a powerful faction to destroy the weak one, to whom I at first appeared to be the closest friend.

I so love this game.