Crusader Kings

**The Wizard** · 12-30-2004, 02:15

Originally Posted by the Count of Flanders

Yes. But you can change inheritence laws rather safely if your diplomacy rating is high enough.
Becoming emperor of byzantium is a bit too easy IMO, as duke of Flanders I once broke free of France, pledged allegiance to the emperor which died a few months later and voila: I was emperor. As byzantium the game is really easy because you can hold a larger demesne and your vasals get a loyalty bonus.

This is because the succession law of the empire is set to 'Elective Law' on the outset of the 1066 setting, to try to simulate the frequent changing of hands of the Imperial title. When Alexios Komnenos came to power, that ended and the idea of a stable dynasty was reinstituted.

In my current game, I've destroyed the Byzantine empire on purpose, and I then proceeded to play as the Prince of Kappadokia (yes, the godlike Alexios Komnenos ^^). Right now my manpower is 10,000 the superior of the Abbasids (and rapidly growing to the size of the Fatimids and Seljuqs), I am king of Georgia and Aleppo, I control about half of Asia Minor and am expanding as quickly as I can (keeping BB in check as much as possible), and I have a couple of possessions in Greece, Macedonia and Bulgaria as well. The problem is, Alexios is 63 now and his successor (with Semisalic Primogeniture) has a stewardry rating of 1... which is slightly offset by his martial skill of 13 and his 8 diplomacy... but I wonder how his father's combined stewardry of 30 and his father's huge demesne will be handled when he rises to the thrones of Aleppo and Georgia...

P.S. A question: once I take control of 66% of the old Byzantine possessions, and create the title 'Emperor of Byzantium', will my color change to purple and my shield to Byzantium's? You see, it seems the title of 'Emperor' ingame is equal to a Royal title (such as King of Georgia)... and I want to represent the Byzantine Empire rather than King of Georgia... so will I have to release the Kingdom of Georgia as a buffer against the Hordes or ...?

~Wiz

**the Count of Flanders** · 12-30-2004, 08:14

Originally Posted by The Wizard

P.S. A question: once I take control of 66% of the old Byzantine possessions, and create the title 'Emperor of Byzantium', will my color change to purple and my shield to Byzantium's? You see, it seems the title of 'Emperor' ingame is equal to a Royal title (such as King of Georgia)... and I want to represent the Byzantine Empire rather than King of Georgia... so will I have to release the Kingdom of Georgia as a buffer against the Hordes or ...?

~Wiz

Yes I know Byzantium has elective law in 1066 scenario. But anyway, you keep always the shield of the first kingly title you received, if you want the Byzantine coat of arms you'll have to give away all other king titles you currently possess.

**SwordsMaster** · 12-30-2004, 13:59

Yup, thats right.

My current campaign as "count of Messina", 1066.
It is now 1278 and Im King of Sicily, Naples, Maroc, and Egypt. Duke of Alexandria, Tunis, Damietta and a few more. My vassals: Duke of marrakech and duke of Fes, control everything from the Canaries to Oran. The Duke of Sardinia (my son), controls Tunis and 4 other counties around it, a bit of Egypt and another couple of counties more towards Jerusalem. 1/3 of Italy is mine, 2 counties there. Istria and Lisbon are my vassals too as is Pest, Livonia, and all the north of Africa from Malta to Alexandria. The duchy of MAllorca, with menorca, Castellon, Tarragona and Denia also belongs to another son, and the duchy of Granada, Murcia and oran is my brother´s.

But 20 years of war have had a big impact. Constantina and Annaba had to be conquered by arms from reballious vassals, Pest and Livonia were lost due to lack of money to keep the vassals content, Hlaf of Egypt was lost to the Ayyubids, and Lisbon and Granada claimed their independance and are no longer vassals. My manpower is down to approx 20,000 men from about 45,000; and another of my stupid sons (former) count of Corsica and Nice, has lost all his possessions to the Ayyubids. As of now am at war with the duchy of Fes.

And my king is cr*p, squizofrenic, coward, paranoid, chast and a few others. I tried to kill him sending him with his 500 men to fight 1500 rebellious Livonians, but despite losing his army he returned home safe....

How do I dispose of a useless king provided I have enough heirs? He is doing nothing but sinking my reputation and the vassals loyalty.

**nokhor** · 01-28-2005, 08:33

just got this. awesome game for the type that it is. my question is, how do you know how big your desmesne can get before suffering penalties for being too big? i can't find it anywhere in the menus.