Quote Originally Posted by Marquis de Said
@ Bretwalda,

if you want a challenge I suggest you try expert. It's not that much more difficult, just that the AI's troops will stay on the battlefield longer. On the strategic map, you'll have more rebellions and disloyalty. If you want a hard game, play the HRE in early/expert. The disloyal generals will forgive you for one or two defeats and maybe one failed crusade. After that it's civil war!
The Turks can also be challenging in early if you get a lot of Crusades coming through your lands, because their generals are also disloyal by nature. Hungary has also been tough for me.
On the other hand, the Byz and the Danes are as easy as ever.