Yeah, crusading neighbors are a pain. Thats's why rebel neighbors are better.

Reply

Of course whats good for the goose ...

You could make sure your crusades wander by your more annoying Catholic neighbors hoovering up their troops.

Reply

Thanks all. Budapest has always been such a hotbed of heresy, it could do with a little cleansing fire...

EDIT. The results were an increase in zeal to 75% for 3-4 turns before the burning started with 4 inquisitors. Zeal dropped to 45% after the first burning and 28% after the second, after which I sent the boys to twist the nipples of the Germans.

Reply

I'd like to know the opposite: what method other than building churches etc. is there to raise zeal further? Inquisitors were already mentioned, but if I understood correctly they start by dealing a blow to a given province's zeal. The thing is, I'm playing MedMod where chapter houses are unique and e.g. the HRE have theirs in Burgundy.....and the Cumans are in Prussia, so it has to march solely through own territory. Since crusades don't just drain the garrisons to increase their strength but also seem to draw some troops from the province itself, it would be a good thing to have it march through extremely high zeal provinces, minimalizing losses to my garrisons (i.e. by moving them out of the way) but nevertheless pushing the crusade to an impressive size.

In addition, most of my generals/governors have an abundance of piety but severely lack dread, so upping some zeal rates should improve governance in general, a good thing for the notoriously unstable HRE.

Reply

I found the best way to increase zeal in your Provences is to put a Governor with the Zealot line of vices in charge of the Provences where you want to raise zeal.

The Zealot Line

Fervent
He applies religious doctrine to the way he lives his life and the way he governs. +1 piety, +10% zeal when governing.

Zealot
He follows religious doctrine to the letter, and encourages those under his control to do likewise. +20% zeal when governing.

True Zealot
He follows religious doctrine to the letter, and uses his position to force others to do likewise. +30% zeal when governing.

Secret Fanatic
He follows religious doctrine to the letter, and when governing secretly misuses his position to eliminate heretics. +30% zeal when governing.

Fanatic
He follows religious doctrine to the letter, arresting and executing any he judges to be heretics. +40% zeal when governing, +1 dread.

I also think the line is self fufilling. If a governor gets Fervent it seems like its only a matter of time before he becomes a Zealot.

I am not entirely sure if there is a way to do it in the opponents Provences except for the Inquisitor method which is unstable. Also there are a number of events that raise zeal in specific Provences or Factions at given times.

Reply

Inquisitors can really enhance zeal at first - in a fit of pique after the Pope re-emerged I sent inquisitors after all of his generals, and they burnt loads of them! Zeal in the whole of Italy was at 100% for quite a while. Alas he won't let me crusade right now, so I can't pilfer all his troops, and the post-Inquisition droop is setting in, and zeal is beginning to fall again, after maybe ten years or so of burning.

Reply

You can minimize the zeal drop effect of Inquisitors by keeping them busy doing anything other than trying the local populace. For example, you can hire a non-catholic mercenary unit (Muslim troops are good) with low piety. Then turn your Inquisitor(s) loose on them - if the trial is successful, you'll only lose one man, and can start over next turn.

The drawback is a high level of micro-management, but there are real benefits to be had.

Reply