Polish have a built-in affinity with the Pope?

[Aenlic]

I started a campaign as the Polish tonight and I am rather surprised at how easy it is to max out my Papal favor as that faction and keep the Pope happy. With other factions it's a struggle to avoid excommunication and deal with inquisitors and keep piety up and heresy down to please his Popeness. But with the Polish it was almost effortless. I only had 2 priests after 15-20 or so turns, all of my generals had low piety and astrologers in their retinues including my faction leader, and I had done nothing to actively encourage the Pope, except allying myself with him as soon as possible; and yet, I was at max favor by turn 15-20 with just one crusade in which I didn't even manage to get even as far as Byzantium with my crusaders before the crusade succeeded! I even continued to attack the HRE after being told to stop by the Pope; and instead of being excommunicated when I failed the stop attacking mission he gives, I just "displeased" him and dropped down one level below max favor. Had it right back up again the next few turns by attacking another HRE stack and releasing them all and building a new church in another city.

Is it intended that Papal favor be so easy as the Polish? Is it just the Polish or do some of the other factions which I haven't yet tried, like the Hungarians, the Milanese and the Venetians have the same boost to Papal favor? I must say it sure is a major change from the struggle I've had with the Pope when playing the French, the English, the Danes, the Spanish and the Scots.