Quote Originally Posted by Vlad Tzepes
I find it rather difficult not only to force a faction into vassalage, but also to understand the logic of the process.

When you beat the AI, when it has horrific losses, when it loses cities and castles and when it's obvious it's irrevocably engaged on the path to total annihilation, I think vassalage should be a realistic option.

What I get is "very demanding" demeanors and angry answers. It's like the AI religiously practices a before-its-time stalinistic theory of "all-the-people all-out-resistance-war". Only if loyalist rebellions would pop out in the newly conquered cities/castles, it would explain it.

I know that's how it's supposed to be - Total War, AI not interested in peace with you, but really... why have the option if it doesn't work in a logical manner?
Well, you said it yourself - it aint Medieval total peace.
What difficulty do you play on? I play on Medium and the AI seems all too willing to offer me a ceasefire when they are getting badly beaten. Infact, as the Moors in my Portugal campaing, they were begging for a ceasefire. They even gave me Granada, the Turks have also gave me Trebizond as the Byzantines this way too.