Quote Originally Posted by Basilakes En Strategoisin
In truth, the 1054 schism was only official recognition granted to the fact that the two churches had long since drifted apart. The pope certainly shouldn't be able to boss the Orthodox around like they were Western Catholics (not even if the game was set to begin before 1054!). It makes perfect sense that the emperor (& the patriarch) and the pope aren't dependent on each other in the simplified world of the game.


pansoiatr: actually, the schism was again officially reversed in the middle of the 15th century, shortly before the Fall of Constantinople, when the emperor John VII negotiated the reconciliation of the churches in return for military aid against the Ottomans. However, the imperial decision was never popular with the Orthodox people, and when Constantinople was captured in spite of a crusade, and the need for the church union ceased to exist, the whole thing was basically forgotten and the two churches went their own way as before.
I don't think you understood my point.

At all.

If the game still had zeal, they could be treated as Catholics, but nobody would bat an eye if they were excommunicated. Which is reasonably as it should be, because the Emperor always had a voice in Rome and more often than not, influenced church decisions until the streets ran rampant with Turkish soldiers.

This game is about changing history, it stands to reason that things shouldn't be set in stone. On the same note, I don't understand why the Romans don't get more gunpowder units. They'd have been very quick to adopt them, were they not on the verge of collapse during their introduction and adoption.