Pope Doesn't Like My Gifts Of Land

[adembroski]

Maybe the pope just doesn't like a kiss-ass

[guyfawkes5]

I believe this is a bug that was mentioned on the .com before. Something along the lines of when your rating with the Pope goes above 100%, it plummets down to 0%. I'm not entirely sure, maybe you should check around before taking this as your conclusion but it certainly would explain your problem.

And I believe the expansion of the Papal States is a bug, although if you ask CA they'll probably say they intended it... just like the save/load 'feature'. ;) I don't like it anyway, and although there is a historical case for saying the Papal States did attempt to expand beyond Rome, it's not really on gameplaywise seeing those already cramped Italian city-states would have even less territory to conquer. Plus it's pretty frustrating if you're attacked by the Papal States yourself (happened to me before as the HRE)...

[scrapcode]

I think the actions of his silliness is defined by his traits. Warmongers will automatically expand and hold cities much better that pacifists.

As for the gifts making him angry, try to see your reputation before you gift to him. If you have mixed, dubious, or even despicable then the other factions will only see your gift as a way to cheat them of some money, etc, etc.