Quote Originally Posted by Kraggenmor
Since excommunication can be reconciled by the death of either your faction leader, or his popeyness, the when either of those characters gets up around 59 or 60 years old; it's an ideal time to go on a rampage through your neighboring Catholics.
Not a 100% safe plan by any accounts. Just because the Pope dies doesn't mean it will end. The new pope will sometimes take a disliking to you and keep you excommunicated. It can be a bit of a downward spiral really. If you've been excommunicated once it's also easier to get excommunicated again, since all the catholics by then will no doubt have really awful relations with you. And if you're at war with catholics and everyone hates you... it's obvious who the Pope will pick on.

Apparently the death of a faction leader should end excommunication.. though I swear once my king died and I was *still* excommunicated afterwards! I think I still had a crusade set against one of my castles though, perhaps that's why?