Ok, sorry, let me rephrase that. I always leave my faction leader in a settlement. I don't really have a preference like it must be the capital... Just any settlement (the closest one...) In the mean time I let my faction heir smash into as many enemies as I can find. When my leader dies, obviously my heir is out and about. He becomes the new leader, so I send him to the closest town to retire and have kids... Rinse. Repeat.