Damn that pope!!!

[DVX BELLORVM]

Sometimes I actually prefer being excommunicated. First, because the pope stops nagging me, and second, once they launch a crusade against me, I finally get to fight some interesting battles against high quality troops, instead of usual peasant/trebuchet/militia combination

[Fisherking]

Look now, the first thing you have to do is to get a diplomat to Rome and become allies with the old boy. Then feed him map info and a bit of money and keep on his good side. Then even if you go against his orders it is still ok. Just don't let your relations go below good! Feed him more money. that's all!

[TevashSzat]

Look now, the first thing you have to do is to get a diplomat to Rome and become allies with the old boy. Then feed him map info and a bit of money and keep on his good side. Then even if you go against his orders it is still ok. Just don't let your relations go below good! Feed him more money. that's all!

That should keep the pope all happy with you, but if you still need something more, make god squads of like 5 priests and send them down to the levant. Keep on doing so until you have the college of cardinals stacked and you can get your own pope.

Finally, join a crusade or two. A succesful one really helps alot. If you are playing as the English, a crusade against Vilinius in northwestern Russia is often pretty easy to get and accomplished

[Zarky]

In the beginning of the game if you send diplomat on the way to Rome, you can break his order once and you won´t get excommunicated, second time after allying pope. And build churches where you don´t need else.
Scots are just in your way so get rid of them as soon as possible, you have 1 small city (Dublin) 1 rather small castle which i usually convert to city (Inverness) and Edinburgh which is good place for Theologians guild, Merchants is more effective in London.

[ReiseReise]

I don't have problems with the Pope anymore since I started doing exactly what people said above. Make alliance with him as soon as possible and feed him some money to improve relations (100 per turn is good whenever you can afford it). When you make the alliance, give him your map too, and don't ask for anything in return. Your pope-o-meter will go up 3-4 points right there. If he tells you to stop fighting, do what he says, take a few turns to build up your armies, or find someone else to attack. Often the AI will break the Pope Mission first and get excommunicated, then you can have at it, just make sure you save the city where their King is for last so they don't get reconciled after you take only 1 city.

Although, a problem you will have as England, or any other faction that starts far away from Rome is that you may be in a war before you can get your diplo/princess there to make the alliance. In this case just try to do what he says. If it helps, I have noticed that if you have an enemy city under siege when he gives you the mission, you will NOT fail it by keeping the siege as long as you don't assault. I'm not 100% sure what happens when the city starves though... I don't think you will fail the mission, but don't quote me on that.

Lastly, (whew this is a long one) if you have a very high pope-o-meter, your mission will be something like "Cease hostilities or your relations with the pope will [be less than they used to be] or [suffer significantly]", but in any case, you will not be excommunicated.