Has anyone else done a campaign playing the role of "nice, big brother" and been successful.

I currently have an Early campaign going as Poland.
I started by gobbling up all the land to the East and then built up my navy and defenses.
I've tried to stay allied with as many countries as possible.
The first time I actually attacked someone was when HRE was trying to finish off the Hungarians.....I didn't want them dead because I figured I was at least getting a little trade value from being neighbored to them.
I then picked off a few of HRE's provinces since they were ex-commed and then had a civil war break out to boot.
I grabbed Denmark after a rebellion kicked out the Danes.
The Hungarians eventually tried to carve a way out of Carpathia through me and I had to finally put them down.

Now I sit with most of the Eastern side of the world under my control.
I'm waiting to sit who wins out between Byz and Egy and then I will try to swoop down on them as soon as possible.
I'm also waiting for one of the other Catholic factions to get ex-commed again so that I can start in on one of them.

How many people have done campaigns like this? (totally playing by the rules, not starting wars unless someone asks for it, etc.) How much success have people had with them?

I am finding it to be really fun for some reason. Just sit back, bide my time (which you sorta have to do as Poland anyway) and pick off the unrighteous!

Shoot, I even let the Russians do their own thing up there.....they just keep gaining/losing Livonia and Finland over and over again and have not moved a toe out of those 3 provinces yet. It's almost sad, really