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[PanH]

Time. The cruel, relentless march of time. In my 1360s game, all the big Karling powers are gone (East Francia (Germany now) and Bavaria are ruled by random Germans, West Francia went Cathar and was crusaded and given over to one of the Holy Orders. The same happened to Italy, with the Knights Hospitalier. The only Karling kings now are of Burgundy.

If you don't want to just wait them out... well, marry them, I guess? There's just a sea of Karling claimants waiting even if you inherit one of their thrones.

I'm interested in what the effects on the modern day would be if a decent chunk of Europe's history involved it being partitioned by Holy Orders.

Moreso than the Teutonic and Livonian Order ?

[Digital Hellhound]

As promised!

THE GLORIOUS EMPIRE OF (FINNISH) SCANDINAVIA, AD 1453

How shining her waters! How lofty her treetops! How... dirt-like her... dirt.

Spoiler: Europa! (click to show/hide)

-Glorious Scandinavia! The Imperial Provinces of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, Ruthenia and Pomerania, along with the True and Loyal Vassal Kings (or else) of Norway, Rus and Volga Bulgaria. As well as assorted eastern conquests. My only regret is not having time to clean up my Carpathian and German borders.

-The Empire of Carpathia, a fragment of its past glory. It was this Empire that stretched across the steppe, entirely eradicating the Tengri faith before Mongol arrival. The Catholic Arpad kings were tricked by devious Greeks and the Empire turned Greek and Monothelite (which replaced Orthodoxy) for several centuries. The current Emperors are Catholic, but also Greek.

-The Theocratic Kingdom of Bavaria, somehow ruled by a King-Bishop. The greatest power of central-west Europe for quite a while under Karling kings, but eventually replaced by some native German dynasty.

-The Knights Hospitalier of Italy. Conquered the place from a Cathar Karling king in a crusade, have held it ever since. Don't you just love that knightly grey? Italy is culturally almost entirely Occitain.

-The Knights of Calatrava of the northern half of France. Also conquered the place from a different Cathar Karling. Their area is culturally Castilian! Also sharing France: the scattered Kingdom of Galicia-Aquitaine, the Anglo-Saxon Duchy of Mercia, the last Karlings of the Kingdom of Burgundy.

-Castille. A new power in the region, rivalling the Knights of Santiago controlling most of the rest of Spain, having taken it in a crusade from... Muslims, for once.

-In the British Isles: Anglo-Saxon York, the ever-name-changing Kingdom of Wales (it's been ruled by Irish, Bretons, Welsh and someone else, all with their own name for it), and, um, Bulgarian Scotland. As in, culturally Bulgarian. The plucky Bulgarians liberated a tiny Bulgaria, somehow conquered Scotland - who were Lollard heretics and the strongest British power - and later split the two Kingdoms.

-Also visible, everyone's favorite, the Byzantine Empire. Strongest power in Europe. I've never paid much attention to them, but they've conquered a bit and held onto everything else, including reclaiming Venice at some point. Turned Monothelite at some point.

-Not visible, the East - a mess. The Ilkhanate conquered a lot of territory, but just disappeared one day, leaving the region full of squabbling small powers. Now destroyed were such gems as the Cathar Tulunids of Egypt (a Muslim dynasty that somehow became Cathar, converted all of Egypt and held the fort against repeated Jihads for a century. They were eventually destroyed... after becoming Monothelite. The Knights of Calatrava also control Jerusalem.

Spoiler: The head of the Susi dynasty and latest ruler of Glorious Scandinavia! (click to show/hide)

This nice human being murdered her baby brother to get into power. She then turned back a Crusade for Pomerania, reclaimed rebelling Norway and neatened the Empire's borders a bit. If any Finns see this, they'll appreciate the irony of her name with the whole infant murder business.

Spoiler: The founder of the dynasty (click to show/hide)

A Ruler Designed-character, started as High Chief of Satakunta, IIRC. I chose to make him Intrigue-heavy because I felt like it. Ended his life as King of Finland, Sweden and Norway, with some Russian possessions. I didn't even reclaim Norway until the 1300s!

Spoiler: The bestest dynasty on the face of the earth (click to show/hide)

All this originated from one guy. The sheer amount of incest involved... I love them all. The AI did a good job of spreading us, actually. Half of my vassals at any given time were of my dynasty.

Spoiler: Religion Map! (click to show/hide)

This was all more interesting a few centuries back. Catholicism has entrenched itself so well that it stays at 100 Moral Authority despite me smashing their Crusades to pieces. Shia uprisings were never successful. Tengri was eradicated by the Carpathians, Germanic, Slavic and Romuva by me. Mali and the Agdadid Kingdom at the western tip of North Africa are both Catholic and proud.

At one point, all of Egypt and Jerusalem were bright Cathar blue! Damn Greeks.

Spoiler: Cultural Map! aka cultural assimiliation op, pls nerf (click to show/hide)

See the spread of Finnish, see the spread of Greek, see Occitain Italy, Castilian France, Bulgarian Scotland, and such. Mongol is also very popular across the old Ilkhanate lands. I'm surprised at the amount of cultural change, especially the Greek (and the Bulgarian). Centuries under one culture would leave its mark, but this is ridiculous.

Spoiler: Ledger (click to show/hide)

As you can see, the three Indian megastates dominate. They convert to Western tech in EUIV, which will be... interesting. Byzantium is the dominant power in the west, even if I have more provinces. It'll be interesting to see what happens to them in EUIV (they also convert to Western). The Sultanate of Africa has stood against the Christians of Iberia and western North Africa in CK2, I hope they continue to do so in EUIV (they convert to Western).

I think that's it. It's been a hell of a lot of fun, 867 to 1453. Should maybe have documented it better, but oh well. General history follows;

1. Start as High Chief in southern Finland.
2. Conquer Finland.
3. Conquer Sweden and Norway (and expand in the east).
4. Lose Sweden and Norway as first ruler dies. As Finland, conquer in the east, turn into a feudal kingdom, reform the Suomenusko faith. AI dynasty member somehow manages to take the throne of Volga Bulgaria and reclaims the last holy sites for me. My family is the best. The Suomenusko Holy Order is also dominated by my dynasty.
5. At some point, reclaim Sweden and conquer Lithuania.
6. Conquer Denmark (though Norway grabs Sjaelland, bastards).
7. Eventually, conquer enough of Norway's provinces to form Scandinavia. Quickly proceed to claim Rus (pressing dynasty members' claims makes them your vassal), reclaim Volga Bulgaria and eventually, Norway. Conquer Ruthenia in several crusades, eradicating the last bastions of Slavic.
8. My vassals Holy War Pomerania again and again - they're of my dynasty, so they call ALL OF THE FAMILY, ACROSS EIGHT KINGDOMS, to war every time. When they're done, form the King title for myself, hah.
9. Eventually, here we are. I had to beat back three Crusades in the late game - an easy one for Sweden, a near-death one for Pomerania (crusading orders control most of Europe->HARDCORE CRUSADES) and a tough-but-beaten-back second for Pomerania.

Whooow. Now to EUIV! Some of the pictures might be a bit big, apologies.

[Rolan7]

Uh oh, my Most Serene Republic of Mali game has hit that point where my retinues could katamari over the world.  And then I'll just resign again rather than stamp tedious rebellions for hundreds of years.  I need to figure out what my borders should be, and stick with them...  I am *determined* to actually see *either horde invasion*.  I always start in 867 and quit around 1000 after essentially winning.

I'm thinking I don't need the kingdom of Egypt.  I've already taken most of the kingdom of Africa, just waiting on a truce to absorb the islamic-king's last county.  Seems slightly silly that I can't usurp from him just because "It's his primary title and he's of a different religious group".  Then again, he does hold land in the kingdom... for now.  Once (the kingdom of) Africa is mine, I should be able to form the Empire Principality of Mali.  Better yet, I'll embargo those silly european trade posts.  Maybe even take Sicily... No, bad!  Stop expanding for no reason!

...  Okay I'll take Sicily, but only because it's an island instead of mainland Europe.  I'll try not to take Andalusia from the muslims, but if they give my trade posts any trouble, I might just.  Maybe after I've converted my African holdings to the African religion, as they should be.

Also, it helps that I unexpectedly lost the last election, so the game is encouraging me to sit back and chill for a while.  It's a good time for it, my palace will be upgrading for another 4 years or so.  I might lose some elections on purpose just to see what the AI does with all this land.  Probably not much, since the retinues stayed with me, and our levies are frankly pitiful...  Roughly 3K levies, 9K Spirit Guardians holy order, 3K that ONE mercenary company who deigns take our money, and I think 17K retinues.  All "free warriors", the African special units (light infantry and archers, my favorite)...  Which reminds me I need to find and upgrade the cultural building, I've never done that.

[Sheb]

Why do you need the Kingdom of Africa? Can't you create the Empire-level title with Mali and Mauritania?

[Rolan7]

Actually no, it has a somewhat odd requirement that you own Kingdom of Mali plus 1 kingdom that *isn't* Mauretania.  From memory, that's all it requires (maybe a cultural requirement too, but I'm still Mali culture despite basically moving into Berber-ville).

Edit:  Ah, I misremembered slightly - Mauretania *is* required, as is Mali.  But then you need one additional kingdom of your choice.  Plus the normal 80% of the dejure lands, but for this empire that's trivial - its de jure lands are just the Kingdom of Mali.

[Rolan7]

Sorry for the double post, but... WHAT??
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=378652437

Doges can do this???  I thought Doges specifically couldn't sieze trade posts at all, it was supposed to be the ONE disadvantage of being Doge!  But this looks like a special doge-only dialog!?  I swear.

It even put him above his trade post limit.  I can't even...  I hardly ever plot to kill, but this time it feels fully justified.  I'm just *lucky* it broke control of only one sea region.

Also, this happened right after my previous character died, which happened right after I decided to go for this monstrosity:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=378607477

Not to be pessimistic, but I'm betting all the debt I went into for that is wasted now.  Oh, and my retinue raiders in Andalusia who were raising funds?  Lost their looter status on succession, so now I have to ship them back home to re-arm.  EDIT: And my only two counties are ON THE EAST END OF THE EMPIRE, next to EGYPT the Abbasids.

The Moussa family will rue this day, mark my words...

[Raddish]

The current state of the Welsh Empire:
http://i.imgur.com/RSxsO3r.png?1

Also with Iceland included, and that spot in Scotland was recently retaken.  Where to invade next though, hmm.

[Bouchart]

Someone needs to take Ruthenia down a peg.

[Raddish]

Working on it, that is 3 different counties in 3 different duchies so it is 3 holy wars away.  Still waiting for the truce to end from taking their other county away.  So sad. 

[Wysthric]

I'm currently going for Jewish Wales.

[Raddish]

If I manage to get to the end I may just remember to do that.  I am playing it rather slowly, has taken a while to get to the year I am in.

[Rakonas]

Spoiler: Cultural Map! aka cultural assimiliation op, pls nerf (click to show/hide)

See the spread of Finnish, see the spread of Greek, see Occitain Italy, Castilian France, Bulgarian Scotland, and such. Mongol is also very popular across the old Ilkhanate lands. I'm surprised at the amount of cultural change, especially the Greek (and the Bulgarian). Centuries under one culture would leave its mark, but this is ridiculous.

How are Visigoths still a thing? Did they create a custom kingdom? Bulgarian Scotland and Italy-Occitan switch is hilarious.

[Digital Hellhound]

Visigothic culture exists at 867 start, and somehow it's survived all these years. Castile might be Visigothic, that'd explain it. Sadly, no custom kingdoms - I don't have Charlemagne, yet.

[Rakonas]

Sounds like a bug, this event

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: [Select]

# Visigothic province converts to Castilian
province_event = {
id = CM.7
desc = EVTDESC_CM_7
picture = GFX_evt_stone_church

trigger = {
culture = visigothic
NOT = { religion_group = muslim }
OR = {
county = { kingdom = { title = k_castille } }
county = { kingdom = { title = k_asturias } }
county = { kingdom = { title = k_leon } }
owner = { culture = castillan }
}
}

mean_time_to_happen = {
months = 3600
modifier = {
factor = 0.5
owner = {
culture = castillan
}
}
}

option = {
name = EVTOPTA_CM_7
culture = castillan
}
}

And all the other for charlemagne culture events must not fire when you don't have the dlc. Guess they didn't do any testing for changing the old gods start without owning the dlc  .

[Chosrau]

Sounds like a bug, this event

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: [Select]

# Visigothic province converts to Castilian
province_event = {
id = CM.7
desc = EVTDESC_CM_7
picture = GFX_evt_stone_church

trigger = {
culture = visigothic
NOT = { religion_group = muslim }
OR = {
county = { kingdom = { title = k_castille } }
county = { kingdom = { title = k_asturias } }
county = { kingdom = { title = k_leon } }
owner = { culture = castillan }
}
}

mean_time_to_happen = {
months = 3600
modifier = {
factor = 0.5
owner = {
culture = castillan
}
}
}

option = {
name = EVTOPTA_CM_7
culture = castillan
}
}

I can't see any bug. Unless it has anything to do with the parentheses, which I'm too lazy to count right now.