Source
r/CrusaderKings•
Neveneffect

Any tips on how to control the College of Cardinals as a non-Italian?

Hi,

I'm currently playing as a catholic Wendish Empire and having a great run, with few factional wars. When England decided to set up an anti-pope, I chose to do so as well for (1) the fun of it, (2) the achievements.

It was a much better decision than I expected. My tax income rose with quite a bit. This while I didn't recieve much backslash from other catholic rulers, to my surprise.

I therefore appointed my brother as the successor and killed off my then anti-pope. I pressed the claim to install my brother as the One True Pope in Rome. I won the war (because nobody helped out the Papacy).

Now the Papacy is my vassal and I quite like it. Especially the tax money I get out of it. And I'd like to keep it this way. Especially for when the crusades are triggered, because I want complete control over Rus and Ruthenia and that will go much faster with a crusade than with holy wars.

The problem is that I'm having a hard time getting my vassal bishops in the college of cardinals. It's hard to beat the Italian bishops when the next cardinal is appointed and my intrigue is pretty low, so my plots usually don't make it to 100%. I've been using my increased tax income to hire assassins, but it's very expensive (350 per try).

Do you have any tips on how to get control over the College of Cardinals and keep the Papacy as my vassal?

Thanks

Posted Aug 1, 2014, 8:50 PM UTC

610
MedzaEngland•

You can invite Italian people to your court to educate children. You could pick distant relatives from your dynasty or just random courtiers and that will give them the Italian culture.

Alternatively, make an Anti-Pope and head in guns blazing.

3
NeveneffectOPWendish Empire•

Good idea, though I'd like to keep everyone Polish.

Alternative plan isn't too bad either, especially because installing my anti-pope went pretty easily.

1
MedzaEngland•

The way the culture system works is that the preferred culture is whatever the culture is in Rome. So if you conquer it and have enough Polish popes, the culture will eventually turn Polish. This means that people will get +200 papal points from being Polish and they will get no bonus from being Italian. So taking Rome by force is totally viable.

5
NeveneffectOPWendish Empire•

Interesting to know, thanks!

1
lebrumm•

The papacy will stay your vassal even if the current pope dies. Making your brother pope wasn't even necessary here, the pope would have become your vassal anyways as long as you are an emperor and press an anti-popes claim. Controlling the college of cardinals isn't really necessary in my opinion, because the pope won't deny your requests because he is your vassal, even if he hates your guts. He will still join factions though.

1
NeveneffectOPWendish Empire•

Are you sure? I'm getting a warning that the Papacy might leave my realm on succession.

edit: You were right.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
NeveneffectOPWendish Empire•

Apparently the warning was wrong. My brother-pope died early because of sickness at 22. An Italian pope succeeded him, but the Papacy stayed my vassal.

My CA is High atm.

1
lebrumm•

I normally am on medium crown authority (so the succession laws of the duchies in the realm stay gavelkind) and I still never lost the papacy. This warning is only a bug, i have it too.

2
ursa-minor-88Chancellor Glitterhoof•

Consider raising distant male relatives to be excellent bishops. Then, instead of throwing money away on assassinations, use that money to fund the cardinal campaigns of your best bishops (which, ideally, will be your own relatives). In time, the college will be dominated by your kith and kin, and - if you work hard - it will stay this way. Not only will the Pope be your vassal (as he already is), but he'll also be indebted to you as the one who funded his cardinal campaign. The Popes will like you far more if you follow this strategy.

Personally I make a point of educating first-born sons as diplomats or stewards, second-born sons as military experts, and third-born sons as priests. Most of your bishops will be family members in no time.

1
NeveneffectOPWendish Empire•

Great ideas, I'll put them to good use. The Papacy shall be Polish!

1