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I have a soft spot for the Trpimirović dynasty of Croatia, having saved them from their historical fall in 1091 and turned them into a bit of a power in the region in one of my more memorable and enjoyable games of CK1.
 
Ill play hoping that in 1066 dyrrachium will start with a real family who was in charge at that time the Muzaka or Arianiti family the oldest albanian aristocratic families we know. In CK I chryselios disappeared from durres since 1009. in 1066 should be either Konstandin Arianiti or Aleks Muzaka.
 
Vermandois, Bagratuni, Rurikovich, Palaiologos, Dongola, Komnenus,

Really it depends on what area of the map I want to play. I also often look for the oldest families in terms of family tree and choose that way as well.

First game no doubt will be as Georgia, Nubia, or appointing Gagik as duke of armenia and playing as Bagratuni. In an eastern mood. Probably play as a celtic family after that.

What were some of the older families in CK1?
 
Vermandois, Bagratuni, Rurikovich, Palaiologos, Dongola, Komnenus,

Really it depends on what area of the map I want to play. I also often look for the oldest families in terms of family tree and choose that way as well.

First game no doubt will be as Georgia, Nubia, or appointing Gagik as duke of armenia and playing as Bagratuni. In an eastern mood. Probably play as a celtic family after that.

What were some of the older families in CK1?

Going backwards through the CK1 character sheets, I find that de Flandres are direct descendants on the male line from Charlemagne's son Charles the Younger and the Vermandois from Carloman. The Capets also trace their ancestry to the ninth century. The House of Barcelona likewise goes back to Count Borrell who IIRC declared independence from West Francia. The Jimenez Kings of Castilla, Leon, Navarra, and Aragon in 1066 are all descended from Jimeno, whose origins date back to the mid-IX century. So in the West, some dynasties are of old origin, often margraves and other rather minor officials in the Carolingian empire who rose up in the power vacuum of the X century.
 
Going backwards through the CK1 character sheets, I find that de Flandres are direct descendants on the male line from Charlemagne's son Charles the Younger and the Vermandois from Carloman. The Capets also trace their ancestry to the ninth century. The House of Barcelona likewise goes back to Count Borrell who IIRC declared independence from West Francia. The Jimenez Kings of Castilla, Leon, Navarra, and Aragon in 1066 are all descended from Jimeno, whose origins date back to the mid-IX century. So in the West, some dynasties are of old origin, often margraves and other rather minor officials in the Carolingian empire who rose up in the power vacuum of the X century.

About the house of Flandres I'm not sure, but the first recorded count of Flandres, Baldwin I was married to Judith, a daughter of Charles the Bald (emperor and king of West Francia).
Similary the ancestor of the house of Reginar, which descendants became the counts of Leuven/Louvain and later duke of Lower Lotharingia, later ''reduced'' to Lothier/Lothryk and duke of Brabant and Limburg, another (more senior) branch became the (Reginar) counts of Hainaut (although in game they are already succeeded by the house of Flandres); Giselbert was married to Ermengarde a daughter of emperor Lothair I, their son was Reginar after which the (early) house became known.
At a later date count Lambert of Leuven (house of Reginar) married another Carolingian, Gerberga, countess of Brussels, the daughter duke Charles of Lower Lorraine (who was a son king Louis IV of West Francia).

Regarding the original question, if I play a game in the Low Countries/Lotharingian area I, not suprisingly ;), almost always start a game as count of Leuven or at a later start duke of Brabant.
 
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Everyone's starting dynasty, the de Hautville. Or maybe the Count of Moscow, unite Russia and become the slayer of the Ruriks! Or maybe the Komnenois

De Hauteville has its perks, including strong leadership and a big, tight family, might be fun with more possibilities for religion. (The Pope is wedged in between you, the Byzantines, and the HRE after all.) But the Jiménez dynasty will always have a special place in my heart; they're a pretty attractive bunch, on a major religious frontier, and far away from the Seljuks, the Papacy, and both Emperors. Once you get rolling, both Sicily and Iberia are big sandboxes: you can create your kingdom kind of how you want, without powerful dukes like France or Germany have to deal with. I guess you could say the same for Rus and the Baltic. That's been my experience with CK1 at least.