Can bastard son become king?

[DumBMan]

Can bastard son become king or ruler of my county or duchy?

[Nerdlife]

Yep, if he is a "legitimized bastard".
I had a bastard king on my last game, his stats were so much better than my other sons

[DumBMan]

What that means legitimized bastard?

[Zorlond]

A Father (not sure if Mothers can, seems unlikely) can decide to Legitimize any of his bastard children. It's with the political decisions on the Intrigue window.

Of course, this generally pisses off your wife... and the mother's husband...

[Minchandre]

What that means legitimized bastard?

It means that you proclaim that even though he's a bastard, you acknowledge him as an "official" son of yours and full member of your house, to stand in the succession and make normal marriages (which normally bastards can't do). There will still be a "legitimized bastard" penalty (IIRC -1 to Diplomacy), but that's it.

[Nekudotayim]

Start playing as Denmark. There are a lot of legitimated bastards.

[Nerdlife]

A Father (not sure if Mothers can, seems unlikely) can decide to Legitimize any of his bastard children. It's with the political decisions on the Intrigue window.

Of course, this generally pisses off your wife... and the mother's husband...

Also, the rest of your children might get a little angry too.

[DumBMan]

But how I can do that?

[Arathian]

But how I can do that?

When the bastard is born, you are given the option to.
Ps: William the conqueror is a bastard. His original name, before taking England, is William the bastard.

[grisamentum]

I've also noticed "Legitimize Bastard" under the Intrigue menu, if you started the game with illegitimate children (and possibly if you first chose not to legitimize your bastard.) See, for example, Navarre.

[Olaus Petrus]

Also there's an event where your bastard son asks to become legitimized. If you refuse he becomes annoyed.

[Landwalker]

Here's a follow-up question of sorts:

Let's say you have a bastard, and don't legitimize him. Let's say you're also running Elective Succession.

You die, and your son Fred the Legitimate wins the election and takes the throne. Unfortunately, Fred shortly thereafter contracts Tuberculosis, and he has no children. Fred dies.

If Hank the Bastard wins the subsequent election, is your dynasty considered to be intact, or is it game over for you?


Short Version: In elective law, does a non-legitimized bastard who wins the succession election "count" for continuing your dynasty?

[benkern]

Short Version: In elective law, does a non-legitimized bastard who wins the succession election "count" for continuing your dynasty?

Pretty sure the only available inheritors in elective succession are all legitimate children of ruler + the electors themselves.

[Landwalker]

Pretty sure the only available inheritors in elective succession are all legitimate children of ruler + the electors themselves.

Even if that's true, doesn't mean Hank the Bastard can't be an elector. Maybe you made him a duke of some hole in the wall to get him out of your hair. The question isn't whether he can win the election, it's whether his winning the election will cause a Game Over situation.

[Nerdlife]

Also, i believe you can only legitimize him if he is younger than 16 years.

[azaz]

Short Version: In elective law, does a non-legitimized bastard who wins the succession election "count" for continuing your dynasty?

No; a non-legitimized bastard is part of the mother's dynasty. (Now I'm curious how it works with queens in a matrilineal marriage -- I guess they can't have bastards.)

CK2, the only game where discussions such as these make sense.

[iniudan]

No; a non-legitimized bastard is part of the mother's dynasty. (Now I'm curious how it works with queens in a matrilineal marriage -- I guess they can't have bastards.)

CK2, the only game where discussions such as these make sense.

Actually there is two kind of non-legalized bastard, recognized and denounced. Recognized are part of the father dynasty but his children will form a new dynasty if married normally (can do normal marriage if wife is a bastard also), denounced are part of the mother dynasty.

[Gasmask Hero]

Pretty sure the only available inheritors in elective succession are all legitimate children of ruler + the electors themselves.

No it's all children, including illegitimate ones. Even if you denounce them at birth. Found this out for myself in my current game.

[azaz]

Actually there is two kind of non-legalized bastard, recognized and denounced. Recognized are part of the father dynasty but his children will form a new dynasty if married normally (can do normal marriage if wife is a bastard also), denounced are part of the mother dynasty.

Oh yeah, you're right. My bad.

[Enravota]

Even if that's true, doesn't mean Hank the Bastard can't be an elector. Maybe you made him a duke of some hole in the wall to get him out of your hair. The question isn't whether he can win the election, it's whether his winning the election will cause a Game Over situation.

If the bastard is acknowledged or legitimised no as he is of your dynasty, if he is neither he is from his mother's dynasty and thus you cannot continue as him, but the next landed dynasty member.