Getting rid of a bad heir

heliostellar · Apr 7, 2012

Aside from assassination, what's the best way to get rid of a crappy heir? I want my 3rd son to inherit because he has great stats. Luckily, the first son died on his own. I need to get rid of the second son who has already produced an heir of his own. This one is an absolute buffon... Stewardship of zero! I'm trying to make him the Spymaster and spy on rival techs. I've lost countless Spymasters that way. I figure with his miserable scores he's toast. What about his son though?

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

heliostellar said:
Aside from assassination, what's the best way to get rid of a crappy heir? I want my 3rd son to inherit because he has great stats. Luckily, the first son died on his own. I need to get rid of the second son who has already produced an heir of his own. This one is an absolute buffon... Stewardship of zero! I'm trying to make him the Spymaster and spy on rival techs. I've lost countless Spymasters that way. I figure with his miserable scores he's toast. What about his son though?

Imprison him and let him rot in prison? That's definitely an option but without a reason you 'll get the -40 modifier so it's prohably not a good idea. Give him a county and then drive him mad (break betrothals with random courtiers, hire/fire him from your council, make him court jester). After he revolts just beat him down and enforce demands (which leads to imprisonment), after that you can revoke his newly given title as well and you let him rot in prison. Be sure to throw him in the oubliette when he asks for better treatment, he'll be death within the year (unless he's strong, in which case it might take a little longer).

riknap · Apr 7, 2012

Elective succession if you want to be less ... evil. Also, war. Send him to lead flank-less army against peasants or invaders.
If you're really impatient and don't mind being evil, just send thugs to finish him.

unmerged(78720) · Apr 7, 2012

Are you close to religious opponents? Declare and win a holy war and make him and his son bishops. Or just build a couple of churches. Either would do it.

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

TerribleTodd said:
Are you close to religious opponents? Declare and win a holy war and make him and his son bishops. Or just build a couple of churches. Either would do it.

'Cannot disinherit your heir by making him a bishop.' But you actually can, I believe, appoint him as an heir to a bishopric (although that's an obvious oversight, yeah).

Alerias · Apr 7, 2012

Stabbity stab stab FTW.

unmerged(460977) · Apr 7, 2012

Send him to the church any way you can. If he is unmarried he won’t wed. But if he has sons they need to go too.

You don’t want a great grandson showing up to take the place of your groomed heir.

unmerged(78720) · Apr 7, 2012

moldeh said:
'Cannot disinherit your heir by making him a bishop.' But you actually can, I believe, appoint him as an heir to a bishopric (although that's an obvious oversight, yeah).

I'm pretty sure you can take anyone out of succession by making them a bishop. The advantage of granting a bishop is that you can do that for minors, while they need to be 16+ to be made an heir to a bishop.

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

TerribleTodd said:
I'm pretty sure you can take anyone out of succession by making them a bishop. The advantage of granting a bishop is that you can do that for minors, while they need to be 16+ to be made an heir to a bishop.

No, you can't. You can disinherit your other kids, but not your main heir.

Stuckenschmidt · Apr 7, 2012

When I read the thread title I was about to post "Go to the barber", but then...

o

Moltke · Apr 7, 2012

The spy-for-tech trick works pretty well. Either have him spy for tech in Byzantium or set up a spy network in some place with insanely high intrigue. Use the people search and sort by intrigue, then plant in that guy's court.

It's just annoying to do so because if your heir doesn't have high intrigue you get every courtier with even slightly higher intrigue wanting his job.

Ayn Mandarb · Apr 7, 2012

Any particular reason why Byzantium?

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

Ayn Mandarb said:
Any particular reason why Byzantium?

Because you always get caught while trying to steal tech from that place. Probably has something to do with the fact that the Emperor has a crapload of vassals and courtiers to choose his spymaster from and always ends up with a really good one.

unmerged(78720) · Apr 7, 2012

moldeh said:
No, you can't. You can disinherit your other kids, but not your main heir.

Well, you're right. I typically use Gavelkind and have spent some time disinheriting heirs. After reading your last post, I just tried granting my heir a bishop title and you can't! Learn something new about this game every day.

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

TerribleTodd said:
Well, you're right. I typically use Gavelkind and have spent some time disinheriting heirs. After reading your last post, I just tried granting my heir a bishop title and you can't! Learn something new about this game every day.

I use Gavelkind too

. But I disinherit my heirs by having them stabbed repeatedly in the face.

SaintEsteban · Apr 7, 2012

Under elective, you can grant your firstborn son a bishopric.

riknap · Apr 7, 2012

SaintEsteban said:
Under elective, you can grant your firstborn son a bishopric.

under elective, you could choose your heir in the first place
that said, he's obviously using either seniority or primogeniture (the latter most likely) and wants to keep the law that way

SaintEsteban · Apr 7, 2012

riknap said:
under elective, you could choose your heir in the first place
that said, he's obviously using either seniority or primogeniture (the latter most likely) and wants to keep the law that way

No, you can't just choose your own heir. You can nominate it, but even happy vassals can derail your plans. But you can give anyone a bishopric, cutting out potential competitors.

unmerged(140582) · Apr 7, 2012

Have him assassinated yourself. Or take the humane solution: Just go for elective succession and never look back.

Grant your awesome heir his own barony or preferably duchy when he becomes an adult to increase his popularity and keep your unwanted son at court. Appoint him the leader of your armies at every opportunity so that he 'can show his worth'. Since he has stewardship of zero he obviously isn't very interested in governing anything anyway.

moldeh · Apr 7, 2012

Dáin said:
Have him assassinated yourself. Or take the humane solution: Just go for elective succession and never look back.
Grant your awesome heir his own barony or preferably duchy when he becomes an adult to increase his popularity and keep your unwanted son at court. Appoint him the leader of your armies at every opportunity so that he 'can show his worth'. Since he has stewardship of zero he obviously isn't very interested in governing anything anyway.

I wouldn't suggest landing your heir. Ever. It's never a good idea. The AI will surprise you with its ability to lose every good trait and gain every bad trait possible (including kinslayer, when he kills your king).

Getting rid of a bad heir

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