Strongest child = Heir? Errr

[fiskbulle]

(Semi)Salic Consanguinity is supposed to let the strongest child rule right?


What constitutes strongest?

I have a church educated child with stats like 10 12 12 12 compared to another child, martial education, with stats like 15 10 10 8... something like that

But who is listed as my heir? A child who hasn't even finished his education, the third in order of birth, with stats like 12 8 8 8.
I mean I dont know the specifics but I do know I had two fully raised children one with superior martial skill and another with overall superior skill, and both with a higher total of skill than this... dewd...

This is not the first time I've noticed this wierdness. (oh and yeah, no child yet has any titles whatsoever). Am I misunderstanding something? The 3rd child hasn't finished his education yet so maybe hes first in succession order because.. uhm he might get some supermega education?

Obviously I want my first child, while maybe lacking in combat skill, to rule - so yeah I could change the laws. But I'd still like to know if I just ain't getting something or overlooking something. Could it be that the 3rd child has the best pure genetics clouded in traits & perks and the other childrens educations?

Thanks in advance

[Fiftypence]

Originally Posted by fiskbulle

Could it be that the 3rd child has the best pure genetics clouded in traits & perks and the other childrens educations?

Yep, the strongest child is the one with the best base martial stat.

To make your first child heir, give him some titles if possible.

[Firkin]

I think the number of titles is the most important thing. If you give more titles to the most important child it surely becomes your heir (that is definitely the solution under "electoral law").
After all you should consider that the education might not be as important as the pure (!) genetic traits... but I am not quite sure about this...

F.

[fiskbulle]

Thanks guys

And yeah, giving titles is what I usually do to get the one I want. Except in this little scenario I didnt have much to give Guess SOME people are gonna start to loose theirs... *snarls at non-family member dukes*


Btw, I had a huge inbreeding problem too :P Every duke except a few in my little kingdom are family members.. and they seem to be *cough* attracted to other family members.
I figured it was smart keeping dukeships in the family because of succession order and loyalty, but considering their breeding habits, I'm not sure I want the 2nd generation 0 1 0 0 dukes to rule. I always make sure my sons are wed to someone before I trust them with any land but, after a generation they seem to go back to their roots... way too literally...

Any ideas?

[saskganesh]

basically don't be greedy: make sure other families with your culture also have some land.

[Nick B II]

Originally Posted by fiskbulle

I figured it was smart keeping dukeships in the family because of succession order and loyalty, but considering their breeding habits, I'm not sure I want the 2nd generation 0 1 0 0 dukes to rule. I always make sure my sons are wed to someone before I trust them with any land but, after a generation they seem to go back to their roots... way too literally...

Any ideas?

What culture are you? The AI almost never marries outside of its culture, so you're doomed to inbreeding if ever noble of your culture lives in a Court controlled by someone of your dynasty.

Oh, if you grant your favorite heir one county he'll beat the others. So you don't need a lot of extra land for consang to work.

Nick

[Boblof]

familymembers are for bishop duty, or to put as kings of newly conquored far away lands (my way of making sure that my family will have the most prestige at end game even if my king happens to die)

[Tskb18]

Originally Posted by Nick B II

What culture are you? The AI almost never marries outside of its culture, so you're doomed to inbreeding if ever noble of your culture lives in a Court controlled by someone of your dynasty.

Oh, if you grant your favorite heir one county he'll beat the others. So you don't need a lot of extra land for consang to work.

Nick

With a bit of patience, there are ways to alleviate the problem.
iirc bishoprics generate random courtiers? anyway you could probably marry off a few daughters there. (Orthodoxy ftw!)
appoint a few daughters to their own fiefs, when the land reverts you should get some of her random courtiers to join your court.
at some point though you'll just have to take titles away from those embarrassments to the family name.

[number nine]

No if you pick first son in cosanguinity succession by granting him titles and giving other land to his sisters and mother. That is what I do. Eventually if it's impossible, my own child can be slain as well, by assassination (when it has very low intrigue, and I must grant titles because I conquered too much). Don't marry off your daughters, or you may end with no capable advisors, and/or nobody to hold your newly conquered land from pagans and muslims, their children will not be your dynasty. Marrying of your sons spreads your dynasty. If you cannot hold rich province because of low intrigue, your sister is the best always to hold it, if you are the eldest son. Granting rich land to other vassals may lead to rebellion.

[DPS]

Originally Posted by saskganesh

basically don't be greedy: make sure other families with your culture also have some land.

I do that for RP and flavor anyway. One thing I don't like about playing as a King is that your Dukes will eventually give all the count titles in their Duchies to their family members.