Inheirtance help

[The Confused Knight]

Hello all!

I'm new to CK2 and would like some help with inheritance. Because I haven't got A CLUE what's happening with my dynasty. Normally I would just have my children become my heirs and continue slowly expanding my land. However this time I can't do that and I don't know why.

Background...

I am an independent Duke with about 7 Duchies, I have elective Monarchy
My wife is Queen of Italy (don't know how that happened)

I can't make any of my children my elected heir - only my half-sisters of which I have many. (First marriage wasn't doing great so I went the seduction route...)

Why can't I elect one of my 3 sons to inherit my titles? Only my half sisters? One of my sons will inherit the Kingdom of Italy but why can't I elect another for my independent Dutchy?

My current plan is I've selected my youngest half-sister to inherit (she's now my heir). I've betrothed her matrilineally to my son who will inherit the Kingdom of Italy. Will this join the two?

Or is there a way to elect on of my children for my land?

Many thanks!

 

[Sergeant Flutter]

Your current plan sounds like it would work... to an extent.

With Elective Monarchies, nothing is as surefire as it is for a hereditary one. Each generation, there’s a risk that it won’t get passed down to the next. You’re at the will of your electors. I don’t know the situation you’re in, but switching to a heridatary monarchy will make expanding through inheritance so much easier.

As for why you can’t nominate your children, I’m unsure. Make sure they’re if your dynasty and in your realm. They may be in the court of the Queen of Italy, which may make you unable to select them.

 

[The Confused Knight]

They are of my dynasty and in my court which really confuses me.

I've been doing to save scumming but nothing seems to work. The heir to Italy keeps changing. The two I had betrothed got married then my son stopped being heir to Italy. I killed the heir to Italy's wife and replace her with my heir (half sister). Swore fealty to my wife (Queen of Italy) then demanded she abdicate. She did but the crown the went to some random bloke.

Don't understand at all.

Found out Italy is Gavelkind.

Think I'll just go back to an earlier save and elect my distant cousin as my heir.

 

[Sergeant Flutter]

If you switch your titles to Gavelkind then it'll be easier to inherit it. It's always MUCH easier to inherit titles if they have identical succession laws. All kinds of weird things can happen otherwise.

It's ok, though! If you're a super duke with 8 duchies, you should be able to take on the Kingdom of Italy (through a faction or an external war if you go independent.) Since their mother was a Queen, your children will all get strong claims on the title for Italy. You can just install them through a faction/claim war.