Caliph can't be converted away from Sunni

[mruuh]

So, I have captured an underage heir to the Sunni caliphate, changed his focus to heritage, set myself as his guardian, and put the heir under house arrest. Soon after, his dad got murdered, and the kid became the ruler of Arabian Empire and a caliph.

Still my prisoner, when the event to convert to my religion (Slavic, reformed) came, the game said that he has converted, but in fact the character remained Sunni, so I think the fact that he is a caliph blocked the conversion. I found nothing about a religious head in general, or a Sunni caliph in particular could not be converted, but it makes sense.

Well, at least he adopted my culture.

I'm still wondering what to do with the kid. I was hoping to marry him matrilinearly to my heiress (my religion has Equality doctrine) and eventually inherit the entire caliphate, but that's out the window...

 

[Rubidium]

I believe it's the case for all heads of religion (so the Pope, Ecumenical Patriarch, Fylkir, etc.)

 

[mruuh]

Yep, like I said, it makes sense from gameplay point of view. In reality, however:
a) The kid was captured when he was just a few months old and he doesn't even know what Sunni religion is. He would have only been exposed to the Slavic religion all his life, so I can't see a way for him to remain Sunni.
b) Back in Arabia, people would have no idea whether he's still alive, and would probably just declare him dead and the caliphate would be passed on to a heir next in line.

I'm kind of glad I also have two or three of his sisters, which by now are already converted to Slavic and betrothed to other children of my dynasty. At least I'll get some claims...

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

As mentioned before religius heads cannot change religions.

However...

If he is following a secret religion he can flip, destroying the Caliphate in the process

 

[SchwarzKatze]

If he is following a secret religion he can flip, destroying the Caliphate in the process

Really? It didn't work for me, or is it only through realm-wide revelation?

 

[MutantPenguin]

Pretty sure non-Sunni/Shi'ite characters are prevented from inheriting their respective Caliphates, so even if the event had come before his dad died you'd have been out of luck.

 

[Castimirr]

Pretty sure non-Sunni/Shi'ite characters are prevented from inheriting their respective Caliphates, so even if the event had come before his dad died you'd have been out of luck.

Oddly, they are not (I think they probably should be, but...) The current Shia Caliph in my game is reformed Germanic and has been for several generations. From what I can tell his ancestor (one of my many-previous-generations-ago character's sons) inherited it after I put him on the throne of Epirus and the Caliph died with no heirs, reverting it to his lord (my son). The religion tab in the ledger even lists him as the head, using his king title instead of the religious title. Shia still has a higher MA than either the Waldensians or their heresy, Catholicism.

 

[Thrake]

Yep, like I said, it makes sense from gameplay point of view. In reality, however:
a) The kid was captured when he was just a few months old and he doesn't even know what Sunni religion is. He would have only been exposed to the Slavic religion all his life, so I can't see a way for him to remain Sunni.
b) Back in Arabia, people would have no idea whether he's still alive, and would probably just declare him dead and the caliphate would be passed on to a heir next in line.

I'm kind of glad I also have two or three of his sisters, which by now are already converted to Slavic and betrothed to other children of my dynasty. At least I'll get some claims...

But in reality you did not treat high ranked nobles like that, even if there are your sworn ennemy in war. So to begin with everyone know you got him imprisonned, you don't make it a secret, it's your ticket for a favourable and immediate peace, and you make a reasonable request in exchange of his liberty.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

This should be reported as a UI bug. If the game says he converts and he doesn't, either the UI or the mechanic isn't working properly.

Given the context, I'd say the UI is in the wrong for this one.

 

[mruuh]

To add insult to injury, even the culture switch did not last, and he reverted back to Bedouin after a few months. I even got another pair of events before he became an adult, one to convert him to my religion, one to convert him to my culture. And again, the event said that he became Slavic, yet no change, and his culture soon reverted yet again to Bedouin. Too bad I did not think of taking a screenshot.

 

[mruuh]

But in reality you did not treat high ranked nobles like that, even if there are your sworn ennemy in war. So to begin with everyone know you got him imprisonned, you don't make it a secret, it's your ticket for a favourable and immediate peace, and you make a reasonable request in exchange of his liberty.

Eh, not quite. There was no war, I managed to abduct Caliph's son (and about half of his court too) when raiding his capital. But I see your point, I guess they pretended to be cultured in medieval times just like we pretend today.