I started in 1066 with just one county owned by Herbert of Vermandois. He was the last direct descendant of Charlemagne and the other Carolingian kings of Lombardy, France and Germany. So through careful matrilineal marriage to the king of france's sixth or seventh son (the ai accepts matrilineal because it considers these sons no chance of becoming king someday) and then murdering the other brothers I placed a Carolingian on the french throne. Then crusaded for Jersusalem as the great warrior King Guy I adding it to my realm. next stop was Castille to press my claim (from my mother) against an incompetent boy king and his lowborn regent mother. Then a quick pogrom of the jews (felt guilty about that but I needed the cash to pay my troops) and then I was able to crown myself Emperor of the Franks. Victory! But there is still another 300 years of gameplay so who knows what fortunes will befall the restored Carolingians. Oh and I moved the capital to french riviera region around Nice (I like the weather).
