Example of long distnace marrigaes in medieval Europe

[Thorkel the Tall]

I have at times seen people complain about unrealistic long distance marriages in CKII, so let me present one example of this happen historically:

We start with Vladimir II of Kiev who (according to some sources) maried Gytha, daugther of Harold Goodwinson, he later married a Byzantine noblewoman, and finally a daugther of the Khan of Cuman. So in itself far reaching marriages (England, Byzantine and Cuman).

His son Mstislav I married Princess Christina of Sweden, two of their daugthers were married into Scandinavian royalty: one with Cnute Lavard, and together they had the later King Valdemar I (Valdemar being the Scandinavian rendering of Vladimir), her sister married Sigurd of Noway, and later Erik (II) Emune of Denmark.

King Valdemar I was maried to Sophia (of Minsk), who was daugther of Richeza, member of the Piasts from Poland, Richeza had been married to both a Prince in Minsk and a Swedish King.

One of their sons, Canute VI, was married to Gertrude, the daugther of Henry the Lion of Bavaria and Saxony, Gertrude have also been married to Frederik IV of Swabia.

Their second son Valdemar (II- with the nickname "victory) was married twice first with Dagmar/Margerata from Bohemia, then Berengaria a portugese princess.

The daugther of Valdemar I of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk was married to Philip II August in France (though he imprisoned her on the wedding! A really CK II thing. He was mercyful though, most of her life was in housearrest rather than the oblette).

I think every corner of Europe is covered.... And in very few generations:

1. Vladimir of Kiev (married to an English woman, a Byzantine and a Cuman woman)->2. Mistilav (married to a Swedish woman)->3. daughter married to Danish claimant-> 4 Valdemar I (married to Russian princes with Piast ancestors), whose children (5) marired from Bohemia, Portugal, France and Bavaria.

 

[yezhanquan]

I think what is being argued is that such marriages are the exception, not the norm.

In 1066, Anne of Kiev is still alive, and her son Philip I of France is a playable character.

 

[Thorkel the Tall]

But as you see in 5 consequent generations it happens here, even multiple times in the last (Bavaria is pretty far from Denmark, so is Portugal - France makes a bit sense, since it was an attempt to forme an aliance against HRE).

It is true that Valdemar II sons had more "close" marriages (Saxon and Pommeranian for advantageous alliances, while their sisters where married to the Norweaigean and Swedish Kings).

There are many examples of long distance marriages, but this line was funny because you in very few generations could connect so wast and different areas in direct and indirect (two/three wives of one king). Of course most marriages took place within neighbouring realms for alliances.

 

[Metz]

These are outliers of the norm. The default should be proximity/regional focused marriages. Any distance marriages should have to be worked for as a way to limit them. Perhaps by sending the chancellor to a foreign court to try to convince a daughter or sister of a marriage far away. That way the AI marries locally and in the vicinity (and rarely long distance), while if the player really does want to have a long-distance marriage then he has the tools to work for it.