I've been reading about how Burgundy gained control of the Netherlands, and one of the factors was the election of a pro-Burgundian bishop of Liège. Later on, Liège and other prince-bishoprics were routinely occupied by Wittelsbachs, making them satellites of Bavaria.
I think it would be cool to emulate this, and I have a couple of suggestions.
The first is to open up Christian theocracies to influence from other countries, similarly to elective monarchies. By investing a diplomat, monarchies promote their candidates to the current bishop, with the top contender appearing as the bishopric's de facto heir.
The bishop meanwhile still gets an event to choose an heir between various contenders, representing a protege that they are recommending to the Holy See (the Pope technically being the one to elevate bishops). This protege then competes with the candidates from other countries, similar to how a dynastic heir is promoted by Poland/the PLC in the elective system.
The leading contender becomes the new bishop upon the old bishop's death or resignation. If a foreign country's candidate wins, that country gets bonuses in their relationship with the bishopric -- something like "Puppet Bishop" granting +25 relations and +25 willingness to be vassalised, as well as waiving the distance penalty to vassalization.
A further mechanic is using papall influence to sway a bishop's elevation. The bishopric gets this on their court tab -- hit button to pay 5 PI for a boost to their heir's candidacy. A competing monarchy gets it in their diplomacy menu. And not only can they boost a candidacy, they can also get a separate interaction -- pay PI to have their candidate be a younger son of their dynasty. From then on, they will always have their candidate be of their house, with monarch point bonuses if they are elected (as with Poland) and the additional relationship perks of sharing a dynasty on top of the Puppet Bishop bonus.
The upshot is that it should be quite easy to vassalise a Puppet Bishop. However that bishop will not live forever, and a vassal theocracy should turn rebellious if an independent bishop is appointed. Like, they get a "Compromised Freedom of the Church" malus that drops relations and boosts Liberty Desire. So a monarchy needs to continue to invest in their religious satellite, unless and until they annex them. It could be even worse if they get a Puppet Bishop from another country -- that country could get a CB to "Liberate the Church".
(While I've been using "bishop" and "bishopric" throughout, this would also work for Monastic Orders.)
Theocracies could also "Curtail Simony and Nepotism" that ends this mechanic. I'm not sure if it would work better as a decision or government reform.
In the case of Liège, I think some special events should come into play, making both its vsssalization by Philip the Good semiautomatic, but also modelling the subsequent Liège Wars where the people attempted to eject the Burgundian puppet (and were crushed by Charles the Bold).
I think it would be cool to emulate this, and I have a couple of suggestions.
The first is to open up Christian theocracies to influence from other countries, similarly to elective monarchies. By investing a diplomat, monarchies promote their candidates to the current bishop, with the top contender appearing as the bishopric's de facto heir.
The bishop meanwhile still gets an event to choose an heir between various contenders, representing a protege that they are recommending to the Holy See (the Pope technically being the one to elevate bishops). This protege then competes with the candidates from other countries, similar to how a dynastic heir is promoted by Poland/the PLC in the elective system.
The leading contender becomes the new bishop upon the old bishop's death or resignation. If a foreign country's candidate wins, that country gets bonuses in their relationship with the bishopric -- something like "Puppet Bishop" granting +25 relations and +25 willingness to be vassalised, as well as waiving the distance penalty to vassalization.
A further mechanic is using papall influence to sway a bishop's elevation. The bishopric gets this on their court tab -- hit button to pay 5 PI for a boost to their heir's candidacy. A competing monarchy gets it in their diplomacy menu. And not only can they boost a candidacy, they can also get a separate interaction -- pay PI to have their candidate be a younger son of their dynasty. From then on, they will always have their candidate be of their house, with monarch point bonuses if they are elected (as with Poland) and the additional relationship perks of sharing a dynasty on top of the Puppet Bishop bonus.
The upshot is that it should be quite easy to vassalise a Puppet Bishop. However that bishop will not live forever, and a vassal theocracy should turn rebellious if an independent bishop is appointed. Like, they get a "Compromised Freedom of the Church" malus that drops relations and boosts Liberty Desire. So a monarchy needs to continue to invest in their religious satellite, unless and until they annex them. It could be even worse if they get a Puppet Bishop from another country -- that country could get a CB to "Liberate the Church".
(While I've been using "bishop" and "bishopric" throughout, this would also work for Monastic Orders.)
Theocracies could also "Curtail Simony and Nepotism" that ends this mechanic. I'm not sure if it would work better as a decision or government reform.
In the case of Liège, I think some special events should come into play, making both its vsssalization by Philip the Good semiautomatic, but also modelling the subsequent Liège Wars where the people attempted to eject the Burgundian puppet (and were crushed by Charles the Bold).
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