I just don't know what went wrong... (Vassals infighting and crown authority)

[Pinstar]

Maybe I don't understand mechanics here fully, so I'm hoping someone can explain this to me.

I am the emperor of the Byzantine empire, which has grown large enough to have about 10 kingdoms created.

Due to a born in the purple son, my empire title was on schedule to be separated from my kingdom titles upon my ruler's death.

To prevent one person from getting all the kingdoms, I handed out kingdoms to different, unrelated vassals, including one to my 1st born.


The empire and ALL the kingdoms within it are at least Medium crown authority.

Even before my ruler has died, I start seeing my first born going to war and usurping kingdom titles left and right. By the time my ruler dies and I take over as my born in the purple son, my first born has 5 kingdoms to his name and promptly forms a faction for independence.

My question is this: HOW did he get all those kingdoms? I handed them out specifically so they would stay in separate hands. Everything was at least medium crown authority, so why was he...a king level vassal... able to attack and usurp my other king-level vassals' titles when medium crown authority specifically states "no warring between vassals"

I'm in the home stretch of my first game and I don't want to spend it constantly putting down independence revolts because one vassal managed to collect half my king titles.


(And before anyone says it, Yes, I now know that I could have avoided that by making my 1st born a despot. It was suggested in another thread and I tried making him a despot just by giving him a kingdom title, which didn't help. It wasn't until long after that point that I realized that there was a "Despot" honorary title that mimics Born in the Purple for succession purposes.

 

[Zeitpfeile]

Most likely your first-born had claims to all those kingdom titles as he was second or third in line to inherit from your predecessor. Because of this, vassals in those kingdoms can start factions to press his claims for him, thus resulting in those wars. Medium crown authority doesn't prevent faction wars since they are vassals declaring against their lieges.

 

[Mods]

you could have just given your oldest son the honorary title of despot, wich would make him count as born in the purple
Giving land to you sons was a bad idea, as all sons will inherit the same claims, should have gone for far away claimless family members
Empire crown authority only seems to affect dukes, im not sure on this though

 

[Comradebot]

Most likely your first-born had claims to all those kingdom titles as he was second or third in line to inherit from your predecessor. Because of this, vassals in those kingdoms can start factions to press his claims for him, thus resulting in those wars. Medium crown authority doesn't prevent faction wars since they are vassals declaring against their lieges.

Bingo.

Medium CA isn't iron clad, far from it. Which, honestly, is a good thing... I mean, it sucked for you, but for the most part not giving the player supreme control as a liege and allowing some wiggle room as a vassal is a good thing.

I think the real lesson here is don't create kingdom with the Byzantines and then hold onto them yourself. You're not the first person I've seen run into trouble because a BITP child coming after already having kids. Alternatively, in the future you can pass out the Despot title to your eldest son if he's not BITP and he'll become heir to the Empire. Your other kids will hate him, but they'll probably be more concerned with their lack of eyes and testicles.