Understanding Orthodox Religion & Byzantine Empire

[lilmik552]

Believe it or not I have not played as the Byzantine Empire once since I've owned the game over the years. Mainly due to the fact that I dislike playing as large Kingdoms/Empire and prefer the rags to riches approach. However recently I've decided to look into it. I am considering playing but likely as a count or duke (which I know is not the title name for them). I was reading up on the Wiki for Orthodox religion and the autocephaly...my head was spinning trying to understand the autocephaly.

Could anyone explain in simple terms what the Orthodox religion is like for simpleton like me haha? Possibly compared to Christianity or in bullet points for simplicity.

Also can someone also care to explain some of the major differences for playing as Byzantine Empire? I know they have quite a few different features compared to Christianity.

 

[schondetta]

Could you clarify if your looking for information on the religion as it pertains to the game or the actual historical axioms?

For the empire. To two main things is that it starts with viceroys unlocked. So you can grant duchies and kingdom titles on a temporary basis. The title will pass to the apointer after the appointed dies. This is infinitely easier to manage big realms then Christian realms.

The emperor title succession is elective and can be won by average Joe with deep enough pockets .though its more nuanced then that.

 

[WJS]

There's a Monarch's Journey where you start as one of the viceroy dukes of the Byzantine Empire that you might enjoy.

As for the Orthodox faith, your pope is the Ecumenical Patriarch, and he's who you ask for claims and excommunications and the like. Now, if you're further afield from the core Byzantine empire, like if you're Russian and Orthodox, then there's a Russian priest (typically your Court Chaplain) who becomes your pope you ask for claims and excommunications.

Holy wars are a thing, but no Crusades.

 

[giovdb]

There's a Monarch's Journey where you start as one of the viceroy dukes of the Byzantine Empire that you might enjoy.

As for the Orthodox faith, your pope is the Ecumenical Patriarch, and he's who you ask for claims and excommunications and the like. Now, if you're further afield from the core Byzantine empire, like if you're Russian and Orthodox, then there's a Russian priest (typically your Court Chaplain) who becomes your pope you ask for claims and excommunications.

Holy wars are a thing, but no Crusades.

And you can't Holy War Catholics, which is lame. But once you form the Roman Empire, you can switch to Hellenic Pagan, and that's a whole lot of fun

 

[lilmik552]

Could you clarify if your looking for information on the religion as it pertains to the game or the actual historical axioms?

For the empire. To two main things is that it starts with viceroys unlocked. So you can grant duchies and kingdom titles on a temporary basis. The title will pass to the apointer after the appointed dies. This is infinitely easier to manage big realms then Christian realms.

The emperor title succession is elective and can be won by average Joe with deep enough pockets .though its more nuanced then that.

It looks like WJS explained it a little. I wasnt understanding their religious head system. From what I read the Pope isn't really that important to Orthodoxy and they have their own religious leader that deals with most requests and issues. I guess I couldn't grasp why there are multiple religious leaders over the different areas and how they affect the ruler if at all.

I figured they'd be more advanced than most Empires and Kingdoms. Doesn't suprise me that they have viceroy's. They are pretty large to start.

I did not know about the elective succession...is that changeable?

Also is Byzantine the one where they encourage marriage between close relatives?

There's a Monarch's Journey where you start as one of the viceroy dukes of the Byzantine Empire that you might enjoy.

As for the Orthodox faith, your pope is the Ecumenical Patriarch, and he's who you ask for claims and excommunications and the like. Now, if you're further afield from the core Byzantine empire, like if you're Russian and Orthodox, then there's a Russian priest (typically your Court Chaplain) who becomes your pope you ask for claims and excommunications.

Holy wars are a thing, but no Crusades.

Ahh I see so the Ecumenical Patriarch is your "Pope" and the other patriarch's are only if you control certain regions?

No crusades? Boo haha.

I also noticed the born in purple on some characters. What's that about?

 

[WJS]

I did not know about the elective succession...is that changeable?

Not if the title remains Byzantine Emperor.

Also is Byzantine the one where they encourage marriage between close relatives?

No, that's Zoroastrianism (and a couple other branches like Messalianism).

Ahh I see so the Ecumenical Patriarch is your "Pope" and the other patriarch's are only if you control certain regions?

Yeah, the Ecumenical Patriarch is the "pope", but if you have your own independent kingdom then your Court Chaplain becomes "your pope".

I also noticed the born in purple on some characters. What's that about?

A child is born in the purple if he's born of a ruling Byzantine emperor/empress. That means he gets a bonus to being elected the next emperor by everyone.

 

[schondetta]

It looks like WJS explained it a little. I wasnt understanding their religious head system. From what I read the Pope isn't really that important to Orthodoxy and they have their own religious leader that deals with most requests and issues. I guess I couldn't grasp why there are multiple religious leaders over the different areas and how they affect the ruler if at all.

I figured they'd be more advanced than most Empires and Kingdoms. Doesn't suprise me that they have viceroy's. They are pretty large to start.

I did not know about the elective succession...is that changeable?

Also is Byzantine the one where they encourage marriage between close relatives?



Ahh I see so the Ecumenical Patriarch is your "Pope" and the other patriarch's are only if you control certain regions?

No crusades? Boo haha.

I also noticed the born in purple on some characters. What's that about?

The multiple religious leaders doenst really mean anything in the game. If you control all five you get a decisions to proclaim Orthodoxy as the dominant christian religion but it doesn affect your typical game play. They are just there to look pretty most the time.


Born in purple is just a nice opinion modifier that characters get for being born while there parent is the ruling emperor. It also helps there case in elective succession


BTW. All these features are outlined in the intro page when you start a game.

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

The multiple religious leaders doenst really mean anything in the game. If you control all five you get a decisions to proclaim Orthodoxy as the dominant christian religion but it doesn affect your typical game play. They are just there to look pretty most the time.

It actually does. It turns Catholicism into a heresy and permanently disables the Crusades.

It should be a pressing objective for any Byzantine Emperor as these days the Crusades are broken overpowered......and has a chance of firing on the Kingdom of Thrace.

 

[WJS]

It actually does. It turns Catholicism into a heresy and permanently disables the Crusades.

It should be a pressing objective for any Byzantine Emperor as these days the Crusades are broken overpowered......and has a chance of firing on the Kingdom of Thrace.

Ooh, now you make me think.

I had a run as the Hafsids where I eventually conquered Thrace and prime Byzantine land after the Fourth Crusade shattered them. Every crusade from then on was for Thrace, of course. If I just changed faith to Orthodox, arranged for mending the schism, then switched back to Sunni...

 

[giovdb]

You can't change succession as Byzantine, but honestly... there is NO reason why you would ever want to. It's THE best succession system IMO. It allows you to choose anyone in your dynasty (who is not a merchant republic or your rival [I guess]) to be your leader. It's very easy to make sure your successor gets elected... just buy favors from certain characters, but just enough to keep your heir at the top. Using favors to support succession last 10 years. But if your ruler is well-liked you won't need to use any favors. People will just side with you.

 

[CoSMoS]

It is possible to change the succesion but it's kinda gamey. One of the options is to get excommunicated by the Patriarch and have him demand you switch to gavelkind in order to lift it again. From there you can switch to anything you want after the 10 years have passed.

Also, from a powergaming POV there is absolutely no reason to stay Orthodox - keep it for RP, but otherwise dump it at first opportunity.

 

[giovdb]

It is possible to change the succesion but it's kinda gamey. One of the options is to get excommunicated by the Patriarch and have him demand you switch to gavelkind in order to lift it again. From there you can switch to anything you want after the 10 years have passed.

Also, from a powergaming POV there is absolutely no reason to stay Orthodox - keep it for RP, but otherwise dump it at first opportunity.

Agreed. I stayed Iconoclast until I formed the Roman Empire, but I really should have dumped it right away. But now I'm Hellenistic Pagan, and that's much more fun and has way more perks.