What have I gotten myself into...

[Pinstar]

So, with a clever marriage and some effective plotting, I've just inherited the Byzantine Empire.... only for the whole place to tear itself apart and drop crown authority to limited...and have my original 15 year old ruler murdered.

I now have a traitless, statless 1 year old as my heir. There are no open wars yet. I have the game paused with 26/7 holdings (Which I'm going to be handing out before I unpause)

What sugestions does everyone have to hold things together until my infant comes of age and can actually rule properly?

I currently have my character's mother as a spymaster. She's only got 11 intrigue but she's unlike to join a plot to murder her own son. I've got 4000+ gold, but hardly any piety or prestige.

 

[AttilaTheFun]

You mean your ruler is a 1-year old, or your heir?

Also, who are your pretenders to the throne?

 

[Dominus Anuloru]

Alright, giving out land should be enough to appease the most angry of your vassals. Make sure to hand out honorary titles to those who need a small bump. Also, if you have that much money, you could bribe some of the more rebellious vassals and keep them bribed until you have enough power to subdue them. That is all I can say without knowing more about your situation. How many vassals do you have left and how much of a military do you have?

 

[Pinstar]

You mean your ruler is a 1-year old, or your heir?

Also, who are your pretenders to the throne?

1 year old is my ruler. Previous ruler got murdered at the age of 15.

Pretenders are his Mother (Age 18) his twin sister (also 1) and his Aunt (20)

His mother likes him, thanks to the +50 mother of child bonus. His aunt could be a problem, with a -74 relationship...but she does not have any titles or hold any kind of council position.

70 potential from personal + vassal levies.
32k retinue (still reinforcing and not up to full strength now)

I have 117 vassals BEFORE giving out my excess titles. (The Empire has done REALLY well in my game)

 

[delling]

What I've done lately is allow parts of the vassals to go independent. Bribe a lot of the vassals, but leave the most antagonistic, watch the factions (use your spymaster to discourage the leaders of other plots). The most aggressive opponents are, in my experience, extremely hard to get happy - better to get rid of them in a revolt. As soon as the independence faction makes their demand, let them go. You get strong claims on all of them and they are not automatically allied, leaving them open for you to invade one after the other, revoke all titles and hand the titles out to new, invited nobles at your own pace. The new nobles will be grateful, giving the most positive counts duchies will keep down the number of vassals you need to bribe. You'll fight a bunch of tiny wars to get back the Empire and replace most of the landed nobility, but you have 15 years until your toddler comes of age anyway so you might as well do that...

Of course, I haven't really played the game as much as some others here on the forum, and there are a lot of differences in tactics used, so my current method might well not be optimal. I also haven't really played Empire much, just multiple Kingdoms...

 

[JonStryker]

First I would decide which demesne counties to keep and which to give away.

I always favor kinsmen to give the most useless counties to. If you fear a claim they have put them below a duke.
For the more useful demesne counties you want to regain as soon as your emperor has come of age, has married or generally gained some stewardship skill I would choose one of the following:
- eunuchs: you can give them several counties; eunuchs are your best friends; they are a good choice for duchies, too
- celibate lowborns: give them counties if they are not ambitious; prefer old ones; sadly some of them will still reproduce

As long as those guys do not reproduce you'll get their land and money when they die. Good source of income

Do not give useful land to unhappy vassals. You'll just make them stronger.

Transfer vassals if possible, bribe them and give away titles to please them instead.

 

[Pinstar]

I might give the "Make lots of Prince Bishops" method a try suggested in another thread. I know its a bit gamey but this is my very first playthrough.

Any tips to keep my 1 year old from getting murdered? Or am I already doing everything I can?