What makes a good vassal?

[robc04]

I assassinated a couple counts since I was hier to their counties. This put me over the demesne limit, so I figured I would grant a landed title to someone to get rid of it. Then i realized that I have no idea what makes a good vassal except that you want someone loyal (has good opinion of you). So it looks like you can grant a landed title to anyone in your court. Other then making sure they like you, is there any other criteria for who makes a good vassal?

Thanks

 

[Raventhefuhrer]

• Avoid people with 'Ambitious' as a trait. Very bad! It gives -50 opinion. If you can find someone with the trait 'content' then that's almost an automatic 'lets give him a county', because it's a +50 opinion for you.
• Look for courtiers with high opinions of you already, as that goes towards their liking you as a liege lord
• Avoid people with high intrigue, or martial skill as these will be able to be used against you. Vassals with high stewardship/diplomacy/learning are much preferable.
• Be wary of filling your Counties and Duchies with family members because they'll naturally resent you when they get passed over in the line of succession, and have an easier time trying to depose you. Also assassinating them brings the extra potential penalty of the 'kinslayer' trait'.
• If you need to lower your demense size in the short term, but plan on giving a title to your heir as a sweet 16th present, give the County/Duchy to a loyal, but very old and unmarried courtier with no children. He'll be a loyal helper for the rest of his life, and then when he dies the title will almost certainly revert back to your possession.
• For small to medium countries by far the most preferable recipient of your titles is your heir, after he comes of age. That way when he dies you're in possession of his titles and your own, which puts you in a strong position in the short term for a succession crisis, plus you have a free hand in allocating those titles too, to sure up the authority of your new king.

 

[Theddude]

Well, to start with you'll want someone with good stewardship, that way you'll get better tax income from their holding(s). After that, try to choose someone who is your culture, preferably has the trait Content (they'll be much less likely to revolt or betray you) and similarly avoid anybody who is ambitious if at all possible, or envious which is still sort of bad. Basically try to choose some Content guy who's good at stewardship and you'll be pretty good I think.

EDIT: AH!!! Beaten to it! Oh well, I stand by my advice