As Heinrich "the Lion" Count of Gottingen 56 years old count with 4 counties and 4 sons, 1187. I did something horrible with his son.
1. Heinrich owned 4 counties, cant create duchies but have 4 strong claims against duchy of Bavaria, Saxony, Tuscany, and Spolleto.
2. Kaiser gave me the titles d_of Brunswick for owning 2/4 of said duchy.
3. Manage to muster some gold, proceed to attack Saxony and won, now become Grand Duke and Marshall of HRE.
4. Heinrich kicked the bucket at age 62, Heinrich II only get 1 county and D_of Brunswick, my brother, Otto got d_of Saxony along with 2 counties within it (sick gavelkind kicking in there), and the rest of counties go to the 3rd, 4th and 5th sons who just born that year (oh the irony).
5. 5 years of living in hell with all my brothers within my jurisdiction hate me, while only controlling 1 county of Braunschweig, I had to content with the council do whatever they pleased.
6. Tide turned on the 6th years of my rulership, my asshole 3rd brother, and also my steward died by the rabble while collecting taxes, led me to inheritance of Gottingen, and the fun started, revoking all counties from my 4th and 5th brothers, alongside Prince-Bishopric and county of Oldenburg controlled by other dynasty under me.
7. Simple bribery and a better relationship with my 2nd brother, Otto, led to NAP and alliance with duchy of Saxony.
8. Bavaria led by 5 years old girl under regency, my weak claim and 4k of Saxony army reinforcement was more than enough to snatch my 2nd duchy.
9. Kaiser Friederich II refused to grant me a spot in the Council, believed that Prince Mayor of Hansa was a far better Spymaster than me, I proved him wrong by bribing his guardsman with a tidy sum of 5 gold, and killing him in his sleep in the Imperial Chamber. "Duke Heinrich II send his regards, biatch!"
10. The new Kaiser from Duchy of Tyrol, knew that it was a mistake to mess with Duke of Brunswick and Bavaria, he immediately appointed me as his Spymaster, wise choice.
11. During period of time, I kidnapped heir to HRE 3 times, just to ransomed him back to his idiot Kaiser-Daddy. Well, what can I say, I need money for new city in Braunschweig named after meself "City of Heinrich" just to feed my ego.
12. Take duchy of Spolleto and Tuscany while the Duke was under regency, hah now I owned 4 duchies to my name, with the help of my brother, Otto, who asked nothing in return.
13. My father in law, Duke of Brandenburg died with idiot son succeed him. No I cannot let that happen, so I killed him in style with falling carriage, and let his 1 year old son succed him afterwards, leaving a big opening of regency, to allow me snatch the duchy in the name of my wife.
14. 5 years later, my wife died of depression, she can't burden the stress of controling Duchy while still mourning his father and brother, leading to natural inheritance of Brandenburg to my son, Heinrich III, and at the same time changing the succession law of Brunswick to Primogeniture, while killing the discontent Counts who stands against me. I don't wanna repeat the same mistakes my father did before.
15. I just need 3 more counties to be able to form kingdom of Germany and now I'm 56 years old, perfect timing to recreate the struggle of my father, and thus I attacked my alliance and my beloved brother, Otto, Duke of Saxony, he did played his role, now its time for him to "relax" in the oubliette designated just for him.
16. Now that the Germany has united under 1 banner of House Welf, its time to relax, I attacked the Kaiser immediately without forming faction 1st ( faction are for sissies, bro), right when he exhausted his forces, battled against the Pope and France for "Anti-Papal War". I won easily under his weak nose, while killing 4 of his sons including 1 infant, just to show my superiority over him.
If you want to be a dick, be a full dick, if you want to be Saint be a full Saint. There's no such thing as half-hearted ruler, because they will soon be extinct
