Originally Posted by
Dwarven Berserker
Nope. The amount of "Crosses" you have, is actually just a representation of your relations with the papal states. If your relations with the papal stated are perfect, you have 10 crosses automatically. (except when you are excommunicated). In order to increase your reltions with a faction one lever, I find a gift of 1500 florins works 95% of the time. (for example, make sure you gift 5 gifts of 1500. Not one gift of 8500. It won't give you as much reputation)
Yes, I realize that crosses are a representation of relations, and yes, you do get 1 cross for 5000 florins.
As you can see, you get 0.002 relations for every 50 florins you give. Since relations is on a scale from -1 to 1, and there are 10 crosses, 1 cross is equal to 0.2 relations. If 50 florins gives 0.002 relations, then 5000 florins gives 0.2 relations, which is 1 cross.