Is the Pope Bugged, or just ticked off at me?

[NobleNick]

I have two items to discuss....

1.) I have bad relations with the Pope (2 crosses. Was one cross earlier). So I thought I would butter his papal palm with a few pence, based on quotes like this:

... - a good stance with the papal states is not expensive. 200 gold a turn plus world map as a gift will often get you perfect relationship and this pays well, i find....

The problem is that I can not get the Pope to accept the gift! My 4 (or is it 5?) scroll diplomat has offered 100, 200, 300 and 500 florins to His Obstinancy, only to be told that it was not quite enough. Then I tried trading map info, with a gift of 200 thrown in: no dice. Trade info + we gift 500? 1000? 1500? 2000? No, no, no. Each time, His Repugnancy turned his nose up at the English offer. Then I offered free gifts of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500. I have used 2 different diplomats at 2 different towns over about 7 turns; but each time with same result: "Just rejected." What does it take to make this pope resemble the real world ones, who fell over themselves to take the gifts of kings, princes and lesser folk?

2.) I just finished a papal "mission" to cease hostilities with Spain. A turn later I attacked a Spanish fleet, which was in my fleet's way. Next turn I started to attack a Spanish settlement, but got the Message, "If you do this you will be excommunicated!" What? The NEXT turn I got the formal mission, again: stay away from Spain for 5 turns or be excommunicated. What happened in the turn wherein I (almost) attacked the Spanish settlement? Did the Pope get ticked off in the middle of my turn? Are others seeing this?

Thank you.

[Lord Condormanius]

The Pope doesn't like it if you constantly attack Catholic factions...especially if he has an alliance with them. You must have been a very naughty boy to get your ranking to be so low with him. It might take a while to recover from this.

[LuciusCato]

the best way to keep papal relations good, apart from bribes and one sided diplomatic offers, is to ensure that every region has a priest/Cardinal and has at least a chapel or small church. Build Cathederals (sp) if you can. Hunt heretics in your lands either with a cardinal or high level preist. (assassins work aswell) Try to get your man made pope, by any means (assassination is a good way of Rigging the election)

[pwijnands]

If your relationship is that low you should get missions, complete those. If a crusade is called, join it, preferably with your faction leader. If you take the crusade target with your faction leader, the rating should shoot up.

[Andy B]

like Lucius and Lord... said, build up more priest etc and churches, and don't continuasly attack the Catho's
its pretty annoying when they start the war and you want to go in guns blazing,
wait for them to be excomed and wipe them out in a turn

[Metellus]

Yeah unfortunately this ain't RTW, you have to have a bit more finesse than just stompin' around.... basically where it concerns other Catholic factions attacking you, the Pope is always watching to make sure you can "be the bigger man". If they continue to attack they will surely get excommed, unless they have very high standing with him (in which case, as another poster said, make "rigging" the next papal election a priority).

[Nutsack]

I have two items to discuss....

1.) I have bad relations with the Pope (2 crosses. Was one cross earlier). So I thought I would butter his papal palm with a few pence, based on quotes like this:


The problem is that I can not get the Pope to accept the gift! My 4 (or is it 5?) scroll diplomat has offered 100, 200, 300 and 500 florins to His Obstinancy, only to be told that it was not quite enough. Then I tried trading map info, with a gift of 200 thrown in: no dice. Trade info + we gift 500? 1000? 1500? 2000? No, no, no. Each time, His Repugnancy turned his nose up at the English offer. Then I offered free gifts of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500. I have used 2 different diplomats at 2 different towns over about 7 turns; but each time with same result: "Just rejected." What does it take to make this pope resemble the real world ones, who fell over themselves to take the gifts of kings, princes and lesser folk?

2.) I just finished a papal "mission" to cease hostilities with Spain. A turn later I attacked a Spanish fleet, which was in my fleet's way. Next turn I started to attack a Spanish settlement, but got the Message, "If you do this you will be excommunicated!" What? The NEXT turn I got the formal mission, again: stay away from Spain for 5 turns or be excommunicated. What happened in the turn wherein I (almost) attacked the Spanish settlement? Did the Pope get ticked off in the middle of my turn? Are others seeing this?

Thank you.

Sure you're using the gift button? Whenever I use the gift button it almost always works...

[NobleNick]

Sure you're using the gift button? Whenever I use the gift button it almost always works...

YES! Err.. I mean NO! That was my problem: I did not know the gift button existed. I joined the crusade, to go from zero crosses to one cross. And I have been gifting 300 flourins per turn for the last 4 or 5 turns, netting England 3 more crosses. I am at 4 crosses. YEE HAH!!

Thank you Nutsack! (Plus rep for you, if I can get the rep feature to work.)