Where to now?

[Henry X]

Ha ha! I defeated my computer's virus (God bless whoever created HijackThis). Now, that that's out of the way, I'm trying to figure out where I should begin expansion at my neighbor's expense. I've given up on the Italian Peninsula (the Normans are good with attrition). I'll only fight the Normans again if they attack any of my territory.

So, where should I go, I'm thinking about finishing off England, which only controls the French coast of the English Channel and the Benelux countries. I could attack Denmark, which has taken contol of Scandanavia. Russia is an eastern superpower. Hungary will put up a fight in the east and I have no castles there. Venice and Hungary are my allies, Poland is poised to attack my infrastructure if I attack them. I'm thinking about going further into Iberia, where, the Spanish and the Portugese are waging war on a complete scale.

Suggestions? Note: England and Poland are both allies.
Denmark
Iberia
Russia and Poland
England, Scotland and Ireland

Where should I go. I'm weighing Iberia since I have more castles and troops stationed there.
Now, how could I provoke the Portugese into attacking me?

[delra]

Iberia. You take it and you're safe from at least one direction. Just block Gibraltar with a bunch of boats. Then you can turn around and focus your power on one direction.

[Henry X]

Haven't seen you around these forums in a while Delra. Okay, so Iberia it is unless other people tell me to go somewhere else.

Now, what would provoke Portugal into attacking me? I don't want to piss off the Pope.

[delra]

Well, there's a number of methods. For example you can violate their borders with your army to make them unhappy. Also, you can leave your border cities unguarded to encourage them into attacking you. You also can always make allies with their enemies.

If all that fails, just say their queen looks like a man...

[Captain Irish]

If you're a-scared of drawing the Pope's ire then your best bet is to park small to medium-sized armies in Portuguese territory. Do other stuff like demanding tribute or you'll attack to irk them and they'll strike first before long.

[Henry X]

Fortuitously, the Portugese have been excommunicated, so my war against them is righteous and true.