Calling all cardinals

[Captain Irish]

Just wondering who has had the most cardinals at once? Playing as England I currently have eight and the Pope is English as well. I've had three popes in a row and I doubt my papal stronghold will end any time soon.

I took Cairo on crusade and have methodically chipped away at Egyptian possessions for the last 50 years. I now hold all of the Nile delta and Gaza as well. An army of priests, bishops and cardinals have converged on each new province ahead of my army.

This is truly God's work!

[Captain Irish]

Also, I was tossing up for consideration for 6.0 a thought:

If the Pope is from your nation shouldn't he be more lenient in regards to excommunication against you? English popes are just as strict when I'm fighting the Scots and Norse, threating excommunication and putting a 7 turn lien on attacking them, even when they attacked me first!

Of course, they won't and shouldn't always see eye to eye with their faction, but it'd be nice if he looked the other way once in a while.

[delra]

I had all of them a few times. 10 or 15 or so, can't really remember.

If you can dominate the college of cardinals it means there's something wrong with the Pope.

I remember old vanilla when you could easily get a cardinal after a cardinal and this was pissing me off. I like the idea of cardinals being fairly spread among european nations. With at most two or three for the most pious country. This makes the game more interesting and also allows AI to at least try hunting heretics.

And for the Pope, he quickly forgets where he comes from. Don't count on him not slapping you when you do evil things. This is just the way diplomacy works and there's little that can be done to alter that.

[echo_1]

If you fight muslim factions, sooner or later you get upper hand in the college. My personal best - all 12 (not much of the choice for next election, heh).