Personal Unions?

**Nosjack** · September 21, 2011, 07:05 AM

So several nations start out in "Personal Unions" where they are ruled by the king of their parent country.

What's the difference between pu's and just being a vassal? Why do I sometimes "inherit the throne" of smal countries and get pu's with larger countries?

Also, what affects the AI's willingness to integrate into my nation after they've been under pu for 50 years? Playing as Poland I had full prestige, full legitimacy, my army was larger and more advanced but Lithuania constantly refused my demands for peaceful annexation. What gives?

**Poach** · September 21, 2011, 07:30 AM

Vassal: The Monarch of one nation is subservient to the other. Essentially if England vassalises Scotland, Scotland remains a nation but it's foreign policy is controlled by England. The Scottish King remains on his throne (though he is demoted to a Duke).

Personal Union: One Monarch sits on both thrones. If England and Scotland were in a PU, one King would rule both. The "ruler" nation depends on which nation the King is originally from.

In practice they're both very similar. Vassals give you 50% of their tax income though, which PU partners do not.

Here's a wiki page for you to read. Unfortunately, as you will read, the exact mechanics behind inheritance aren't fully clear.

**Nosjack** · September 21, 2011, 08:14 AM

Thanks, I found that page after posting here

Seems that large nations don't like to be diplo-annexed.....

**John I Tzimisces** · September 21, 2011, 11:31 AM

Basically, when a monarch ruling a personal union dies, three things can happen: the personal union continues under his heir, the personal union ends (this happens if the prestige of the kingdom leading the union is negative, or if relations between the subject and leader are negative), or the subject nation is inherited by the leader.

It may just be that there is a random percentage chance that a personal union will result in annexation, but I'm fairly sure you cannot demand annexation as you would a vassal nation, unless the starting personal unions work a little differently than ones that occur later on...

oh. unless you're playing divine wind. then, i have no clue, as the wiki seems to indicate you can indeed sorta do that.