Gifting lands back.

[TempeGrouch]

In my Nuln gameplay, I have taken several settlements including Altdorf and the Reiksguard Castle. This has given me a MASSIVE boost in income and also recruitment grounds for superior troops. I am very reluctant to give them back to their original owners as the AI is, frankly, idiotic and falling to heresy left and right. I took over the Stirland capital and that faction is existing as a rump state. I would love to give them back just to prop them up as a buffer but I just don't see the point.

Should I just keep them?

[Himster]

You get economy buffs for doing it and if you don't for too long you get excommunicated. Especially if one of those factions gets wiped out and then requests their capital back, always say yes and always march your troops out immediately. Unless it's way late in the campaign and you're trying to make yourself Emperor as a reward fro saving the Empire, whether the other counts like it or not. But you do get a considerable civil order penalty. so.......

[TempeGrouch]

Wait, really? I never noticed any diplomatic repercussions or any order penalties from my captured provinces.

[k/t]

Probably because the other guys didn't ask for their stuff back yet.