有趣角色指南

选择不同的开始日期和角色对游戏难度和目标具有深远影响。

这个页面列举了一些有趣的角色 ，并将指出这些角色为什么具有挑战性、有趣或简单。一些金色名字角色在每周挑战 (GOTW)登场了。这通常表明这些角色有梗。

在十字军之王2中，你可以驾驭任何一个历史人物，并将他导向任意一种的历史结局。

特色统治者

一些统治者被Paradox本身标记为特别有趣的角色。这些统治者在游戏主界面中被一段关于他们目的或特质的特定描述突出表示，最终会在一段时间之后被值得注意的另一个角色所替代。从最早一位被推荐的角色到最近的一位分别为:

宗教	角色	起始年份	描述
	于格 德 吕西尼昂(Hugues de Lusignan), 吕西尼昂伯爵	1066	作为吕西尼昂的恶魔加入十字军！
	约翰“瞎子”(Johann the Blind), 波希米亚国王	1337	成为波希米亚的盲勇士！
	阿尔瓦 萨利赫(Arwa Sulayhid), 也门苏丹娜	1074	在她的一生中发现真主的旨意！
	立陶宛的明道加斯(Mindaugas of Lithuania), 立陶宛大酋长	1236	解开这位王者的奥秘！
	查理 德 安茹(Charles de Anjou), 匈牙利国王	1307	为匈牙利王国带来繁荣！
	阿斯图里亚斯的马乌雷加托(Mauregatus of Asturias), 阿斯托加伯爵	769	如历史上一般夺取王位并守住它，避免落入其他贵族之手！
	博埃蒙 德 欧特维尔(Bohemond d'Hauteville), 安条克亲王	1098	机会如同秋雨般落到了这位统治者身上！
	佩德罗尼拉 希梅纳(Petronilla Jimena), 阿拉贡女王	1157	年轻的统治者，希梅纳王朝最后的希望，她能延续王朝吗？
	伟大者利韦林(Llywelyn the Great), 圭内斯国王	1195	建立一个独立的威尔士王国并在未来继续掌控她！
	塔玛丽(Tamari), 格鲁吉亚女王	1184	重建格鲁吉亚王国的黄金时代！
	努诺(Nuno), 波尔图公爵	1066	成为一位国王... 只要不要中道崩殂！
	米哈伊洛(Mihajlo), 塞尔维亚国王	1066	团结他的国家，成为斯拉夫人真正的国王！

基督教封建领主

天主教

亚该亚公国

• 玛蒂尔德 德 阿韦讷(Matilda d'Avesnes)，亚该亚女亲王（游戏中为女公爵），1316.8.2：她只有23岁，但在你开始游戏的时候，她已经两次丧偶。有趣的事实在于：她来自弗兰德斯。

安纳托利亚王国（包括其下独立的诸公国）

• 罗素 德 巴约勒(Roussel de Bailleul)，哈尔希安公爵，1071.8.26：一位服务于拜占庭军队的诺曼佣兵队长，在曼齐刻尔特之战的灾难后于安纳托利亚建立了一个短命的独立公国。试着去创造一个独立而持续的天主教安纳托利亚王国来改写历史吧。

安条克公国

• 雷诺 德 沙蒂永(Reynald de Châtillon)，安条克公爵，1153-1160：在历史上，他是个为领地而结婚、为钱财拷打主教、为利益破坏和约的机会主义者。他是穆斯林和十字军国家之间和平共处的主要绊脚石之一。在哈丁战役中被俘获后，雷诺因他的“恶毒罪行与背信弃义”而遭到斥责，并被萨拉丁亲自斩首。在游戏里，雷诺处于困境之中。雷诺是个外交属性为零点、七宗罪中有四宗的优秀战术家（除此之外还有奸诈属性！）。他控制了安条克公国三块伯爵领中的两块，第三块则归可怕的阿萨辛派掌管。雷诺从未向拜占庭人宣誓效忠，他也被证明是耶路撒冷的一个不安分的附庸。但若你不向某人宣誓效忠，那就等着被圣战至灭亡吧。

阿基坦王国

• 路易二世“结巴” 加洛林(Louis II "the Stammerer" Karling)，阿基坦国王，867：你开局被北边的西法兰克、东边的洛塔林吉亚、东南的意大利、就在南边山对面的穆斯林以及西南边需要帮助的阿斯图里亚斯所环绕。好像这还不够糟糕似的、你的公爵们并不是你的支持者，而且你在有两个儿子的同时采用均分继承法。仅仅是安定内部且保持独立就将十分困难，但你也可以继承西法兰克王国并最终统一法兰西。在那之后你将会专注于何种目标？驱逐摩尔人？尝试溯源地超越拿破仑？谁知道呢？

阿拉贡王国

• 豪梅 德 巴塞罗那(Jaume de Barcelona)，征服者，阿拉贡国王兼巴塞罗那伯爵，1213.9.14-1276：阿拉贡国王佩雷二世的独子。在他的父亲死于抵抗天主教针对清洁派十字军对奥克地区的进攻后，他年幼便继承了一个刚刚失去了主要政治势力范围的王国。在1212年基督教派于纳瓦斯 德 托洛萨取得胜利后，豪梅被迫将注意力集中在一个可实现但曾经没有过的目标上。60多年的执政期间，他和匈牙利的薇奥兰特结婚，征服瓦伦西亚王国和马略卡王国（游戏中是公国），结束了阿拉贡王国的征服，允许他的继承人们将势力范围扩展到地中海西部的其他地区，主要是西西里、那不勒斯和撒丁，也包括希腊。
• 桑乔一世 希梅纳(Sancho I Jimena)，阿拉贡国王，1066.9.15：比利牛斯山的一个省份的王国，你对伊比利亚半岛东部所拥有的广泛法理宣称提供了扩展的极好机会，而且不会捅了南边安达卢西亚穆斯林的马蜂窝。不过，你必须小心选择你的战斗；邻近的萨拉戈萨埃米尔国和巴塞罗那公国都比你强大，但希梅纳王国也在看着你的后背。如果你能占领半岛，整个世界都是你的。
• 阿方索二世 德 巴塞罗那(Alfonso II de Barcelona)，阿拉贡国王，1174.10.16：最终，内斗争吵的希梅纳家族被遏制到了纳瓦拉剩余地区内，但他们的遗产继续毒害着伊比利亚天主教的团结。葡萄牙，卡斯蒂利亚和阿拉贡甚至分别对抗统一的穆瓦希德哈里发国（游戏中是苏丹国）。巴塞罗那家族被强大势力环绕且朋友寥寥。但你是吟游诗人阿方索。如此华丽的名字需要领地来相配。也许贡德尔也应该对阿拉贡效忠……
• 阿拉贡的佩德罗尼拉女王(Queen Petronila of Aragon)，阿拉贡女王，1157.8.16：她是希梅纳家族在阿拉贡的最后一位统治者，24岁且已婚（和巴塞罗那伯爵），在这个开局有一个新生儿。杀死丈夫或者离婚后，入赘再婚，改变你的继承法（为选举或幼子继承法）。

巴塞罗那公国

• 埃尔蒙古 德 乌尔赫尔(Ermengol d'Urgell)，乌尔赫尔伯爵，1066.9.15：从西班牙最安全的地方发动收复失地运动——但要谨防针对你的杰哈德。确保在最糟的情况发生前，有足够的力量去应对。
• 威尔弗雷多 德 巴塞罗那(Wifredo de Barcelona)，巴塞罗那公爵，878.1.1：The founder of the House of Barcelona, son of Sunifred, (earlier Count of Barcelona, Urgell, Cerdanya Girona, Osona, Besalú, etc.) he starts as a Baron in Urgell under Duke Bernard Gellones of Barcelona, so you'll have to land him and reload as him. While he's been reduced to a barony, Wifredo has a strong claim on the Duchy of Barcelona, courtesy of his father. He was historically granted the County of Barcelona (the Duchy, in-game) after siding with Charles and his son Louis against a faction of noble rebels, among them the previous Count of Barcelona, Bernard of Gothia (Bernard Gellones in-game). He's the founding father of the independent Catalan counties and maybe the main hero in Catalan medieval folklore. A legend tells that the Arms of the House of Barcelona (which became the Catalan national flag) were created by Emperor Louis, who gave him a golden shield and blotted it with the blood of his wounded vassal. A hard game if you wish to follow in his footsteps and take over the Catalan counties, as you have a quite powerful Frankish liege and the Carolingian mess can be less tumultuous than in real life.
• 拉蒙-贝伦格尔三世(Ramon Berenguer III)巴塞罗那与普罗旺斯伯爵，1113：Through his marriage with Dolça of Provence, Ramon Berenguer III The Great rules not only as Count of Barcelona (Duchy in-game), but also as Count of Provence (Duchy in-game) and his already born son Ramon Berenguer will inherit the County of Gevaudan, making him one of the most powerful Christian lords in the Western Mediterranean. Historically, despite him reconquering Tarragona permanently and Mallorca temporally, his main political focus was centered in the Occitan lands, policies that were continued by his descendants until 1213 with the death at Muret of King Pere of Aragon during the Cathar crusade. Upon his death, he gave Barcelona to his firstborn son Ramon Berenguer IV the Saint (father of King Alfons of Aragon) and Provence to his second son Berenguer Ramon, despite King Alfons reincorporating it when the county passed to Berenguer Ramon's granddaughter (only to give it upon his death to his brother, also called Ramon Berenguer).
• 埃尔门嘉妲 德 纳博讷(Ermengarda de Narbonne)，纳博讷女伯爵，1143-1197：Should be unmarried and childless at the beginning of her 54-year reign. A very cultured lady - she especially liked bards. Unfortunately, she was unlucky in marriage.

布列塔尼公国

• 柯南二世 德 雷恩(Konan II de Rennes)，布列塔尼小型国王，1066.9.15：Last legitimate male of his dynasty in 1066. He threatened to invade Normandy as soon as William's army had crossed the Channel, when this happened he promptly did as promised. At the end of the year, he donned a pair of poisoned riding gloves and collapsed dead, most probably on William's orders. His premature demise meant the end of the de Rennes dynasty; he was succeeded by his sister and, after her death, his brother-in-law. Your first priority is to marry, have children and continue the de Rennes male line. Start forging claims on Cornwall, Wales and Ireland, then begin your wars of expansion. In many ways, Brittany in 1066 is the ideal tutorial playground.
• 埃杜瓦尔 德 庞蒂耶夫尔(Edouarzh de Penthièvre)，庞蒂耶夫尔伯爵，1066：A 67-year-old count who founded the youngest branch of the de Rennes and was once duke of Brittany, so you have a strong claim on it. With good luck and health, you can take the duchy back and have a similar good start to your liege and nephew Konan II, except you're much older. But the most interesting thing about this character is that he has not only a daughter, but THIRTEEN sons (half bastards) and SIX grandsons (all legitimate), so it's a wonderful start to learn how to build a new family, marrying duchesses or even princesses to grow the familial lands.

卡斯蒂利亚王国

• 贝伦格拉(Berenguela)，卡斯蒂利亚与托雷多女王，1217.6-8：This queen had an incredibly short real-life reign; she abdicated in favor of her son Ferdinand III after only two months. Make her reign longer and give Berenguela a chance to prove herself as a ruler.
• 桑乔二世 希梅纳(Sancho II Jimena)，卡斯蒂利亚国王，1066.9.15或1066.12.26：Why play as El Cid when you can play as his liege? Use a young Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar to command your army as you bring Iberia under your control. Your brother is not exactly on good terms with you and the usual Muslim infidels are everywhere. Can you avoid Sancho's historical fate?
• 恩里克 德 特拉斯塔马拉(Enrique de Trastámara)，阿斯图里亚斯 德 奥维耶多伯爵，1332.1.14：The bastard son of Alfonso XI of Castile, he holds a one province minor in the northwest of the country. Historically, he was supported by his father, but after his death, staged many revolts against his brother, Pedro the Cruel. With French and Aragonese support, he overthrew and killed his brother, and went on to become King Henry II. His family would go on to unite Castile and Aragon and lay down the basis for what would become the Kingdom of Spain. Making the move from count to king will be difficult, let alone to become Emperor of all Spain (technically King), especially with only 120 years to do it, but it's a good challenge.

克罗地亚王国

• 德米塔尔-兹沃尼米尔 特皮米洛维奇(Dmitar-Zvonimir Trpimirovic)，斯拉沃尼亚公爵，1066.9.15 或 克罗地亚国王，1081：Historically, Croatia passed to the King of Hungary after a bloody succession crisis, due to the machinations of Dmitar's widow, Ilona, who was also the King of Hungary's sister, and entered a union with Hungary that lasted until 1918. Can you prevent the extinction of House of Trpimirović and the union with Hungary (or perhaps, see Hungary and Croatia united under your house)?
• 伊洛娜(Ilona)，克罗地亚女王，1090-1091：Dmitar-Zvonimir's widow, an Arpad princess who starts with the King of Hungary (her brother) as an ally. This start should be somewhat easy since she has such an awesome ally and you can build her family as you wish.

丹麦王国

• 斯温二世 伊里温(Svend II Estrid)，丹麦国王，1066.9.15-1074：Historically he feuded with Hardrade, had little success in military affairs, and fathered an impressive twenty or more children, all the better to secure alliances and inheritance. Svend also starts with a claim on England. Whether you attempt to reunite the North Sea Empire, create the Kalmar Union or restore the Danelaw you've got plenty of options open. You can start the Baltic crusades early and take your share of the pagan land. You start with a small but stable kingdom and if you're lucky the Holy Roman Empire will neglect to counter your growth in the north allowing you plenty time to become a great northern empire. The housecarl retinue adds some strong muscle you can put to good use. With reasonable goals and a little luck, the north is yours! There's also an achievement for conquering England as him.

杜克利亚公国

• 米哈伊洛一世 杜克列宁(Mihajlo I Dukljanin)，杜克利亚公爵，1066.9.15：He starts independent and needs one province to create Serbia. Easy right? Well, not when both of the other Serbian provinces are in the ERE. One is owned by your 9th son (that's right, 9th), the other by the future Emperor Michael VII, not a man you want to get on the wrong side of. Can you form Serbia and go on to unite the Slavic kingdoms?

埃德萨公国

• 鲍德温二世 德 勒泰勒(Baudouin II de Rethel)，埃德萨公爵，1100：Just south of Rum, Edessa formed in 1098 as an independent French Catholic Duchy, surrounded almost completely by Muslim neighbors. The preferred start is 1100 as in 1098 you start as an insignificant member of an established house, while in the 1100 start you get to play as Baudouin, a successful Crusader who inherited Edessa. Historically he ended up as the King of Jerusalem, through unknown relations to King Baudouin I, he surpassed the other claimants and obtained the throne. Install Baudouin II as the King of Jerusalem or simply trying to stay alive as Edessa, your choice. Quite a challenging start probably requires swearing fealty to Jerusalem or the ERE.
• 莱姆鲍德 德 阿弗兰基(Raimbaud de Afranji)，艾因塔卜伯爵，1072：Sitting in the county of Aintab is probably one of the most challenging starts in the game. Historically, Raimbaud served Philaretos Brachamios (Vahram Varajnuni) as a mercenary captain in command of 8,000 men. He was given the castle of Afranji ("Franks" in Armenian) and proved quite loyal - he died defending Brachamios' tent during a battle. In-game, it doesn't quite pan out like that for Raimbaud - he has nowhere near 8,000 men under his command; he is a one province Frankish Catholic count, vassal to an Armenian Miaphysite and the next-door neighbour to the mighty Seljuk Turks. Good luck, you'll need it.

英格兰王国

• 哈罗德 戈德温森(Harold Godwinson)，英格林国王，1066.9.26：Yes, he's at the Stamford Bridge start as usual, but with the most recent patches his odds went from underdog to David versus Goliath. Start a few days later and Hardrade is out of the war after Godwinson's victory at Stamford, leaving you a decent force to attempt to turn back the Norman tide. Even so, expect William to put up a ferocious fight and never make the mistake of fighting him on open ground - even the mighty huscarls don't fare well against the Norman knights.
• 亨利一世 德 诺曼底(Henry I de Normandie), 英格兰国王，1100.8.3：Last of the de Normandie kings of England. Can you make sure your house doesn't shatter into pieces and honour The Conqueror's legacy? Or is the House of Normandy destined to die out like it did in reality?
• 亨利二世 金雀花(Henry II Plantagenet)，英格兰国王，1155.1.1：Start off the Plantagenet dynasty and the Angevin Empire on the right foot and see if the sons you sire end up any better than the ones Henry spawned historically. Alternatively, start as him in 1187; The Lion In Winter, CK2 style. Henry had established himself in both England and the continent but at a high personal cost. He is estranged from his wife and 2 sons and historically died 2 years after his sons rebelled. Although Richard is the Lionheart, let the old lion roar one last time in his twilight, and put his house in order before he departs.
• 爱德华三世 金雀花(Edward III Plantagenet)，英格兰国王，百年战争开始：Unfortunately Edward III doesn't have the traits he should, but you do begin with a strong claim on France (via your mother) and a powerful, centralized realm. Your son and heir, the future Black Prince, is a young boy and ready to be tutored to greatness, and France will often be divided and thrown into various civil wars. Forge marriage alliances with Scotland and Brittany, wait for an opportune moment and pounce.
• 阿尔弗雷德 威塞克斯(Alfred of Wessex)，多塞特伯爵，867 Yup, that Alfred. Used GOTW：
  • Become King of England
  • Remove all Norse territory and religion from the de jure kingdoms of England, Wales and Scotland
  • Stay Catholic and Anglo-Saxon
  • Obtain the title 'the Great' on at least one ruler
• 奥斯武夫 班堡(Oswulf of Bamburgh)，诺森布里亚伯爵, 1066：A native son of the North, you've had your fill of being lorded over by southerners, who, to add insult to injury, have held the Earldom (in-game Duchy) of Northumbria since the murder of your grandfather, Uhtred, 50 years ago. First, arrange a little "accident" for your cousin, Eadwulf, who holds lands just across the border, preferably before he has children. This should give you a foothold to restore Northumbrian rule to Lothian. Once you have Eadwulf's land, you'll need to turn your attention to the Mercian brothers (hopefully neither of them dies childless and leaves the other with both Mercia and Northumbria), from whom you will want to claim the Duchy of Northumbria and perhaps more. After that, the succession crisis in the south represents a golden opportunity, no matter which route you choose. Restore Northumbria as an independent kingdom, perhaps, and avert a millennium in London's shadow? Provide England with a new royal dynasty to stem the endless succession of pretenders from the mainland and the powerful earls who jostle for the crown through the Witenagemot? Or unite the entire island, no, the entire British Isles, for the first time, and see if you can reproduce the success of a united British Empire? Whatever you choose, surely a gruff, hardworking Northerner, if anyone, is up to the task?
• 威廉一世 德 诺曼底(William I de Normandie)，佛兰德斯公爵，1127.2.3：As the grandson of William the Conqueror you just have been given your grandmother's land, the wealthy Duchy of Flanders. Now can you take your grandfather's land too, and become the next king of England, instead of your uncle Henry?
• 卡多克 舍诺(Cadoc Cerneu)，康沃尔伯爵，1066.9.15：the last Cornish Earl of Cornwall. He's still around in 1066 (both Stamford Bridge and William the Conqueror start) but will disappear in a couple of months, like in history. Descended from the ancient Kings of Dumnonia, he starts with a wife, brother, daughter and some nephews. Apart from Ralph de Gael (Earl of Norfolk), he's the only Breton ruler left in Britain. You can't form the Duchy of Cornwall immediately, and although the King always can, he's far more likely to give it to one of his many kinsmen than you, but with luck and patience, you'll have your chance to usurp it sooner or later.
• 威廉 马歇尔(William Marshal)，德维得伯爵，1204剧本 或 1197后 The greatest knight who ever lived sits on an earl's throne in Wales. Bring him and his fledgeling dynasty greater glory still. Used in GOTW：
  • Acquire the 'True Christian Knight' modifier (with any player character)
  • Remain a vassal of the king/queen of England. Rebellion is forbidden.
  • Acquire 5000 prestige with one ruler
• 西蒙 德 孟福尔(Simon de Montfort)，莱斯特伯爵，1225：Leader during the Barons' War against King Henry III, he became the de facto leader of England for a short time before his death in battle. Starting as a simple earl, making Simon's rise match that of history might be a challenge, but one worth a try.
• 阿兰 德 庞蒂耶夫尔(Alan de Penthièvre)，约克伯爵，1071.1.1： This is Alan Rufus, one of the richest men in history. Sadly, his wealth is not modelled in-game, but he's still an interesting historical figure.

法兰西王国

• 让娜 卡佩(Jeanne Capet)，纳瓦拉女伯爵，1327.1.1 - 百年战争剧本：An unmarried 16-year-old with a strong claim on the Duchy of Champagne and weak claims on the Kingdoms of Navarre and France, you are the second most senior living Capetian - preceded only by your uncle and liege, Charles IV. Denied the throne of France due to her sex and that of Navarre due to her mother's illicit bedchamber adventures, Jeanne's chances of inheriting either are slim. You will have to fight the Prince-Bishop of Reims for Champagne. Historically, after her uncle's death, Jeanne reclaimed Navarre, but never France itself. Play as her immediately after her uncle's death in 1328, and you'll find that she has become Queen of Navarre, and more importantly, remains unmarried. Once you start, there are several ways you can get started reclaiming France itself. One of them is a strategic marriage; several kings would gladly have you as their daughter-in-law, including your Catalan neighbour. If you start any later, you will find yourself with more of a challenge - the Kingdom of Navarre has passed to your husband, once again leaving Jeanne with only the County of Navarre, and depending on how late you start, you'll probably already have children. Whenever you start, be prepared to take advantage of the inevitable Hundred Years' War, one that could be brought on sooner by your masterful intrigue...
  • Acquire the titles once held by your paternal grandmother：the Kingdom of Navarre and the Duchy of Champagne.
  • Conquer all counties belonging de jure to Navarre and Champagne.
  • Stay Frankish.
  • Press your claim on your paternal grandfather's realm - France itself!
• 诺弗鲁瓦 金雀花(Geoffrey Plantagenet)，安茹公爵，1129.1.2：Play as the founder of the Plantagenet Dynasty and try to claim England from your small duchy! You can marry Matilda, the daughter of the still-living Henry I of England. This will give any children born to you a claim on the kingdom of England. If you play your cards right, Henry will die without a male heir, leaving the kingdom to Matilda, who is your wife. This means that your children will inherit England! You may want to consider starting the game on 24 Aug. 1129, Geoffrey's 16th birthday. The widow Princess Matilda is likely to marry someone else before you have a chance if you start the game months too early. Being a bastard is not an issue as far as marrying a widow princess is concerned.
• 玛丽 德 布卢瓦(Marie de Blois)，布洛涅女伯爵，1160：At first glance, the youthful Marie seems like a minor French noblewoman. No, wait, she is Norman... and a princess! The Anarchy has ended leaving Marie's brothers dispossessed of their father Stephen's English crown, and her brothers have since both died childless. Marie is thus left with her father's county of Mortain, her mother's county of Boulogne, and a weak claim on England. She is 24 and childless but married to the son and heir of her liege, the Duke of Flanders, so arranging a quick end to the marriage is necessary. With Marie's second cousin Henry controlling all of England, a large part of France and most of Aquitaine, claiming your heritage will be very challenging. Very.
• 腓力一世 卡佩(Philippe I Capet)（小卡佩），法兰西国王，1066：你年仅14岁，有两个兄弟姐妹，以及一群比你强大的封臣。诺曼底公爵威廉手握1w重（huoxing）兵，正在发动一场夺取英格兰王位的战争。你的叔叔勃艮第公爵攥着国王宣称。你的直属封臣兰斯主教在香槟公爵的法理内。阿基坦公爵兼图卢兹公爵拥兵自重。佛兰德斯公爵想要独立，并且有一个神罗法理内的封臣。你能重现历史，克服一切困难生存下来并让你的家族繁荣吗？
• 让一世 卡佩(Jean I Capet)，法兰西国王，1316.11.15：Your dynasty is almost as weak as in 1066, but you don't have giga-vassals. However, you are surrounded by Castille, Aragon and the HRE. If you die and your uncle doesn't manage to have children, you have the Hundred Years' War. If not... there are only a few English counties left in southern France and you could have Brittany and Savoy easily. Sadly, the regency preceding his rule has been replaced by him living longer, so by beginning at the above date, you are not a posthumous newborn.
• 吉扬八世 德 普瓦图(Guilhem VIII de Poitou)，阿基坦公爵，1066.9.15：In 1066 the Duke of Aquitaine is the mightiest of the dukes beneath the King of France. If you can lead a successful campaign against the young King Philippe and free your realm from his vassalage, Aquitaine stands to raise itself to a mighty kingdom. From there, another series of wars with France to reclaim the rich Duchy of Toulouse and the reconquest of the once-Aquitainian Duchy of Barcelona will set you on the road to being one of the mightiest realms of Europe
• 吉扬九世 德 普瓦图(Guilhem IX de Poitou)，阿基坦公爵，1086.9.25：You've played as a great conqueror, or three, and achieved greatness from nothing... so why not look into cultural achievements, instead? Duke Guilhem IX of Aquitaine is, while of some importance as a historical figure, better known for being the first recorded troubadour, with several of his works of bawdy Occitan poetry about love, sex and feudal politics - some of which are still hilarious - surviving to this day. Furthermore, he was a renowned womaniser, significantly involved in struggles for dominance within France in his efforts to take over other duchies, and alternately promoted and defied the Catholic Church. To top it all off, he was also a crusader in 1101, albeit an unsuccessful one - and Eleanor of Aquitaine's grandfather, to boot. History also records that he declined to kill an enemy bishop, quipping "I don't love you enough to send you to paradise!" What more is to be said, other than that his start as a powerful duke is not particularly difficult, and that you are free to take this great, womanising poet wherever you want into the history books. Maybe just try not to be quite as horrible to his wife as he was, this time.
• 厄德二世 德 勃艮第(Eudes II de Bourgogne)，勃艮第公爵，1153：The former spouse of Louis VII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has helped the English king to inherit all of Aquitaine, practically 1/4 of France. Half of the de jure kingdom is now in the hands of the Plantagenets, and they also look at Toulouse with greed. As a loyal vassal of the good, but not so skilled Louis VII, help to defend the remaining French realm and reconquer the lands that rightfully belong to the Capets! Of course, after the French crown and lands are secured, you can stop being (or pretending to be) a loyal servant and take the crown for yourself.
• 鲍德韦因五世(Boudewijn V)，佛兰德斯公爵，1066.9.15：The wealthiest provinces of France with the option to go HRE whenever you wish, one or two counties away from forming Frisia, and some fine relatives to boot.
• 吉扬四世 德 图卢兹(Guilhelm IV de Toulouse)，图卢兹公爵，1066.9.15：A very interesting character that allows for very plausible switches into alternate history. Historically, the counts of Toulouse and the kings of Aragon were very close until the rise of the Montforts and the Albigensian crusade, when Simon de Montfort defeated the combined forces of Aragon and Toulouse at the battle of Muret. With a closely linked Aragon and Toulouse, you could potentially become the king of Aragon, and end up with a disunited Spain. There could be a Hispanic Portugal and Castile in the far west, and an Occitan Aragon that spreads along the Mediterranean coast from Provence in the east to Murcia in the west, and stretches from Sicily in the south to Gap or even Vienne in the north.
• 雷蒙德五世 德 图卢兹(Raimond V de Toulouse)，图卢兹公爵，1094.1.1：With the Cathar heresy at its zenith, you can choose to crush it, or join it.
• 厄德 卡佩(Eudes Capet)，沙特尔伯爵，867
• 埃贝尔 加洛林(Herbert Karling)，韦芒杜瓦伯爵，1066.9.15：the last living descendant of Charlemagne and a count near Paris. Used in GOTW：
  • Reclaim the Holy Roman Empire or Francia, with respective De Jure territory based on the title you claim
  • Put at least 3 Karlings on the throne of the Papacy
  • Win 2 Papacy-Called Crusades
  • Have the following combination of traits on at least one of your rulers：
    • Genius, Quick, or Strong
    • Brilliant Strategist or Skilled Tactician
    • Crusader
    • Defender, Unyielding, Organizer, or Experimental Leader
    • 3 of the following：Chaste, Temperate, Charitable, Diligent, Patient, Kind, Humble
    • 1 or none of the following：Lustful, Gluttonous, Greedy, Slothful, Wroth, Envious, Proud
    • Just, Honest, Brave, or Gregarious
    • No stat beneath 8
• 于格 德 韦芒杜瓦(Hugues de Vermandois)，韦芒杜瓦伯爵，1085.4.1：If the last direct male descendant of Charlemagne doesn't appeal to you, play as the husband of his sister and successor, Adèle. A son of the deceased King Henri of France, Hughes is the founder of the Capetian cadet branch of the House of Vermandois, which puts you in a very interesting position; you may be a mere count in northern France but you are the younger brother of the king, Philippe Capet. This, of course, grants you a strong claim on the kingship. With the Normans downstream from Paris, the Duke of Aquitaine controlling half the kingdom, and the house of Burgundy plotting to usurp the throne, will you stand by your Capetian brethren or aid their enemies and put a new dynasty on the throne of France?
• 阿黛勒(Adelaide/Adele)，韦芒杜瓦女伯爵，1080：She may look innocuous, but she happens to be the last surviving Karling. She's married to the heir to France and has a newborn daughter, so this is a difficult start. Restore the Karlings the hard way!
• 埃莉诺 德 普瓦图(Eleanor de Poitou)，1140s-1173：Yes, that Eleanor (aka Aliaenor), a masterful political manipulator. You can play her as a minor countess (of Poitiers and Saintonge; you can do this starting in the 1140s). You can also start as her second husband, Henry II of England, in 1155 - give her the Duchy of Aquitaine (which she should have from age 13/15, but doesn't), then reload the world and switch to her. Make sure you annul her regular marriage as soon as you can so your game doesn't end when she dies.
• 查理 卡佩(Charles Capet)，拉马什与吕西尼昂伯爵，1314.12：Starting in the very first days of Louis X's reign, play as the youngest son of the glorious Philip IV, the Fair, and see how far you can reach. France? Navarre? Aquitaine(Louis will create this title as soon as he can)? Or just the timid county of Artois, which will be passed to your unfaithful wife at the death of the old Mahaut d'Artois? Can you repeat history, becoming Charles IV, or contradict it, keeping the Capets on the throne?
• 纪尧姆(Guillaume)，图卢兹公爵，769：You start as an 18-year-old duke of one of the best de jure duchies in the game, vassal to Karloman, King of Middle Francia. And your dynasty is named the Nibelunging, with three rings for your CoA (like the legendary Ring of the Nibelung). Your father is the Duke of Burgundy, and he is a very powerful man. When he dies you have a claim on the Duchy.

加利西亚王国

• 努诺二世 基马良尼斯(Nuno II Vimaranes)，波图斯卡莱公爵，1066.9.15：Defend against Holy Wars and Jihad from the south, then complete the Reconquista and set up the kingdom of Portugal. Used in GOTW：
  • Maintain Portuguese culture
  • Remain Christian in some way. Converting to Orthodox or a Heresy allowed.
  • Form Kingdom of Portugal with all De Jure territory
  • Add the De Jure territory of Galicia, Leon, and Andalusia to your empire. Kingdom titles themselves optional.
  • Place a member of your dynasty (other than yourself) on 3 foreign kingdom-level thrones. At least 1 of these kingdoms must border the Mediterranean.

加洛韦伯爵领

• 弗格斯 加洛韦(Fergus of Galloway)，加洛韦伯爵，1100：You start on a Scottish peninsula flanked by a strong Scotland and nearly unified England. With only 2 provinces, starting as a kid, with no family or vassals, relying on nothing but an unrelated minor regent with a giant intrigue and a plot to inherit your lands, it truly would be a challenge to not be gobbled into Scotland, or to even retain one's title once within it. Perhaps a suicide game but the relative instability of Scotland could give you a small window to seize power.

神圣罗马帝国

• 艾美塞德 德 那慕尔(Ermesinde de Namur)，卢森堡女伯爵，1197-1247：The last of her dynasty (at least in-game), Ermesinde was 10 in 1197 when she began her rule as Countess of Luxembourg. She tried twice to press her claim on Namur, but failed both times; this claim is absent in the game, however. It also appears that her husband and ally might not be in the game either, so you can have her marry far above her social station and try to conquer some of the surrounding areas - if not more.
• 弗里德里希二世 冯 霍亨施陶芬(Friedrich II von Hohenstaufen)，神圣罗马帝国凯撒，1212.7.5-1250.12.12：One of the most ambitious and powerful of the Holy Roman Emperors, Friedrich best embodies the average CK2 player's drive to rule the world. He represented the pinnacle of House Hohenstaufen and had plots in nearly every corner of the world. He attempted to claim Jerusalem by marriage (and is married to the Queen of Jerusalem in the 1220s), warred against the pope, and very nearly turned the HRE into a proper nation-state.
• 理查 金雀花(Richard of Cornwall)，神圣罗马帝国凯撒，1256.1.28-1272.4.2：He is King (in-game Kaiser) of the Holy Roman Empire. And English...and a Plantagenet! A very special experience and starting point. He is emperor between 28 January 1256 and 2 April 1272.
• 约翰 德 卢森堡(Johann de Luxembourg)，波希米亚国王，1310 - Note：the blind one, although only from 1337.
• 奥托二世 冯 诺德海姆(Otto II von Nordheim)，巴伐利亚公爵，直到1070：create the Kingdom of Bavaria and take over eastern Europe.
• 韦尔夫一世 韦尔夫(Welf I Welf)，巴伐利亚公爵，1070.1.1 和 1079：the bastard son of Duke Alberto II Azzo d'Este of Lombardy, can you resurrect the old and powerful House of Welf (Guelph)? It's a fun game being an illegitimate bastard with a wife that has a claim on neighbouring Swabia. If you can pacify the Bavarian Lords, and consolidate you could potentially become the most powerful man in the Holy Roman Empire. Not to mention the weak claim you will receive when the old man Alberto Azzo II dies, and the impending succession crisis in Lombardy means you can seize your moment and swallow Milan as well. Bringing glory back to the Welfs should be a fun undertaking.
• 弗拉迪斯拉夫二世 普热米斯尔(Vratislav II Premyslid)，波希米亚公爵，1066.9.15：You have a better inheritance law than the other HRE dukes (Seniority's not as good as Elective, but it beats Gavelkind hands down), the County of Prague has more space for upgrade than most places, and you start the game with everything you need (except the gold and piety, obviously) to create the Duchy of Moravia and then the Kingdom of Bohemia. Also, with a little ruthlessness, you can connive for your son Bretislav to inherit the throne (and royal demesne!) of the Kingdom of Hungary; even if he doesn't hold on to the kingdom he has a decent chance of holding on to the duchies. Be warned that if you don't want to adopt German culture you may well need to make more use of the "spawn random aristocrat" buttons than might otherwise be the case.
• 洛塔尔-乌多二世 乌道能(Lothar-Udo II Udonen)，勃兰登堡公爵，1066.9.15：You know the drill, obtain the black eagle and start rolling.
• 皮埃尔 德 萨伏依(Pierre de Savoie)，萨伏伊公爵，1066.9.15：Reclaim the old Kingdom of Burgundy, destroy the HRE from the inside and then take on France in order to gain the Duchy of Burgundy, your rightful inheritance. Used for CK2 GOTW：
  • Form Burgundy with all de jure land
  • Reclaim the traditional Duchy of Burgundy, in France
  • Defeat French or German opponents in at least 8 wars with you as a primary participant.
  • Independence from the Holy Roman Empire
  • Add 3 duchies outside of de jure Burgundy to your nation, not counting the Duchy of Burgundy
• 玛蒂尔达 德 卡诺萨(Matilda di Canossa)，托斯卡纳女公爵，1066.9.15：A good grip on Italy at the beginning as the duchess of Tuscany, and a vassal of the HRE. It offers many possibilities and allows to learn the game mechanics safely within the HRE while recreating the Kingdom of Italy. Can you make Matilda the mother of an independent Italy, or will the Italian culture be obliterated by the Germans once and for all?
• 格哈德 沙特努瓦(Gerhard Chatenois)，上洛林公爵，1066.9.15：Just a duchy title away from being able to create the Kingdom of Lotharingia.
• 维尔纳 冯 哈布斯堡(Werner von Habsburg)，巴塞尔伯爵，1066.9.15：rise from one county to rival the historical extent of Emperor Karl V's dominion over Europe.
• 亨德里克 雷吉纳尔(Hendrik Reginar)，布拉班特伯爵，1066.9.15：Beginning under a strong duke, it will take your full attention and resources to break away from your ducal liege. Once you're done, you can work towards creating your own Dutch Kingdom within or outside of the Empire.
• 热罗 德 日内瓦(Geraud de Geneve)，日内瓦伯爵，1066.9.15 ： The score description is almost taunting. Can you do better by ruling more than your single county, or even by sticking to one? Moreover, it is an interesting character. He could have a claim on the kingdom of Burgundy through his great-grandfather Konrad III, king of Burgundy. Indeed, when the last independent king of Burgundy, Rudolf III, died childless in 1032, the title became vacant. The Ottonian dynasty, with Henri II, should have inherited the throne, but they became extinct before the kings of Burgundy. Hence, Eudes, count fo Blois and Champagne, should have inherited but was defeated by emperor Conrad II who usurped the throne as the successor of Henri II. As the house of Blois has failed and is now too busy with French affairs, maybe it is time for Geraud to step up as the last local male descendant of King Konrad and reclaim what is his and restore the Burgundian nation from within?

• 奥塔 “美男子” 普热米斯尔(Ota 'the Handsome' Premyslid)，奥洛穆茨伯爵，1066.9.15：Who is this magnificently handsome man? Well, it's Ota, younger brother to the starting Duke of Bohemia. Sure, you start with one province in the corner of the realm, but with some luck, good assassinations and perhaps a small war or two, you can quickly take control of the Duchy, or Kingdom, of Bohemia! Not to mention, you're handsome!
• 伊泽立诺三世 达 罗马诺(Ezzelino III da Romano)，维罗纳伯爵，1200初：Considered one of the most ruthless and cruel feudal rulers in all the Middle Ages. At the time, he was said to be the anti-Christ or the spawn of the devil. A crusade was issued against him. He once sentenced 10,000 citizens of Padua to death in a single day. He also enjoyed the mass use of torture, said to feel pleasure at the screams of people walled in alive, and he would often command kids to be blinded for his enjoyment. He was also a supporter of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the war between Guelphs and Ghibellines and married his daughter.

Here's a quote from The Picture of Dorian Gray about him：

"Ezzelin, whose melancholy could be cured only by the spectacle of death, and who had a passion for red blood, as other men have for red wine--the son of the Fiend, as was reported, and one who had cheated his father at dice when gambling with him for his own soul"

That's quite a reputation. Can you match it in true Crusader Kings style? Note： he currently starts as a Lord Mayor, so you'll have to make him playable first, one way or another.

• 维尔纳 萨利安(Werner Salian)^{Needs to be verified in case he's supposed to be Werner V}，沃尔姆斯伯爵，867：Try to climb insurmountable odds and establish the Salian Dynasty as masters of the Holy Roman Empire. House Salian provided 4 Holy Roman Emperors, an immense task to be sure!
• 恩斯特 冯 巴本堡(Ernst von Babenberg)，奥地利公爵，1066：Is in a weak position with a lot of potential; you can go in any direction. Each of the four counties in your duchy is held by a different house： Bavaria has Passau, Bohemia has Znojmo, Carinthia has Steiermark, and you hold only Österreich, the capital. With one or two carefully chosen alliances, you can beat Bavaria and Carinthia, and then, with most of the duchy under your control, maybe even challenge Bohemia—or expand eastwards into Croatia. For longer-term goals, you can form Bavaria, get elected Kaiser, launch an invasion of Hungary, or take Jerusalem in a crusade.

匈牙利王国

注意，在2.4对劫掠的更改中，匈牙利文化的统治者可以劫掠(只要他们还是匈牙利人)

• 彼得(Péter Orseolo)，匈牙利国王，1044-1046：为了扮演他，你将不得不修改defines.txt。你也许会问：不是还有很多其他的阿帕德国王可以直接扮演吗？答案很简单： 彼得不是阿帕德家的!他是Pietro Orseolo,奥多内 奥尔瑟奥罗的儿子，威尼斯的总督，作为斯蒂芬一世的侄子继承了王位。在现实中，威尼斯人彼得(彼得是威尼斯人，尽管游戏里他是匈牙利人)极度不受欢迎，还被推翻过一次(然而游戏里没有他的第一次统治...)，多亏了向他宣誓效忠的人，以及神圣罗马帝国的凯撒，他重登王位。最后在他的继任者安德拉什一世的带领下，彼得被抓获并致盲。也许你能带领这位反常的威尼斯人国王走向更有价值的命运？
• 沙拉蒙 阿帕德(Salamon I Árpád)，匈牙利国王，1066.9.15：就在一个半世纪以前，马扎尔还是一个游牧部落，在亚洲的草原上向西行进，逃离更强大的邻国。现在，匈牙利王国正准备对佩切涅格反击，同时也有大好的机会在克罗地亚和波兰以及东北部的加西利亚扩张。神罗的公主将成为你的妻子，神罗将成为你坚实的后盾，不过记得提防拜占庭帝国。历史上的阿帕德王朝吞并了克罗地亚，但在之后几乎被蒙古摧毁，在大汗死后才得以幸存。然而大汗的死并没有让匈牙利更好——内战使得阿帕德王朝逐渐衰败，最后在1301年绝嗣。你能带领阿帕德走向更好的明天吗？
• 亚诺什 巴托里(János Báthory)，塞凯伊弗尔德伯爵（特瓦兰尼西亚的封臣），1337：拜赖茨克的长子，日后在匈牙利历史上出名的巴托里家族的创始人。巴托里家族出过几位特瓦兰尼西亚公爵，一位波兰国王，和“血伯爵夫人”伊丽莎白 巴托里("Blood Countess",Elizabeth Bathory)，以及几位匈牙利的上层贵族。它的后人中也有圣乔治骑士团(龙骑士团)的团员。1337年这个家族还不太显赫，能不能拥有更伟大的命运完全取决于你。如果你喜欢按照历史来，用mod将可选剧本向后推的话会更有趣，因为历史上的巴托里在奥斯曼崛起后才开始大放光彩。

冰岛公国

• 司格分司(Sigfus)，西冰岛伯爵，1066.9.15：Let's face it：Vestisland is not what you would call "profitable". Iceland as a whole kind of lame at this time, made even worse by that old Duke. He sits complacently on the throne of the northernmost landmass in Europe, content while the world passes Iceland by. Though this is the age of Snorri, and the Christianisation of Iceland has been fairly thorough, the old tales boil his young blood. Yet he is limited, especially since Norway is keen to assert itself over his lands. Perhaps if you wrest control of the throne of Iceland from Sigfus' liege you could rekindle the Viking spirit which brought your people to the foreboding, jagged shores of the rime-coated island.

爱尔兰王国

• 多姆纳尔 乌厄 内尔 尼吉厄拉希(Domnall Ua Neill Naoigallaich)，蒂洛辛伯爵，1066.9.15：the starting earl of Oriel is an O'Neill Naoi-Gallach, descended from the legendary High King of Ireland Niall of the Nine Hostages (and, according to recent DNA studies, the male-line ancestor of around 20% of the population of Ireland today).
• 穆尔哈德 乌厄 布里昂(Murchad Ua Briain)，慕穆（芒斯特）小型国王，1066.9.15：the grandson of Brian Boru, the last High-King of Ireland, or at least, the last one to have controlled most of the island for more than a year. While listening to its funeral march, will you be able to walk the steps of your grandfather and unite Ireland once again to face the threats that are England and Norway to the Celts? And, who knows, it might lead to a Celtic Empire ruling all the British Islands and Brittany?
• 约翰 德 库西(John de Courcy)，阿尔斯特伯爵，第三次十字军开始：his capital is the castle of Carrickfergus. He tried for independence from England - going as far as putting his face on coins. The English King put him down; now all that remains of his legacy is a shopping centre in Carrickfergus. John de Courcy was an Anglo-Norman knight who arrived in Ireland in 1176. From then until his expulsion in 1204, he conquered a considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for both the Benedictines and the Cistercians and built strongholds at Dundrum Castle in County Down and Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim.

西部群岛公国

• 古德罗德 克洛温(Gudrod Crovan)，南岛（西部群岛）公爵，1066.9.15：The advent of custom kingdoms has enabled you to form a Kingdom of the Isles. Can you do it? The Isles are an interesting start because they're Norwegian and independent but surrounded by Gaelic rulers and provinces. Swear allegiance to Scotland before you unpause; this will give you room to expand in both Ireland and Scotland without having to worry as much about being dogpiled by your enemies, otherwise, Scotland will always attack you over a de jure claim sooner or later. Alternatively, for those wanting a greater challenge, try to do all of this whilst remaining independent.

意大利王国

• 路易二世 加洛林(Louis II Karling)，意大利国王，867：As the eldest son of Lothair of Middle Francia (himself the eldest son of Emperor Louis the Pious), Louis II is the rightful successor to the entire Frankish Empire. At the moment, however, he's only the King of Italy： none of the other crowned heads of Europe are likely to let go of their titles without a fight. As a member of the Karling dynasty, you start as heir to at least one kingdom and highly placed on the succession to a number of others, so a few discreet assassinations and well-timed claim wars can eventually make you ruler of a good chunk of Western Europe, from which you can create either the Empire of Francia or the Holy Roman Empire, depending on what route you take. Or you could focus your ambitions southward to a territory outside your family's control and eventually crown yourself Emperor of Italia.
• 兰贝托 古伊蒂斯奇(Lambert Guideschi)，斯波莱托公爵，867：Since the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy has been ruled by a succession of barbarians from the north. Your ancestors may have been among them, but you, at least, have Italianised. You are one of the most powerful of the weak King's vassals, and you have Carolingian blood in your veins, to boot. While the King may be able to call in his powerful family if you rise against him, you can fall back on your Jewish financiers and your colleagues who are just as hostile to their foreign King, including your brother-in-law in Tuscany. Or should you wish to avoid spoiling fair Italy with bloodshed, the King has two daughters almost ready to be wed. Either way, with the right factions at the right time, the king will be toppled easily, and the Lombards to the south will make easy pickings for you. From there, you can expand at your leisure, but you should be ever mindful of the Byzantines. Perhaps you can even demonstrate that the Italian Renaissance needs no input from heretical Greeks.

卡林西亚王国

• 柳特伯特 冯 巴本堡(Liutbert von Babenberg)，弗里萨赫伯爵，867：Maybe someone could reverse the fate of the family five-hundred years later?

耶路撒冷王国

• 戈弗雷 德 布洛涅(Godefroy I de Bouillon)，耶路撒冷王国，1099.7.15-1100.4.1：Godfrey was the first leader of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, he refused to become king, believing that God was the true king of the kingdom of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, he can be played as the King. You should be able to avoid his untimely death and hopefully with a good deal of skill and luck set up a true lasting Kingdom.
• 鲍德温四世 “麻风王”德 安茹(Baudouin IV 'the Leper' d'Anjou)，耶路撒冷王国，1177.1.2：You have just turned 16, but you are seriously sick and having a son would be a miracle. Even worse, the Kingdom of Jerusalem is surrounded by the most powerful Muslim state it ever struggled with, and the Byzantine Empire is the only local power strong enough to be a useful ally against Saladin. Not having an heir and being a leper will result in lack of support from your vassals (or maybe even rebellions), not to mention you can't let your sisters marry into other dynasties, because they will most likely inherit the throne after you. Try to achieve as much as you can, before your leprosy enters its terminal stage. In real life, Baudouin lasted 11 years as a king and 24 as a man, how long will you last? The historical Baudouin not only lasted as long as he did, but commanded respect from his subjects and Saladin's alike: one Muslim said of him "the leper child knows how to make his authority respected", and his followers have described him as maintaining a regal air, even as he died, horribly deformed. Can you match the greatness of this leper?
• 耶路撒冷女王：在不同开局有五个可玩德耶路撒冷女王：梅莉桑德(Melisende)，伊莎贝尔一世(Isabella I) 和伊莎贝尔二世(Isabella II)，西比拉(Sibylla)，和玛丽亚(Maria)。当心吉哈德！

拉丁帝国

• 鲍德温一世 范 佛兰德斯(Baudouin I van Vlaanderen)，拉丁帝国皇帝，1205：A pious Catholic given an imperial title, you lord over a land of Orthodox Greeks who are, most likely, none too pleased by your rule, not to mention the Nicene (in-game Byzantine) Emperor Theodore Laskaris is much more powerful than you and has claims to all of your titles. Take this artificially constructed empire and turn it into a real presence on the world stage. You control the Imperial province itself and a good half of the Aegean Islands - oh, and a barony in far-off Belgium. In the real world, Baudouin died in a Bulgarian prison after provoking them to invade. Can you avoid this ignominious fate? As an Emperor, you're unable to swear fealty, so it's not going to be easy...
• 约翰娜 范 佛兰德斯(Johanna van Vlaanderen)，佛兰德斯女公爵，1205:：A little girl who's controlling a Dutch duchy in France, she starts as a pretender of the Latin Empire, and if you are competent enough, you can control a Dutch empire if your father fails and you claim his title. She's 10 and you can build her traits as you like.

莱昂王国

• 阿方索 希梅纳(Alfonso Jimena)，莱昂国王，1066.9.15：If deception is more your style, this is the Spanish leader you should play as. Alfonso starts with high intrigue and claims on the neighboring Christian kingdoms. If you can have your brother Sancho killed fast enough you'll become King of Leon and Castille and recreate the real Alfonso's rise to power. See León walkthrough.
• 乌拉卡 希梅纳(Urraca Jimena)，萨莫拉女伯爵，1066.9.15：Is she interesting? Fun? Historically meaningful? No, no, and I have no idea. She is, however, the Kizdean Gix (EQ1) of CK2 - annoying beyond all reason, and is completely disproportionately powerful. If you play as the King of Leon, she's a nuisance you just can't get rid of (she's your sister, and so the sister of all the neighboring Kings, there's no dealing with her). She's what the oubliette was made for.
• 乌拉卡(Urraca)，莱昂与卡斯蒂利亚（与加利西亚）女王，1109-1126：This powerful queen claimed the title Empress of All Spain during her reign.
• 马乌雷加托(Mauregato)，阿斯托加伯爵，769：You are the son of a king of Asturias, but also of a Moorish serf. You are consistently passed over for succession by the nobles, who look down at your corrupted breeding. You will be remembered by history as Mauregatus the Usurper, and your legacy will be eagerly swept aside on your death as the succession moves back to a more noble lineage. Can you outdo the real Mauregatus, leading this half-Moorish bastard son of a king to the crown of Asturias, securing his dynasty and bringing glory to your name?

吕贝克伯爵领

• 布迪沃伊 纳库内茨(Budivoj Nakonid)，吕贝克伯爵，1066.9.15：He is a Pomeranian Christian and the Count of Lübeck. If you play well, you have the chance to create the Kingdom of Pomerania as a Catholic Ruler (note: You still have to convert to a pagan religion to create the kingdom) You can try it as independent Count if you like it hard or you can become part of the Holy Roman Empire or Denmark.
• 亨里克 纳库内茨(Henrik Nakonid)，吕贝克伯爵，1073：Your father Guthskalco was a Christian ruler of the Wends (in-game Duke of Mecklenburg), who was defeated and killed by the pagan chieftain Krutoj. Your half-brother Budivoj tried to reclaim your family's honor but was ambushed and murdered by Krutoj. You and your nephew, both children, are all that is left of the House of Nakonid. You're the only Christian Pomeranian ruler in the world, with access to their Light Cavalry retinues. Even many of your courtiers are pagans. Your county is pagan. Your neighbors are Denmark (who have a de jure claim on you from day 1), the HRE (who have a de jure claim on you as soon as the Duke of Saxony saves up the money to form the Duchy of Holstein), and your arch-enemy Krutoj (who, as pagan duke of Mecklenburg, could launch a conquest CB on you as soon as he has the piety). Your only assets? A strong claim on the Duchy of Mecklenburg (good luck pressing it before someone holy wars them to oblivion), a capital with plenty of empty slots but 0-0-0 tech, and whatever you can beg, steal or borrow. Oh, and the motivation to track down Krutoj and say "My name is Henrik Nakonid. You killed my father (also my brother). Prepare to die!"

Historically, Henrik was able to murder Krutoj with the help of Krutoj's wife, and then established a powerful Christian Wendish state. His sons, in true CK2 style, started fighting each other, and the whole thing fell apart; reverting to paganism and eventually getting hit with the Wendish Crusade. Can you do better?

挪威王国

哈拉尔德三世 “无情者”英格林(Harald III 'Hardrada' Yngling)，1066.9.15 September 1066：See Norway walkthrough.

诺曼底公国（包括威廉和他的封臣，但没有在诺曼底的其他的法国封臣）

• 罗贝尔 “伟岸者”诺曼底(Robert "Curthose" de Normandie)e，1066.9.15：Begin at Stamford Bridge as a 12-year-old Count, eldest son and heir of William de Normandie. Already with a slew of negative traits, expect miserable diplomatic ability as an adult, and - whatever comes of the Norman Conquest - you will be constantly battling your two younger brothers, vying to remain the heir. Through careful marriage, you could form alliances with other families - but of course, the risk is choosing someone small enough to not be a threat, but big enough to be a help in any disputes with your brothers. In real life, his long-running discord with his brothers and father (three kings, no less!) was possibly the most significant factor in ending the de Normandie dynasty. He went to war against all three of his closest male relatives, every time his miserable people skills costing him the throne (and general unreliability as he was quite a lazy, entitled sod). Impulsive, begrudging, and proud, but with all the social graces of a chamber pot at high tide, he was eventually imprisoned by one of his brothers and died only a year before his youngest brother (King Henry I), ending the line of de Normandie forever. Robert was a front line warrior, better suited to the battles of arms than politics, and his fate showed this.

纳瓦拉王国

• 拉米罗 希梅纳(Ramiro Jimena)，纳赫拉伯爵，1066.9.15：Nájera starts in a precarious position - the lone County serving King Antso IV in the middle of the boiling pot. You're a Castillian in a Basque province, which gives you interesting options. Firstly, you can ahistorically attempt to cultivate the Basque culture for their unique bonus of Absolute Cognatic succession. This not only allows daughter heirs over sons, useful if your daughters are better stateswomen but also allows you to title female courtiers - and clever use of marriage of influential male vassals with bad stats allows you to draw very, very useful stateswomen to your court. Alternatively, you can just attempt to take over with your Castillian culture - it's certainly much more widespread as you expand. While you don't have the King of Aragon's de jure claims for possible expansion, you do have a strong claim for your entire Kingdom! While this seems minor, Navarra has a de jure claim over Viscaya, and you can gobble up some territory against weak Muslim emirates nearby, and possibly claim a duchy to allow you to eventually take over Barcelona. A fun, difficult start with tons of options.
• 安佐七世 “强大者”(Antso VII "The Strong")，纳瓦拉国王，1194.6.27：Antso (Sancho) VII was an interesting person historically. Suffering from gigantism, he was a warrior of exceptional repute, being 2.2 meters tall when he passed away. In-game terms, you are merely a "tough soldier" when you start your career. Your realm is small but kingship gives you right of conquest to a large area of Spain. Can you repeat what Antso did historically and help to drive Muslims back to the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula?
• 让娜一世 德 布卢瓦(Jeanne I de Blois)，纳瓦拉女王，1274 或 1285末：She began her reign when she was 1 year old in 1274, and she was married (very young) in late 1285. Play as her when she's a child so you can marry as you wish, or play when she's married to the King of France in 1285 (you may have to seek a divorce).

教廷属邦

• 扎克珀 奥尔西尼，奥尔维也托伯爵，1066.9.15：别让你的领主教宗剥夺你的唯一一个伯爵领，打拼出足够的钱用以从教宗处独立并建立你的独立国家

波兰王国

• 博莱斯瓦夫 “英勇者”皮雅斯特(Boleslaw 'the Bold' Piast)，波兰国王，1066.9.15：This start can go various ways. His realm has about 20 de jure provinces, made up of five duchies of varying power. You can expand anywhere you want.
• 卡齐米日三世 “伟大者”皮雅斯特(Kazimierz III 'the Great' Piast)，波兰国王，1333：The only Polish king in history to both receive and keep the 'Great' nickname - can you make him worthy of it? Secure the borders to the West against the HRE and some Bohemians with claims, possibly fend off the Golden Horde, take on the Lithuanian pagans, and have the option to plot against the Teutonic Order and start a succession crisis that could land you the other half of the de jure Lithuanian kingdom. (Playing as Kazimierz's father Wladyslaw is also a fun setup; just start on the day of Kazimierz's birth 30 Apr 1310 to make sure you have that little genius.)
• 莱谢克“白公爵”皮雅斯特(Leszek "the White" Piast)，波兰国王，1206.1.1：Leszek 'the White' became King in this year. You can also play as his brother who is a child duke in 1195.

波洛茨克公国

• 波洛茨克公爵，蒙古剧本：You start as a Lithuanian Catholic, with claims on the nearby Duchy of Lithuania. Your uncle holds that, and he's Orthodox. You can form Lithuania fairly easily, and then try to drive out the Germans/hold back the Mongols. Alternatively, swear fealty to the Mongols and destroy them from within.

波美拉尼亚公国

• 波美拉尼亚公爵，1122 或 1136：Two start dates with a Pomeranian, Catholic ruler. You are independent, and the entire Pomeranian coast is still occupied by pagans (except your lands). If you are quick, you can grab the rest of the coast before the Germans/Poles/Scandinavians. Much easier now that the Kaiser doesn't have de jure claims.

普罗旺斯公国

• 查理 德 安茹(Charles d'Anjou)，安茹伯爵，1246 - Invades Sicily in 1266

苏格兰王国

• 马尔科姆三世 邓凯尔德(Malcolm III Dunkeld)，苏格兰国王，1066.9.15：Start with just one county (and a Kingdom) and forge the reputation of the great 'Canmore' or 'Longneck' -referring quite personally to his leadership style. He is also considered the progenitor of a branch of the family that ruled Scotland until 1286. His wife was the beatified Saint Margaret so be nice (or not).
• 玛格丽特 “少女”英格林(Margaret "the Maid" Yngling)，苏格兰女王，1287-1290：an interesting character to play as, this young girl was the only heir to Alexander III, and as she, unfortunately, died at the age of 7 of sea-sickness on the voyage to Scotland from her native Norway, her death led to complete chaos that culminated in King Edward invading Scotland. In-game you can change this young girl's fate, and make her into a Queen worth remembering.
• 罗伯特 德 布鲁斯(Robert de Brus)，苏格兰国王，1296：Yep, that's him, Robert the Bruce. Can you too take advantage of Edward II to raise Scotland to new heights, and can you, unlike the Bruce, leave an heir who can continue the dynasty and cement Scotland as a power in Europe?
• 戈斯帕特里克 邓巴(Gospatrick Dunbar)，洛锡安公爵，1066.9.15：Gospatrick is a vassal of King Malcolm III and his realm straddles the Scottish Lowlands. You have numerous options here, such as backing one of the King's relatives as a pretender, attempting to take the throne yourself (quite possible via elective succession or a strong faction), expanding into Northumberland whilst England is in chaos, or simply remaining loyal to the Dunkelds and hoping to be rewarded for your efforts. All in all, a very interesting position. Used in GOTW:
  • Attain Kingdom of Scotland
  • Maintain a Celtic (Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Breton) culture.
  • Add the De Jure Duchies of Orkney and Northumberland to your realm.
  • Add 2 of the three Celtic De Jure kingdoms other than Scotland to your realm. Ireland, Brittany, Wales.
  • Ensure that Celts rule the British Isles in their entirety. Conquering England to achieve this goal is allowed.
  • Claim 3 of the following De Jure duchies: Normandy, Flanders, Slesvig, Sjaelland, Vestlandet, Ostlandet
• 马利森坦(Mael Snechtai)，马里公爵，1066.9.15：last of the relatives of the infamous Macbeth. Can you retake the Scottish throne through murder and deceit, and can you, unlike Macbeth, keep it?
• 索默莱德 索尔肋(Somerled Somhairle)，南岛公爵/阿盖尔公爵，1156.1.1：A Scottish vassal to a Norwegian Duke, in 1156 Somerled has taken half the Kingdom of the Isles from his brother-in-law and is poised to root the Norwegians out of Western Scotland. The historical Somerled was slain in the Battle of Renfrew in 1164. Some say he died in battle, others through treachery. Lead this ambitious man to an ahistorical and enduring reign in Scotland.

西西里王国（包括阿普利亚、西西里、那波利、卡普阿、萨莱诺）

• 兰多四世 迪 阿基诺(Lando IV di Aquino)，卡普阿伯爵，1092：Last Lombard prince in Italy. Try to expel the Hautevilles of the Kingdom of Sicily and recover the ancient lands that are under the domain of the Holy Roman Empire.
• 康斯坦丝(Constance)，西西里女王，1190s (date?)：The last of the old Norman dynasty and mother of Frederick II.
• 罗伯特一世 德 欧特维尔(Robert I d'Hauteville)，阿普利亚公爵，1066：Not as challenging as many starts, but the family is a popular choice. Croatia offers an expansion opportunity in the north. John Julius Norwich has written a great 2-volume history of the family. See Apulia walkthrough.
• Albinia d'Hauteville, Countess of Lecce and Taranto, 1205: a 16-year-old widow (tough life, I guess, but he died a "natural death" at 41, so it might be a Nelson Rockefeller thing) if you start in 1205. Can you reclaim the Kingdom of Sicily for the family?
• Bohemond d'Hauteville, ???, c. 1100：Your family are Norman adventurers who conquered southern Italy, and if the Alexiad speaks true, you're a pretty wily, scary man yourself. Your options for expansion are plentiful, you can swear fealty to the HRE if you're threatened, but why would you? Bohemond historically came close to defeating the great Alexios I Komnenos, so why should you achieve anything less? You can turn your minor principality/duchy into a great empire in a relatively short amount of time, you can return to your Viking roots and launch endless brutal naval raids on the Muslim populations of North Africa, you can go after Byzantium if you want to succeed where the real Bohemond failed. And if you do swear fealty to the HRE, you can assassinate or conquer your way to the unification of Italy (Matilda of Tuscany being an especially appealing opportunity for peaceful expansion), you've got multiple opportunities to make alliances and inherit lands because you have so many eligible children and won't have to wait a generation to breed your way to a sizeable family, you can even follow in Bohemond's footsteps and establish the Principality of Antioch. What's not to like?
• Manfred von Hohenstaufen，西西里国王，1258：The legitimised bastard son of Frederick II, who has inherited the Kingdom of Sicily from him (and the Papal enmity that comes with it). Playable from at least 1258. Will you establish colonies in Albania/Greece or just live the lush life with the hunting hawks? Will you crush the Italian Guelphs at Montaperti? It's up to you. IRL he was killed in Benevento, Campania in 1266, Charles triumphant.
• Corradino (Konrad II) von Hohenstaufen, King of Sicily, 1254-1258, and Duke of Swabia, 1258 onwards: the rightful king of Sicily (1254-1258) until the usurpation of Manfred and the Guelph party, and later Duke of Swabia. He was something of a teenage superstar in Ghibelline Italy but was taken prisoner by Charles after Tagliacozzo in 1268. Will you content yourself with your German possessions and fight in Imperial politics or will you try to take back your rightful titles in Sicily? Or will your days as the 13th century Justin Bieber end as they did historically, on the receiving end of an executioner's axe in Naples?

瑞典王国

• Stenkil Stenkiling, King of Sweden, 15 Sept. 1066: Your northern vassals remain true to the old ways, while you and your southern vassals have adopted Christianity. Your half-brother Erik, commonly known as 'the Heathen' rivals you in power and ambition, and might make a move for the throne. Will you stay true to the One True Faith, or bow once more to Oðinn?
• Birger af Bjälbo (Birger Jarl), Duke of Ostergotland, 16 May 1214: He's said to have built Stockholm and led the Second Swedish Crusade into Finland.

的黎波里伯爵领

• Lucia de Poitou, Countess of Tripoli, October 19, 1287: The last (Christian) ruler of Tripoli and sister of Bohemond VII. She is married to Narjot of Toucy, a rather useless baron. A hard start since the Mamluks are ready to pounce on the remaining Crusader states.

瓦伦西亚伯爵领

• Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, Count of Valencia, 1 Jan. 1094: Yes, that's him, El Cid, Count of Valencia. With his spectacular martial skill, the nearby Muslim minors are easy prey, but the Almohads (and the Castilians) are dangerous neighbors.
• Jimena Diaz, 1099-1102: She's El Cid's widow.

威尔士王国（包括圭内思、德赫巴思、格拉摩根、格温特）

• Rhodri 'the Great' Aberffraw, Petty King of Gwynedd, 867 Welsh Duke with 6 kids and 1 bastard, 0 prestige and 0 piety. But who knows, maybe you will be able to make him great? Oh. Nope. He already has 'the Great' nickname...maybe you could sire some more kids and place them on the various thrones? Oh. Nope. He's chaste...
• Maredudd II Dinefwr, Duke of Deheubarth, 15 Sept. 1066: You and the only other member of the Dinefwr dynasty are both over 50 years old, but once you produce an heir, you can instead concentrate on reclaiming your other de jure lands. From there, unite Wales and then the British Isles through conquest, marriage or both. As of 1.09, your task is easier as you now have a junior branch of the family who can continue the Dinefwr quest for glory.
• Bleddyn Mathrafal, Duke of Gwynedd, 15 Sept. 1066: You start with several children, a medium-sized duchy, and the ability to quickly form a kingdom. Unite Wales, defend against the English, and play the marriage game.
• Llewellyn II "the Great" Aberffraw, Duke of Gwynedd, 1195: Historically, Llewellyn was the most successful of the Welsh princes who attempted to maintain sovereignty despite the Norman occupation. At the height of his power, he managed to control most of Wales and is one of only two Welsh rulers to ever be called 'Great'. Can you succeed where he did not, by forming a truly independent, Welsh Kingdom?
• Llewellyn III "the Last" Aberffraw, Duke of Gwynedd, 1246: An even more difficult start for the Welsh enthusiast is Llewellyn the Last. In 1246, you are a 12-year-old child who has just inherited the Duchy of Gwynedd, surrounded by the English under Henry III. Do you have what it takes to avoid the historical Llewellyn's gruesome fate and embarrassing moniker?

东正教

保加利亚王国

• Peter III Dukljanin, King of Bulgaria, 1072: Historically the famous enemy of the ERE, Constantine Bodin, he's a relative of the Serbian and Bulgarian dynasties that reigned over the Balkans before Basil II. You just have two provinces at the start (only one is in your demesne); the rest of your Kingdom is under the control of the ERE which also looks greedily on your lands. The Pechenegs, Hungarians and others will also prove difficult to deal with. In real life, Peter's kingdom survived only for a year before it was disestablished by the ERE. Good luck with uniting the Balkans and raising Bulgaria and Serbia to become world powers!
• Kaloyan I Asen, King of Bulgaria, Latin Empire bookmark: He was a man with an axe to grind, and he habitually ground it into the Latin Empire and the Byzantines. This is the man who resurrected the Bulgarian Empire, although the game rightfully calls him king (although he requested an imperial title, Pope Innocent III thought King of Bulgaria and Wallachia was enough). If you wait until they are distracted you can press Kaloyan's claims on the Latin Empire's lands early and you have plenty of directions to expand into (if you don't want to limit yourself to slaying Romans). Kaloyan starts with a strange cultural dynamic as well, his Wallachian territory is ruled by a Tengrist Cuman, presumably to represent his Cuman general who eventually assassinated him. Used in CKII GOTW:
  • Destroy the Latin and Byzantine Empires
  • Unite all South Slavic cultured provinces under your banner
  • Convert to an Orthodox Heresy
  • Convert all provinces in your kingdom to your religion
  • Convert Constantinople
• Ivajlo Bardokva, King of Bulgaria, 1279: The legendary Ivajlo the Cabbage. He was an illiterate pig-herder who seized the Bulgarian Throne, and, for a brief time at least, held off the Byzantines and the Golden Horde. You start as the sole member of House Bardokva (which roughly translates as 'House Lettuce'). Your stats are poor, and you're surrounded by enemies. But your rank as King opens useful marriage alliances, and you're ideally positioned to capitalize on the woes of a weakening Byzantine Empire. Just make sure you treat your high-born wife a bit better than the real Ivajlo did.

拜占庭帝国

• Alexios Komnenos, Basileus of the Byzantine Empire, 1081 (Alexiad start): Bring the Empire back from its defeat at the hands of the Seljuks - and who could be better suited to the task than the subject of the famed 'Alexiad'? See also: Roman Empire walkthrough.
• Alexios IV Angelos, Basileus of Byzantine Empire, 18 July 1203 The man who destroyed the Eastern Roman Empire and led Constantinople to destruction. After his uncle, Alexios III seized the throne from his father Isaakios II, young Alexios was imprisoned, but later he managed to escape to the Holy Roman Empire. Years later, at the age of 20, he saw his chance - the Fourth Crusade was struggling with financial problems - the crusaders weren't able to pay Venice for ships to transport them to the Holy Land, so they were forced to seize the coastal city of Zara as payment for their debt. Alexios contacted the Doge and the crusaders in 1202 and promised them mountains of gold if they helped him become Emperor. Two years later, the crusaders were encamped near Constantinople's walls and Alexios IV, after completely emptying the treasury, refused to give the Latins any more gold. Deeply unpopular, he was soon deposed and imprisoned but not before that he severely deteriorated relations with the Westerners. In the end, the enraged crusaders looted Constantinople, committing an impressive array of atrocities in the process, and chose their own, Catholic claimant for the mantle of Roman Emperor, and the defeated Byzantine nobility scattered to form their own "Imperial" courts in the Empire's provincial cities. This was a disastrous blow from which the Empire never recovered: will you change the course of history and turn the reign of the worst Emperor Byzantium ever had into a time of peace and prosperity?
• Andronikos I Komnenos, Basileus of the Byzantine Empire, 1183-1185 A lifelong womaniser, Andronikos' real-life exploits before ascending to the purple were almost as outrageous as your average CK2 player's. This guy took as his mistresses first his niece, Eudokia (and was forced to leave Constantinople when her brothers tried to kill him) and later Theodora, the widowed Queen of Jerusalem and niece of his cousin, Emperor Manuel I. Together, Andronikos and Theodora spent much of the next decade gallivanting around the Middle East, running from Manuel's wrath, until Andronikos was finally forced to submit to Manuel and they were separated. After Manuel died, Andronikos sensed the weakness of the regency for Manuel's son, Alexios II, led by his unpopular Catholic mother, Maria of Antioch, and returned to Constantinople with imperial ambitions. His arrival was occasioned by a massacre of Latins which, depending on who you ask, he either failed to stop or instigated himself. He poisoned Alexios II's older half-sister and her husband, and eventually usurped the regency from Maria. Having neutralised all of Alexios' potential supporters, Andronikos then forced the boy to sign his own mother's death warrant, name him co-emperor, and had him strangled shortly after. His reign was marked by increasing paranoia culminating in the seemingly indiscriminate killing of aristocrats and ended with him being tortured and torn apart by an angry mob in the Hippodrome. Can you take this old rascal and turn his reign into the beginning of the next stage of the Komnenian Restoration, rather than its end?
• Konstantinos Angelos, Strategos of Samos, 1108 Founder of the infamous Angelos dynasty, whose disastrous rule virtually destroyed the Byzantine Empire. Young commander of the Imperial Fleet from Philadelphia in Asia Minor, Konstantinos was handsome but of lowly origin. He married Theodora Komnenos, daughter of Alexios I Komnenos and had three sons: sebastokrator John, Alexios Angelos, famous for erecting a church in Nerezi, and Andronikos Angelos, whose son Isaakios deposed Andronikos Komnenos in 1185 and was proclaimed the Emperor, thus starting the brief and chaotic rule of the Angelos dynasty. Their calamitous rule between 1185 and 1204 led ultimately to the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, creation of Latin Empire and disintegration of Byzantium into several weak Greek states like the Despotate of Epirus and Empire of Trebizond. Every emperor of the Angelos dynasty was either deposed or killed and their reign is seen by historians today as the death knell of the Byzantine Empire. Will you change history and secure the prosperity of the Byzantium under the rule of Angelos dynasty?
• Alusian, Strategos of Armenia, 1066 Son of the last ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire, Ivan Vladislav. Alusian rebelled in 1040 against the Byzantines in Bulgaria, together with his cousin Peter Delyan, but in the end, betrayed his kinsman by blinding him and defecting to the Byzantines. In return for his treachery, he was pardoned by the Emperor and rewarded with the title of magistros. He has a strong claim on the Kingdom of Bulgaria, so you can make it an independent country again. If you survive the Seljuk invasion of course.
• Ioannes II Komnenos, Basileus of the Byzantine Empire, August 15, 1118: Son of the great Alexios Komnenos and the greatest of the Komnenoi. His reign saw a virtually non-stop campaign to reclaim what was lost at Manzikert, and along with his brilliant lieutenant John Axouchos, he succeeded, bringing the Komnenian Restoration to its height. Though overshadowed by his father and son, in no small part due to his jealous sister slamming him in the Alexiad, his 25-year reign was the most successful. Perhaps a player can outdo him?
• Isaakios Komnenos, Strategos of Antioch, 1066: Try to start the Komnenian restoration before Manzikert.
• Nikephoros Melissenos, Strategos of Athens, 1066: Historically, he seized Asia Minor and declared himself emperor before ultimately becoming a loyal servant to Alexios I Komnenos. In-game, he holds the County of Athens, which has some ridiculously high technology.
• Leon I Pegonites, Strategos of Cyprus, 15 Sept. 1066: Starts with the duchy of Cyprus, split into the counties of Famagusta and Limassol. There are two or three single county Muslim leaders in nearby Syria and Jerusalem as targets for expansion, but mostly an opportunistic Strategos will be looking for the correct opportunity to strike against the Fatimid Sultanate, which will conquer many lands. You will often lose land without having any say about the matter as the Fatimids formulate claims to your hard-won counties. Your position as an island gives you good protection from any holy wars, and the protection of the Empire should ensure you last for a century at least (provided you're willing to stay loyal). Probably the most interesting thing about this start is that it is very difficult to quickly amass land. To combat the much more powerful leaders in this part of the world, you are forced to find ways to generate massive amounts of income relative to your stature so that you can afford to hire hosts of mercenaries, whilst building up your castles with the view of increasing your own (limited) levy. Good players will quickly find themselves in possession of 4 or 5 counties as the individual Muslim Sheikhs fall to them, but much of what you do will depend on your Emperor's own ability as a ruler. Weak Emperors will lose land very quickly to the Fatimids, which will leave you waiting for internal factionalism (possibly brought on by assassinations *hint hint*) in the Fatimid Sultanate to target weak sheikhs and emirs.
• Nikephoros Palaiologos, Strategos of Epirus, 15 Sept. 1066: First playable ruler of the later famous Palaiologos dynasty that ruled the Byzantine Empire from the reconquest of Constantinople in 1261 up until its demise.
• Béla Árpád, Strategos of Bosnia, 1165 - Note: Later becomes king of Hungary as Béla III
• Radomir Kometopoulos, Count of Dorostotum, 15 Sept. 1066 or 1081: Another descendant of the last Bulgarian kings. He has a claim on the Duchy of Turnovo, is the heir of his brother - the count of Constantia - who has turned Greek, and is also an ally of the Strategos of Armenia. As a grandson of one of the last Bulgarian kings you start in both 1066 Scenario and 1081 with a claim on Turnovo, and brothers who are rulers in Karvuna. The obvious aim is to lead a rebellion against the Empire, as one of the few remaining Bulgarian characters in the game.
• Gagik Bagrationi, Count of Lykandos, 15 Sept. 1066: The last Bagrationi king of Armenia, now dethroned and given a "pension" in Armenia Minor to live off for the rest of his days. Historically he and his two sons died because of intrigue and plots, but it is possible to reclaim your ancestral title. Also, your daughter is married to the king of Georgia.
• Petros Tornikes, Count of Tortosa, 1066-1068: Other characters are for weaklings who want high stats or easy expansion opportunities. House Tornikes doesn't baby you with such things. It offers you the chance to play as an insignificant count at the utmost extremity of Christianity and the Byzantine Empire. Claw your to greatness with sheer determination for nothing will be given to you. When you finally raise your dynasty to the purple you will know that you earned it, damnit.
• Leon Diogenes, Count of Monemvasia, 1086 - Note: Strong claim on Byzantine Empire
• Eudokia Makrembolitissa, Basilissa of the Byzantine Empire, June-December 1067: The widow of Konstantinos X, serving as regent for her inept son, Michael VII. She has non-dynastic heirs, and she's 37 (in-game...she was 46 or so in real life) - get a better heir before it's too late!
• Leon Phokas, Count of Seleukeia, 867: You are the founder of the Phokas Family and great-grandfather of Emperor Nikephoros II, who was a brilliant military leader and known as "the Pale Death of the Saracens". Starting as a count in Cilicia bordering many minor Muslim principalities, you have much more room for expansion than other Strategoi in the empire. Try to slowly build up your power base in Asia Minor and eventually seize the throne, and have a longer reign than Nikephoros II.
• Nikephoros Bryennios, Strategos of Cibyrrhaeot, 1066: Historically, Nikephoros Bryennios was a prominent general who rebelled against Michael VII Doukas in 1077. He almost succeeded by defeating the army of Alexios Komnenos in Battle of Kalavrye, but the betrayal of Pecheneg mercenaries turned the tide of battle and his ambition was crushed at last. Can you change his fate and establish a new dynasty?

格鲁吉亚王国

• Bagrat IV Bagrationi, King of Georgia, 15 Sept. 1066: Sandwiched between the three major powers of the ERE, Cumans and Seljuk Turks, fight your way out, taking opportunities when civil wars consume the larger states to grab land, then brace yourself for the inevitable Mongol invasion.
• David IV "the Builder" Bagrationi, King of Georgia, 1089: known for developing administration and education in Georgia and fighting back the Seljuk Turks.
• Tamar (Tamari) "the Great" Bagrationi, Queen of Georgia, 1184: She expanded Georgia, brought on a golden age, and is responsible for the creation of the Empire of Trebizond - try to outdo the real-life queen. Maybe take over...the nearby Seljuks? You may also be able to play as her daughter Rusudan between 1223 and 1245.

金帐汗国

• Alexander I Rurikovich, Duke of Kiev, 1247: 他以亚历山大. 涅夫斯基和圣亚历山大之名更为人知。毫无疑问，他是俄罗斯中世纪历史上最重要的君主之一。 涅夫斯基成功地保护了诺夫哥罗德免受瑞典人和条顿骑士团攻击(并在著名的冰上之战中击败了后者)。尽管向蒙古入侵者称臣，但他远见卓识的政策和与撒里答汗不可思议的友谊使他在1252年统治了弗拉基米尔大公国，后来的莫斯科大公国，俄罗斯帝国的基础。 在游戏里的1247年，他刚刚继承了基辅大公国，并且是金帐汗国的附庸，拥有高达22点的军事能力和自己的一条血脉。强大的金帐汗国看起来不可战胜，但拔都一旦驾崩，独立的机会就来了。是要提前独立，整合留里克家族的领地，还是要留在金帐汗国内部，如历史上那样，维持和蒙古领主的友谊？全由你来决定。你能超过他历史上的功绩吗？

立陶宛王国

• Vaisvilkas, King of Lithuania, 1264: Son of Mindaugas, he truly embraced orthodox faith. Playing a ruler of a pagan realm caught in between the Catholic Teutonic Order and the Tengri Golden Horde, might not wisest of decisions. Would you convert to one of three or would you persist no matter what? In real life, Vaisvilkas couldn't handle the rule, abdicated and went into the monastery, but you can avoid such fate and keep Mindaugas dynasty ruling.
• Svarnas, King of Lithuania, 1267: The guy to whom Vaisvilkas has abdicated, and son of Daniil (see below). Not only you are Orthodox king of a pagan realm, but you're also Russian king of Lithuania, and your neighbours are just as scary. However, you, as the son of Daniil, inherited claims on his old domain, and, with a bit of work, can become legitimate king of Ruthenia. Will you free those lands from Mongols ahead of the schedule?

诺夫哥罗德王国/鲁塞尼亚王国

• Vseslav ('the Seer'), Duke of Polotsk, 15 Sept. 1066 Real Vseslav was not eligible to rule Kievan Rus, but that didn't stop him from trying. Can you do better and claim the throne when your duchy is not de jure Ruthenia? Used in CKII GOTW:
  • Remain Orthodox or Orthodox heretic
  • Form the de jure kingdoms of Lithuania and Ruthenia
  • Obtain the rank of Emperor. Any Empire-level title fulfils this requirement.
  • Ensure that an Orthodox or Orthodox heretic member of House Rurikovich other than yourself rules in four of the following kingdoms: Poland, Bohemia, Pomerania, Hungary, Wallachia, Bulgaria, Taurica, Serbia. Note: Unlike some previous challenges, the de jure territory is irrelevant. This challenge is asking for the king titles themselves. Also, these kings may be under you as Emperor.
  • Add all of the following de jure duchies to your realm: Uppland, Östergötland, Småland, Skåne, Sarkel
• Sviatopolk Rurikovich, Count of Zaozerye, 15 Sept. 1066: It's tough to be a bastard. Your dad and uncles rule the lands of Kievan Rus, and you are stuck lording over a bunch of pagans in a county that never existed. To add insult to injury, your liege is your brother. Can you climb from the shores of the Onega to the throne of Kiev? Real Sviatopolk could.
• Daniil Rurikovich, Grand Prince of Galich (1211) or Grand Prince of Volhynia (1220): While not reflected in the game, Daniil Rurikovich of Galicia-Volhynia was the first ruler to actually create the title of the Kingdom of Ruthenia (usually referred to as the "Kingdom of Rus" or "Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia"), later inherited by the Polish kings and Muscovite grand dukes. Starting his "rule" as a mere child, with his mother as the regent, Daniil and his brother Vasylko were quickly ousted by the scheming lords, while the realm of Galicia-Volhynia that Roman the Great built was lost. Living in exile in Hungary, it took many years for Rurikovich brothers to get back their rightful titles, with Daniil taking over Galich, while Vasylko remained his brother's vassal prince in Volhynia. Daniil swiftly became the most influential ruler in southern Ruthenia, even establishing control over the capital city of Kiev...only for the Mongols to come down on all Ruthenian principalities. Despite all odds under the Mongol yoke, Daniil balanced between the roles of both a vassal and an enemy of Batu Khan, defeating the hordes of Kuremsa and forging an alliance with the northern principalities, the Teutonic Order, the Hungarians and the Pope, which almost resulted in a full-blown crusade against the Golden Horde. Although never casting off the yoke completely, Daniil's realm still prospered, with the construction of new capital cities like Chelm and Lviv, the boost of trade, protected from the Mongol raiders, the expansion of borders on all fronts - all of that made the Kingdom of Ruthenia/Rus a regional powerhouse.
  • Remain Orthodox or become Catholic (paradoxically, Daniil embraced both ways of Christianity in his bid for the crown from the Pope, while staying true to the faith of his vassals)
  • Take control of the duchies of Galich, Lesser Poland, Ungvar, Volhynia, Grodno, Turov, Kiev and Moldau
  • Form the de jure Kingdom of Ruthenia
  • Depending on the starting date, either break free from or drive off the Mongols
  • Establish your dynasty or otherwise tie into one alliance the Kingdoms of Poland, Hungary, Wallachia and Lithuania
• Yuriy, Grand Prince of Galich (1323): You are first Piast and the last independent ruler of Galich before it was inherited into Poland due to absence of heirs. With Piast dynasty dying off a couple of years later, can you change the fate and maybe even realize Daniils dreams?

塞尔维亚王国

• Stefan Nemanjic, King of Serbia, 1196: First king of Serbia. There is a really interesting family dynamic. Because your father abdicated, he is still hanging around. You older brother wants to claim your title (historically, Stefan I gave the title to Stefan II rather than going by primogeniture, thus causing some drama). Also, Bulgaria is big, but the Byzantine Empire is falling apart to the south. There are a lot of internal and external vulnerabilities.
• Uros IV "the Strong" Nemanjic, King of Serbia, 1337: Roflstomp anything in sight (with the weakest Christian Balkan country at game start), create a power-base in Thessaly, Bulgaria and Albania to snatch Croatia from Hungary, conquer Tsargrad and unlike the real Uros, raise a son who can keep your Serbian Empire.

西西里王国

• Gregorios/Sergios Spartenos, Count of Neapolis, 867/15 Sept. 1066: You are an aging Greek Orthodox one-province count. In 867, you've got Lombards, Franks and Muslims to deal with, most of them more powerful than you, to say nothing of the fact that most of your sons are celibate. In 1066, it's Normans, the Pisans, the Genoese and Muslims. In both starts, the Pope (and Rome) is just two provinces away! But you know what? You can beat them all because THIS IS SPARTENOS! The easy way out, of course, is to swear fealty the ERE or whatever other powerful neighbors you can find, but why should you? There is immense satisfaction in becoming an independent Despot against all the odds.

特拉比松帝国 (Despotate in game)

• Alexios Komnenos, Despot of Trebizond, 1 January 1205 - He and his brother David survived the coup that killed their grandfather, Emperor Andronikos I, by escaping to the court of Queen Tamari of Georgia, their aunt. Tamari helped them invade the Black Sea coast to create a buffer state for Georgia against the Sultanate of Rum, and for the brothers to use as a springboard to retake the Byzantine throne. Historically, Alexios and David were never able to definitively defeat their rivals.

Can you change history and make him the Emperor? And maybe start a second "Alexiad"? Or as a third option, you could create a stronger state than the old Byzantine Empire.

• Alexios II Komnenos, Despot of Trebizond, 1321: Struggling to recreate that feeling of relentless existential dread that EU4 Trebizond provides? Look no further than 1321 Trebizond in CK2! Alexios "The Horribly Doomed" Komnenos has abysmal stats, no allies, resentful children, a capital that borders the Ilkhanate (which is at the height of its power), and 2 other provinces which border the Golden Horde (also near the height of its power); but don't worry, Trebizond is bordered by many hostile minor powers that will probably kill you first. Failure awaits!
• Basileios Komnenos, Despot of Trebizond, 1332-1337: You're in a precarious position, to put it mildly. I'm not even talking about all the Muslims surrounding you, although obviously, you're going to want to deal with them, too. Trebizond has seen a lot of dynastic struggles lately, and they don't look likely to end just yet. You've got a bunch of illegitimate children, a resentful spurned wife from Constantinople (who is widely believed to have historically poisoned you in revenge and usurped Trebizond for a time), an uncle with a claim and a cousin to inherit it from him, and your only other legitimate relatives are your unmarried sisters. So many people with claims, your spymaster's going to be busy. And so many possible paths to take just within your lifetime. Will you divorce that jealous Palaiologos viper, marry your true love and legitimise her children? Try and please your wife instead, and father legitimate heirs? Or let your sister Anna inherit, and see if you can do better than this reluctant nun-queen did historically? If Anna does inherit, there's an ideal, if old, husband waiting for her in Montferrat: Demetrios, uncle of the Byzantine Emperor and a claimant in his own right. Something to keep in mind.
• Theodora Komnenos, Queen of Trebizond, 1 January 1284: In history, she usurped the throne from her brother with the help of her uncle, David of Georgia. After a year, her brother once again seized power and locked her up in a monastery. Can you reverse history and place her on the throne of Constantinople that had been lost by her ancestors?

东正教异端

• Ninoslav Kulinic, Duke of Bosnia, 1232: Ninoslav is a Bogomilist ruling other Bogomilists as a vassal of the Catholic king of Hungary and Croatia. The king will be eager to bring both Ninoslav and Bosnia into the fold, all the while underestimating his Croatian vassals' desire to break free from him. But the Catholic king is all that stands between Ninoslav and his aggressive Orthodox neighbours, Serbia and Bulgaria, who are even more keen to put an end to Bogomilism...and Bosnia. In real life, Ninoslav's decision to stand with his people and their faith meant that he faced a full-fledged crusade. Which of the two evils will you choose - loyalty to an untrustworthy Catholic liege or bitter war against Orthodox neighbours?

聂斯脱里派

Golden Horde

• Sartag Borjigin, Khagan of the Golden Horde, 2 Jan. 1255: You are the one true believer in a sea of heretics, pagans, and schismatics. You are the one scholar and theologian in a family of warriors. The real Khagan Sartag lasted barely a year. Good luck.

Ilkhanate

• Abaga Borjigin, Khagan of the Ilkhanate, 1 Jan. 1279: Starting in 1279 you can play as a Nestorian Ilkhanate khagan who has a surprising number of Nestorian vassals as well. Familial problems do, however, persist, and your son stays true to the Old Ways. With a large number of pissed off vassals, an ageing ruler, and a son who doesn't follow his religion, it'll make for an interesting playthrough.
• Kitbuqa Noyan, High Chief of Aleppo, 1 Jan. 1260: You are left in charge of much of Northern Syria by your liege. Now, what path will you follow? Will you stay Nestorian or will you convert to your liege's religion? And then will you finish the Mamluks - or will they finish you?

Emirate of Socotra

• Denha Yaballahah, Emir of Socotra, 867 - Unfortunately, keeping Nestorian Socotra independent for as long as the real Socotrans did will be difficult, to say the least. In-game, your duchy is titular, and Socotra itself is part of the Duchy of Sanaa, meaning the Muslims over on the peninsula don't just have a CB against you, they have a choice of CBs against you. Everyone on the mainland has a bigger demesne then you, so you'll have to pick your target carefully and stay on the offensive. If you can survive and grow in the early years, Socotra is effectively the crossroads of the East in CK2, so you can expand wherever you want, Africa, Arabia, India, Persia, all of the above...not to mention Nestorianism has possibly the most fun Christian religion as its heresy.

Miaphysite

Damietta, Duchy of

• Emir Pakhom of Damietta 769: You control the only Coptic (Miaphysite) landed character in Egypt, You start with 2 counties, however to your right in the Sinai Peninsula none of the Sheiks (or Emir when the title is given) will be strong enough to repel your armies and is easy for the taking early game. The thing is, you start as a Christian character under the Abbasid Empire, and the only Christian landed character under the Sultanate of Egypt, this means that you’ll have virtually no allies and no aggression pacts with any of your neighbors at all early game since a Muslim won’t consider offers from infidels, that combined with the fact that the Sultan can revoke your titles at any point with no penalties makes this one of the hardest starts to the game. However as the descendant of the great native people of Egypt and as the only Miaphysite and Coptic Culture ruler around its practically your duty to restore the Egyptian Empire of oof and liberate your people from the Abbasids. From there it’s your playground to do with as you please, Retake the Middle Eastern And Sudanese land that Egypt controlled at its height, Or unite all the Miaphysite territories in Armenia and Nubia and Abyssinia and establish Miaphysitism as the true Christianity the possibilities are limitless!

Makuria, Duchy of

• King Zakharias of Makuria, 867: You rule what is easily the most powerful realm in Nubia, with lots of small counties and chiefdoms just waiting to be conquered, with good traits and a young son to match. If you can buy the Tulunids off long enough to take some of Nubia's coastal provinces, you might just be able to declare yourself a true king of all Nubia. From there, the world is your oyster. Reestablish Miaphysite power by invading Egypt? Form the Empire of Abyssinia? You can do anything from here. And all it takes is some money, cunning, and a little bit of luck!

Armenia, Kingdom of (inc. independent duchies and counties)

• Nerseh, Duke of Derbent & Count Stepanos of Albania, 769: Your dynasty are descendants of the Arsacids and Sassanids, mighty dynasties which ruled the great antique empires of Persia. Now you are a vassal of a Bedouin Muslim in the mountains of Armenia. You are much stronger than him, and can gain independence easily, but can you survive when everywhere around you, there are hostile nations?
• Levon II Rubenid, Duke of Armenia, Third Crusade scenario: You start with good stats, but that's it. You have a four-county duchy with two vassals, which are luckily both Armenian and Miaphysite, and are de jure part of the Byzantine Empire which will attempt to vassalize you. Your other neighbour is an unusually strong Sultanate of Rum which, guess what, desires your land and holds the majority of Armenia's de jure territory, which at this point has been almost completely resettled with Turks. To add insult to injury, the remaining half of Armenia is divided between Saladin and Tamari the Great, both rulers of countries at their apogee. And even if you manage to grow, the Mongols will be at your door soon. Your character is not married and you should remedy this as soon as possible, seeing how your heir is your inept sister and you're already 37. The weak county of Antioch could prove a good starting point for expansion (should the Turks not decide to assimilate you on day one) and you can destroy the Hashshashin before the Mongols come. The objective? Unite all the Armenians, including the ones living in Jerusalem, before 1453.
• Levon IV Hetoumi, King of Armenia, Hundred Years' War scenario: Continuing what seems to be a proud Armenian tradition (see Duke Levon II), your heir is your mediocre sister. But this time you're 41 years old, married and inept, and you obtained the crown by killing your kin. You directly control all the land in the "kingdom" (a 3-county glorified duchy) and have de jure claims on everything from Anatolia to Azerbaijan...which is mostly occupied by weak Turkish Beyliks, but also by the strong Eretnid dynasty. Can you make a kingdom to rival the Armenian kingdoms of antiquity and replace the Byzantine Empire as the main Christian force in Asia Minor? Or will the Egyptians conquer your lands as in real life? They'll certainly try, as they'll often holy war you immediately, so don't be afraid to call on Catholic Trinacria, a fellow one-duchy kingdom and your only ally.
• Queen Zabel (aka Isabella) of Armenia, 1219-1252: It's probably best to play this one while she's a child to avoid playing through either of her two lousy marriages.

Antioch, Duchy of

• Vahram Varajnuni, Duke of Antioch, 26 Aug. 1071: Another one of those fortune-seekers after the battle of Manzikert, known to the Byzantines as Philaretos Brachamios. You are an independent Armenian duke of Antioch. The Seljuks are to your east and north, that makes 3 counts to your south and 2 dukes to your west your only expansion options early on. You can alternatively play him before Manzikert when he is the Strategos of Mesopotamia under the ERE.

Byzantine Empire

• Grigor Pahlavuni, Count of Vaspurakan, 1066: If Byzantium survives the Seljuk invasion successfully (which is luck of the draw and in your position, you can't do much to influence it), the fun starts! Try to expand within the Empire and when you are ready, wait for an opportunity and then break free to establish the independent Kingdom of Armenia under the Miaphysite faith. Try to do so before Armenia is culturally and religiously assimilated into the Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire! It will not be easy - it is hard to find allies as an Armenian Miaphysite, and if the Emperor doesn't like you, he can start revoking any ducal titles you may have without penalty.

穆斯林领主

Sunni

Africa, Sultanate of

• Tamim Zirid, Sultan of Africa, 1066: Ifriqiya was the Zirids, the prize of their conversion to Sunni Islam and rebellion against the Fatimids. But it is theirs no longer. The Fatimids have bribed the Banu Hilal Bedouin tribes to invade your lands, and have succeeded in carving your domain into a series of Emirates each larger than the sliver of land that has remained under your rightful rule. To regain your birthright will take wise statesmanship, ruthless strategy, and an indomitable spirit. Succeed, and perhaps an entire continent will bear your name.

Anatolia, Kingdom of (including all independent states in area)

• Umur I, Sultan of Aydin, 1336: You start with a single county on the western coast of Anatolia, with other Turkish rulers surrounding you, and the Christians to the west. Attempt to forge your realm in the Aegean Sea with holy wars against stronger Christian realms, to rival the nearby Ottomans in strength.

Arabian Empire

• Al-Mu'tazz, Badshah of Abbasid (Arabian) Empire & Sunni Caliph, 867 Theoretically, Al-Mu'tazz should be the most powerful man in the Islamic world. But the youngest Caliph since the establishment of the institution is an indulgent wastrel; cruel, cynical, arbitrary, lustful and envious. He is beset by powerful vassals, ready to rebel, including his half-brothers Al-Muwaffak and Al-Mu'tamid. Historically, he was one of the Caliphs who ruled during the "Anarchy at Samarra" and his reign (and the reigns of his two predecessors) were marked by a tremendous loss of power by the Caliphs to regional emirs. Can you turn around the historical decline of the Caliphate? Alternatively, you can play as one of Al-Mu'tazz's arguably more deserving brothers, Al-Muwaffak or Al-Mu'tamid, and try to overthrow your corrupt ruler and claim the Caliphate for yourself. Note: May not be as easy as it looks.
• Aarif Dofharid, Chief of Dhofar, 867 You start as an independent tribal chief on the shore of the Indian Ocean, and your neighbors, the tribe of Mahra, are ripe for conquest. That’s enough to form Hadrawmut and put you on a path to become the only merchant republic south of the Sinai, but beware: you’ll have to contend with the Abbasids, the Abyssinians, and potentially even the Pratiharans.

Crete, Emirate of

• Ahmad ibn Umar ibn Shuayb ibn Umar al-Balluti, Emir of Crete, 936 Crete was conquered by exiles from Andalusia in 826, resulting in the Hafsid Emirate, until its reconquest by the Byzantine Empire in 961. During that time, it was a haven for Barbary pirates throughout the Mediterranean. The emirate mainly controlled the coast and the stronghold of Chandax (present-day Heraklion), so even though the ruling family is Berber and Sunni, the people are still Greek and Orthodox. At this date, you begin with extra event troops and ships to help you start. Can you keep the Byzantines at bay and establish a great pirate kingdom in some of the richest waters on the map?

埃及苏丹国

• 莎贾尔 杜尔(Shajar al-Durr)(珍珠小枝)，埃及苏丹娜，1250.1-1250.5:游戏里为数不多的女穆斯林统治者，游戏里她是亚美尼亚人。她是最后一位阿尤布苏丹的遗孀，后来嫁给了第一位马穆鲁克苏丹。因为穆斯林不允许入赘婚姻，所以最重要的事情是以某种方式延续你的血脉，皈依其他宗教并在埃及提高女权是最简单的方法
• Baibars, Sultan of Egypt, 24 Oct. 1260 - 30 Jun. 1277: The Turk who became a slave, the slave who became a general, the general who became a Sultan, the Sultan who brought down the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Baibars, thought to be a fair-skinned, blue-eyed Turk in life, was the Mamluk general who won the Battle of Ain Jalut, turning back the Mongol tide and showing, once and for all, that the Khans could be beaten. He then ascended to the Sultanate and continued his conquests against Armenia and the Crusader states, effectively ending the Catholic occupation of the Holy Land. In-game, Egypt is a powerhouse, headed by a strong, ambitious, brilliant strategist in the latter half of the prime of his life. It's an easy game, but a fun romp. And dominating the map as Baibars makes a little more sense than doing so as the Fatimids.
• Saladin, Emir of Alexandria, 18 Jan. 1169: The famed Kurdish general and leader of Egyptian forces during the Third Crusade.

Erzerum, Beylik of

• Mämäm Khätun, 1 Jan. 1191: Another one of those rare, female Muslim rulers. Can you survive amongst all those men?

Ghurid, Shah of

• Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad, 1 Jan. 1173: Play the zealous Islamic Shah, Start by taking down the Ghaznavid then you can go for your conquest of India. Can you establish the Sultanate of Delhi?

Khwarezmid, Beylerbey of

• Anushtegin, 1 Jan. 1077: A founder of Khwarazmian Empire, you are a vassal of mighty Seljuk, starting with 2 de jure claim at north Turkestan. As Historically your power should grow even more powerful than your liege, Sultan of the Great Seljuk.
• Ala ad-Din, 1 Mar. 1172: Anushtegin's descendants of the Khwarazmian Empire. Khwarazmid is now independent with the declining of the Seljuk Empire.

Mali, Sultanate of

• Mansa Musa, Mansa of Mali, 1 Jan. 1312: Considered by many to be the wealthiest person ever. Before death, Musa amassed an estimated $400 billion from Mali's status as the producer of half of the world's gold and salt. He has nowhere near that sum in-game, but what's to stop you from making up the difference for him?
• Tunka Cisse, Emir of Ghana, 1066: Neither you nor your family has great stats or a great starting position. However, you are easily in the best position to form the kingdom of Mali, and if you can slowly dismantle the Almoravids to the north, you may yet become a presence on the world stage. Not to mention that they are the only neighbor you have, meaning that if you keep good relations, you can build in peace.

Mauretania, Sultanate of

• Yusuf I Almoravid, Emir of Marrakech, 15 Sept. 1066: El Cid's Moorish arch-enemy from many Reconquista stories. You start with all the riches of the Almoravid Sultanate in your hands, can easily acquire the crown by plotting, and have claims on all your Maghrebi neighbours. You can then expand North into al-Andalus, as Yusuf did historically. With the Almoravids' resources, completing the conquest of Spain or even breaching into Europe proper isn't much of a challenge, but he is a good choice of a character for less experienced players.

Ottomans, Sultanate of

• Sultan of Ottomans, 1299 or HYW bookmark: they show up in 1299 in Ankara but the 100 years war bookmark gives them better odds since the Byzantines are in a shambles. Can you conquer Anatolia, Greece, and most importantly the Imperial city before the game ends in 1453?

Persia, Sultanate of

• Satrap Vushmgir Ziyarid of Tabaristan, 936: your brother was the last Zoroastrian ruler of note in Persia, who was determined to crush the Abbasid Caliphate and restore Sassanid Empire. His successful reign ended when his Turkish slaves murdered him. Now Persia is fractured, with different dynasties competing for the rulership of Eranshar. Will you continue your brothers legacy and attempt to restore Persia to its original faith?

罗阇萨傥那帝国

• Raziyya Ghulam, Khatun of Rajasthan, 20 Nov. 1236:作为唯三的女穆斯林统治者，为什么不试试印度唯一的一位呢？(For the hat-trick of female Muslim rulers, why not try the one and only Muslim woman to rule in India? )现实中的拉齐娅(她坚持要有男子气概，并且穿着打扮也像个男人)是她父亲指定的继承人。为了捍卫她的德里苏丹国头衔，她不得不与她的两位兄弟以及她的儿时玩伴交战。在游戏中，唯一真正的障碍是分发她最初持有的50块直辖领地，以及你多么不愿意让她无能的兄弟继承。但只要你挺过了最初的几年，整个印度都会成为你的盘中餐。

Rum, Sultanate of

• Ertugrul Ghazi, Bey of Ankara, 1266: the father of Osman Ghazi (founder of the Ottoman dynasty) lives as a vassal of Rum in 1266, he is the Bey of Ankara.
• Chaka, Emir of Smyrna, 1081-91: one of the quasi-independent (a vassal of Rum in-game) Turkish rulers that gained land in Asia Minor after the battle of Manzikert and the Turkish invasion of Anatolia. He was one of the most interesting Turkish characters during that time. Before 1081 he was raised in Constantinople, after being captured as a war prisoner by the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates during some Byzantine campaign against the Turks in Asia Minor. He was even granted the title of protonobilissimos and served as one of the soldiers under Byzantine command. When Alexios I Komnenos took the Imperial throne, Chaka was stripped of all of his titles. Then he left the ERE and travelled back to Asia Minor, where he managed to take control of Smyrna, and conquer a sizeable territory, mostly on the west coast of Asia Minor. He was the first Turk to create a navy and engage in naval warfare (building ships in the ports of Smyrna and Ephesos, with the help of the Christians of those cities) and became a threat to Byzantine islands and offshore provinces. For the first time in many years, the Aegean Sea wasn't safe for the Byzantines.
• Kayqubad I, Sultan of Rum, 01 Jan 1220: Play as Kayqubad the Great, as weakened Seljuk dynasty can you control Anatolia, and hold incoming the Mongol horde?
• Kilij Arslan III, Sultan of Rum, 16 May 1204: The Byzantine Empire has just shattered into numerous successor-states following the Fourth Crusade. Can you maneuver through the newly emerged political situation to complete the Turkish conquest of Anatolia? Or perhaps, more ambitiously, enact the full Ottoman conquests a good century before the Ottomans?

Tlemcen, Emirate of

• Aba-al-Mu'min Almohad, Emir of Tlemcen, 1 Jan. 1145: Two decades of Almohad revolt, at last, begin to bear fruit. You are the chosen successor of El-Mahdi; destined to a Caliphate but an Emir for now. The Almoravid Sultans in the west continue to cling to power they do not deserve. Take advantage of the divided and weak Emirs to your east or take the fight directly to the murderers of Ibn Tumart, but move quickly. The end is coming.

Shirvan, Satrapy of

• Fariburz Kesranid, Satrap of Shirvan, 1066: The Kesranids controlled their small and culturally prosperous Shahdom (Satrapy in-game) in what is now Azerbaijan for the duration of CK2, outliving the Seljuks and only being annexed by the Safavids 100 years into the timeframe of EUIV. They are available as the Yazidids in the Old Gods and Charlemagne bookmarks but are most interesting after 1066, by which time the Bedouin governors of Shirvan have become Persianised and started to glorify the pre-Islamic Persian past, tying it to their dynasty. The immediate goal is to be as much as a survivor as the real Kesranids and cling on against Seljuk and Christian onslaughts, but the long-term ambition is for this originally Arabian dynasty to supplant the Seljuks and create a truly Persian Persian Empire in its place. In my game as Fariburz, his life started with a doubling of the size of his realm, before losing all but one county to the Seljuks and then converting to Miaphysite to stop a Georgian Holy War. Expect a chaotic and dramatic game even if you can't get a successful one.

Shia

Damascus, Emirate of

• Hussayn ibn Ahmed Fatimid, Emir of Damascus, 1 Jan. 867: It is not safe being an adherent of the Shi'at Ali (Party of Ali) at this time. You are currently a vassal under the Sunni Caliph Al- Mu'tazz, and also surrounded by other Sunni powers. Hussayn claims direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad himself, through the line of the Prophet's daughter Fatima and Ali ibn Abu Talib. The blood of the great Shia martyr Husayn ibn Ali flows through your veins as distant kin. How long will you let Al-Mu'tazz and the other pretenders usurp the Muslim community? It is time to unite the people once more under the family of the Prophet.

Ilkhanate

• Safi-ad-din Safavid, Count of Gilan, 1325: Centuries from now, your dynasty is destined to rise as the leaders of a reborn Persia, destined to claim much of its former glory. For now, though, you are the ruler of a small territory under the heavy rule of the Mongol invaders. Can you move carefully enough to build your power under the nose of the Khan and eventually claim your rightful place as the ruler of Persia?

Soomra, Maharaja of

• Dodo Soomra, Maharaja of Soomra, 01 Jan. 1068: was a ruler of Sindh. He was of Soomro Rajput origin. The Soomra dynasty ruled out the province of Sindh from 1024 to 1351. Their 1st ruler is named Al Khafif.

Oman, Emirate of

• Muhammed Nabhanid, Emir of Oman, 1 Jan. 1154: Sixty-four is rather old for a Bedouin rebel. Perhaps it is good that you no longer are one. The Seljuks have at last surrendered all of Oman to you, but with a lone son still not of age you might not be able to make too much of it. Should your line survive the attentions of the equally large Emirates on either side of you, the Sultanate of Arabia is a natural goal. Even then the Sunnis surrounding you should make for a tense and eventful game.

Persia, Sultanate of

• Qarin Bavandid, Bey of Tabaristan, 15 Sept. 1066: One of the few landed Persians at the start of the game, and a member of the Bavandid dynasty, a cadet branch of the Sassanids of old. Try to usurp the Shahdom of Persia and convert it to Shia a few centuries early, or go for a long-overdue restoration of Zoroastrianism. His descendants hold Tabaristan until the end of the game, so you can go with any of them.

Sicily, Emirate of

• Muhammad Kalbid, Emir of Sicily, 15 Sept. 1066: You're surrounded by infidels, but if you fend off the Sunni and conquer the Catholics then you can establish your Sultanate of Sicily right on the pope's doorstep.

Syria, Kingdom of

• Emir Hisn ad-Dawlah Haydar Yousifid, Emir of Damascus, 1066: used in CKII GOTW
  • Maintain Levantine culture
  • Become independent from the Caliph
  • Form the Kingdom of Syria with all de jure territory
  • Form the Kingdom of Jerusalem with all de jure territory
    • (This is impossible: only Christians can create the Kingdom of Jerusalem)
  • Add 4 of the following de jure (all provinces) duchies to your nation: Sinai, Arabia, Baghdad, Mosul, Edessa, Armenia Minor, Cyprus

Shia heresies

• Ishaq Ishaqid, Sheikh of Baalbek, 15 Sept. 1066: The northernmost vassalize of the Fatimid caliphate, and adherent of the Druze heresy (and one of the few rulers that is a Muslim heretic), playing him would be interesting, to say the least...
• Abu Tahir Al Jannabi, Emir of the Jannabid Empire, 7, Aug. 936: A new addition in the Iron Century Update, an adherent of the Qarmatian Heresy, (Shiite with Zoroastrian Elements) in Bahrayn (Eastern Arabia), in 930 he notoriously led the sacking of Mecca, desecrating Islam's most sacred sites and stealing the Black Stone. He died a normal death in 944, and his Empire would remain a great power in Arabia until their defeat by the Abbasids in 976. The Qarmatians would last until 1067 when they'd finally collapsed.

Ibadi

• Emir Aflah Rustamid, 867. You are the Emir of Tlemcen and Alger, a Berber ruling over castles that don't even have a proper wall, let alone buildings, over a people half catholic and half heretic. You are an adherent of a Muslim sect that predates the Shia-Sunni schism, and represent the group of them that fled to North Africa. Your neighbours are the Sunni Aghlabid sultans of Africa to the East, the Shia Idrisid sultans of Mauretania, and to the North just across the sea, the Umayyads and Catholic Aquitaine. All of the above are more powerful than you, and they can all declare Holy War on you...

In the hands of the AI, this is usually the first realm and religion to die. Can you do better? Can you claim Mecca and Medina for your creed and establish your Caliphate?

Pagan characters

Germanic

Brittany, Duchy of

• Haesteinn, Chief of Nantes, 867: used in CKII GOTW
  • Unite Brittany under the Nordic banner
  • Add 3 of the following duchies to your realm: Cornwall, Somerset, Normandy, Anjou, Poitou
  • Add any 3 duchies from the de jure Kingdom of Ireland
  • Add any two duchies from the de jure Empire of Hispania
  • The Norse Faith must be Reformed
  • All 5 Norse holy sites must be controlled by the religion
  • Amass 25k in Gold
  • Alternatively: Convert to Catholicism, become Norman, and invade England. Be Guillaume le Bâtard of this timeline.

Denmark, Kingdom of

• Holmger Hammer, Chief of Bornholm (Burgundaholmr), 867 Note: officially has the best dynasty name in the game

See Denmark walkthrough

Iceland, Duchy of

• Garðar Svavarsson, Chief of Austisland, 867 Note: Can one man (literally) build an empire?

The Isles, Duchy of (Sudreyjar)

• Olafr Yngling, Chief of Dublin, 867
• Ketill Flatnefr, Chief of Mann, 867

Konugardr (Kiev), Petty Kingdom of

• Dyre "the Stranger", Petty King of Konugarðr (Kiev), 1st January 867: As a Norse petty king, your targets for raiding are limited as you have no ports for your 30 event-spawned ships to head into, however when you do get a port, Crete, Cherson and Cyprus will make easy pickings. You have a son, a wife with high intrigue and you are a genius. But the vast lands of Russia and the Crimea (especially after the Magyars settle) are open for conquest, and there are many paths you could take.

Lotharingia, Kingdom of

• Hrodulfr Akra, Count of Ostfriesland, 867: You are the only Pagan vassal in the kingdom of Lotharingia. Your uncle, Hrorekr is, as the Duke of Holland, your liege. Hrorekr has betrayed The Old Gods already and is Catholic. They call you the black sheep of the family. Can you show them what you are worth?

Rus, Kingdom of

• Rurik, Petty King of Holmgarðr (Novgorod), 1st January 867: Play the famed Varangian chieftain Rurik, and begin your journey to unite the Slavic lands of Rus under your dynasty. As a grounded Norse, your targets for raiding are hopelessly limited, and your son and heir has fallen sway to the Perun worshippers. But the vast lands of Russia and the Baltic are open for conquest, and there are many paths you could take. Will your dynasty stay true to your Nordic roots and unite your homeland, or will you or your descendants fall sway to the preachings of the Perun worshippers or even the Christ-God of Miklagarðr?

Sweden, Kingdom of

• Erik III "the Heathen" af Munsö, Jarl of Uppsala, 15 Sept. 1066: Starts with a claim on the Swedish throne and about half the kingdom as his vassals, so can usurp the throne with a little luck. Can you reconquer Scandinavia for Odin and Thor, or will you succumb to the Christian tides?
• Rikulfr Ulfing, Chief of Austergautland, 867 - Note: Not Beowulf's dynasty, but a member of a dynasty who makes an appearance in the saga. Still, one of the only two Geatish dynasties in the game (along with House Gautske).
• Arnfast Frille, Chief of Västerbotten, 1 Jan. 1270: You're a small Germanic Chief ruling over Catholics and flanked by Swedes in the south, and Suomenusko Finns in the North. You also happen to be the last Germanic ruler on the planet, can you restore the old gods to Scandinavia?

Norway, Kingdom of

• Haraldr Fairhair, Jarl of Ostlandet, 1st January 867: Play as Harald Fairhair Jarl of Ostlandet, he is considered to be the man who unified the Kingdoms of Norway into one. Take the challenge yourself and see if you can follow the sagas of the Norse king who would not shave his hair until he ruled over Norway.

Romuva

Lithuania, Kingdom of

• Mindaugas Gediminaitis, High Chief of Lithuania (Duchy), 1 May 1241 (Rise of the Hansa bookmark) Note: Frequent religion switcher, but Romuva in this bookmark. The first king of Lithuania. Murdered by his kinsman. Can you survive with enemies all around you?

In-game, he's quite possibly the strongest Romuva character until Lithuania becomes a kingdom. Ownership of five provinces is nothing to laugh at when you have warrior cult, and neighboring Pomeralia is ripe for the taking. On the other hand, you have a dangerous neighbor in the Holy Roman Empire and will likely border Denmark and Poland too before long, and if you get too big the Pope might call a crusade. Can you survive long enough to unify the pagans and their enormous warrior cults, form Pomerania (or Wends in CK2+) and resist the Northern Crusades?

Slavic

Greater Poland, Duchy of

• Piast, High Chief of Greater Poland: The semi-legendary founder of the Polish state. Consolidate the Polish and Pomeranian tribes and then take the battle to the Romuva Balts to the east to form the Wendish Empire. Will you Christianize your people, or unite all the Slavs under a reformed pagan faith?

Kiev, Duchy of

• Dobrova Turov, High Chieftess of Kiev, 769: This character wasn't historical, but she is a pretty hard start, although she can marry matrilineally. Any expansion will probably be tough, as your levies are smaller than virtually all of your neighbors'. As a side note, her chancellor begins as a Strong Beautiful Genius and is unmarried, making him a prime target for marriage even though he is Lowborn.

Mecklenburg, Duchy of

• Krutoj Wizlawid, High Chief of Mecklenburg, 1066: Usurped the throne after the last king (who starts in Lubeck) converted to Christianity. Historically avoided Christianity for his 27-year rule, until he was assassinated, and his state itself went back and forth between Christianity and paganism for nearly a century until being firmly Christianized and vassalized by larger realms.

Pomerania, Duchy of

• Swietopelk II Gryfita, High Chief of Pomerania, 1106: A ruler who is both a first and a last: the first ruler of the Gryfita dynasty (aka Gryf or the "House of Griffins"), a dynasty in real life that'd rule Pomerania for the rest of the Middle Ages and go on to have the first king of the Kalmar Union. He is also, however, the last Slavic pagan ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania, and in 1106 one of only two playable Slavic pagan rulers left in the world. You have a paltry three counties, and three sons ready to split that realm amongst themselves. To the east are the Lithuanian tribes, to the south a powerful and unified Catholic Poland, the north the Baltic Sea (and more Catholic kingdoms), and to the west you have the only other surviving Slavic ruler (the three-county Chief of Dymin), the now Christian Tribe of Obotrites, and most terrifyingly of all the Holy Roman Empire. Do you follow history and accept Christ, and perhaps seek the HRE's protection against the large, hungry states that surround you? Or do you defy the Christians on the doorstep of their most powerful empire and fan the last smouldering embers of Slavic paganism?

Suomenusko

Livonia, Duchy of

• Nalka Läänemaa, High Chief of Livonia, 867: Might be cool. Have a solid plan to consolidate your power or you'll be soon forced to contend with stronger rivals both to the East and South and even to the West across the sea. Will you unite the lands of Finland and become the true King of the North? Or will you find yourself lured into the endless power-struggles of the Norse-ruled East and make a bid for dominance? Will you perhaps subjugate the potentially rich coast of the Baltic and eradicate the false-pagans of Lithuania? Or are you going to carry out the Will of God and save your people from eternal damnation and join the Kaiser and his Schwertbrüder in His noble quest to bring Light to these darkest reaches of the World? Or perhaps the promise of bountiful gold instead of naive ideals will bring you to control the trade of the Western Sea and beyond? As Livonia stands at the crossroads between East and West on the edge of the North, so will you have many paths to walk down and claim your destiny from. Choose wisely and don't forget to bang your attractive genius cousin on the way to glory.
• Chief Varaka Kask, Chief of Saaremaa, 1066: A difficult start. You start with no one in your family except you. A great start for those that like to establish their unique dynasty. Your first objective is to seize control of the High Chiefdom of Livonia. From there you can decide between two paths. You can push upwards and conquer your de jure lands that make up the Kingdom of Finland, or you can push south and bend the Romuvans, Russians, and Khans to their knees so that you establish an Estonian Russia. Either way, there are many difficulties you shall face. If you choose Finland, be warned that the Christian Norse Kingdoms shall not be pleased with your expansion. If you decide you wish to stay Suomenusko, you will face many Holy Wars for your land. Stay vigilant and bring House Kask to glory!

Ryazan, Duchy of

• Vechkas Meshcheravid, High Chief of Meshchera, 867: Leader of the dwindling and displaced Meshchera people, your title is actually the High Chiefdom of Ryazan, the traditional homeland of your tribe, but by now they have been completely displaced northwards by Slavic Russians, as the titular High Chiefdom of Pronsk. Your Mordvin neighbors are the Merya and Murom tribes, natural allies, but are they? Otherwise, you are sandwiched between Pronsk and the much larger High Chiefdom of Polotsk, also Slavic and Russian. Your lands are four counties, none of them in your de jure land. One is in de jure Murom, two in de jure Vladimir, and the last is Moscow itself. Typically the game will begin with Pronsk declaring a subjugation war against Murom, who will most definitely lose without assistance (but perhaps it is better them than you?) Pronsk is a tributary of Khazaria, so attacking them directly might cause rampaging hordes to appear on your doorstep. Can you prevent the historical extinction and assimilation of your people? Can you keep Moscow out of Russian hands?

Tengri

High Chiefdom of Pest

• Baghatur Khunzakhal, High Chief of Pest, 867 Your lands are the last remnant of the Avar Khaganate, the most feared power in the region some 200 years earlier. Reduced to a mere vassal of the Christian Bulgars, you can take advantage of the Magyar invasion to secure your independence. Then outrace and outfight the new invaders to dominate the Pannonian Basin and reform the Khaganate.

High Chiefdom of Karvuna

• Krum Dulo, High Chief of Karvuna, 769 You are a Tengri vassal of your kinsman, the khan of Bulgaria. It is said that in 811, the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I was slain in battle by Krum, who lined his skull with silver and used it as a drinking cup. Nikephoros was succeeded by his son, who was forced to abdicate by Krum after a very short reign. The next emperor, Michael I, was the third Byzantine emperor forced to abdicate or killed by Krum in three years: he invaded Bulgaria but was defeated in a battle. You are in a good position to gain independence from your liege, and you have a good opportunity to expand north, as the high chief of Bolghar is a member of your dynasty. You also have great stats, especially your military score.

Khaganate of Alania

• Khagan Buriberdi Zmbalani of Alania, 769 You are an Alan, a subgroup of Sarmatians, and the last of the Scythians, once the rulers of the vast majority of the Eurasian steppe. Scythians and other Iranian steppe peoples have long been pushed backwards by Turkic and Mongol tribes. You are now one of the smallest tribes on the steppes and a tributary of the Khazars. Will you continue running, or change the tides, and push the Turko-Mongol invaders back into East Asia?

Golden Horde

• Genghis, Khagan of Golden Horde, 1 Jan. 1218: The greatest conqueror who ever lived. By this point, he's already unified the Mongols and conquered lands not on the map, along with much of Khwarezm and Aktobe. Starts with four attrition-free tumans (40,000 men) and a free invasion CB on everyone. 26 military score and his other stats aren't bad either. Easiest game to expand as, but matching the amazing conquests he and his successors pulled off historically before the horde settles down can be quite a challenge, as is holding such a vast empire together with Ultimogeniture succession. If you truly want to replicate his conquests from the beginning, he begins as a Khan in Mongolia, beginning in 1194.
• Chaka Borjigin, King of Bulgaria, 1297-8: Only Mongolian ruler of Bulgaria and a descendant of Genghis Khan. Historically he was deposed and murdered in prison. Can you do better?

Zunist

Kingdom of Afghanistan

• Satrap Jimofuta, Zunbil Satrapy, 769 Wedged in between the Abbasid Blob to the south-west, Abbasid tributaries to the west, just south of nomad hordes, and with Hindu nations on the rise to your east, as the only Zunist realm you just know it's going to be an interesting game! At least there are some weak Buddhist realms you can conquer if they don't call in their holy order.

Mazdan characters

Zoroastrian

Arabian Empire (Abbasid Caliphate)

• Sorkhab Bavandid, Satrap of Tabaristan, 769 Your family are descendants of Shahanshah Kavadh I. After the Dabuyid dynasty was defeated, you inherited their lands, the last independent remnant of the Sassanid Empire. You are an old man so it's important to act quickly, for the Muslim Caliph is also nearing the end of his life. Soon the Mohammedans will fight each other for the right to lead the "faithful". Secure enough territory for your family and your heir could well become shah, eclipsing the achievements of Farrakhan the Great and the Dabuyids. After that, it is time for the rightful heirs of the Sassanid dynasty to reclaim their empire.

Khiva, Kingdom of

• Kanakk Khuda, Marzoban of Bukhara, 867: Your family has held the glorious town of Bukhara for centuries, resisting Muslim onslaught and keeping the flame of Zoroaster alive. Now you are ruled by Samanids of Khiva who want to seize your lands. Can you avoid your fate and reclaim Transoxania for Zoroaster?

Persia, Kingdom of

• Rostam Bavandid, Marzoban of Tabaristan, 867 A Zoroastrian count that starts as a vassal of a Shia ruler in the mountainous region of northern Persia. Rostam starts with two counties in his demesne, which makes him twice as big as the neighboring Justanids, but sadly he is lacking any event army. Even if he can overthrow his liege, he is stuck between the regional Muslim powers. Can you make him rise to power, drive out the Mohammedans and lead the Persian Empire to a new golden age?
• Wahsudan Justanid, Marzoban of Gilan, 867 Starts right next to the Caliphate, so even with his meagre event troops, survival will be a struggle. Still, the weak Alavids are right next door, and you can always try to swear fealty to the Caliphate and destroy it from within. According to legend, it was Wahsudan who built the future Hashshashin stronghold of Alamut.

Mazdaki

Kingdom of Transoxania (Emirate of Samarkand)

• Hashem Muqannid, Marzoban of Khuttal, 769: Al-Muqanna was a self-declared prophet who created a new religion mixing Zoroastrianism & Islam and then rebelled against the Abbasid caliphate. What's more, he was a chemist who blew half of his face off and thus went around veiled, adding to his mysterious nature. While real Muqanna was defeated and took his own life, perhaps you can fare better against the Muslim armies?

Khurmazta

Kashmir, Kingdom of

• Keykhosraw Daroot, Marzoban of Pamir, 867: The only independent Khurmazta ruler in the game you have a single province high in the mountains as a tributary of the Samanids which offers you a degree of protection. However, this will not help you against your most immediate threat your fellow Samanid tributary the Banijurid's to whom you are the only available target for expansion. Surviving a war against them will require a lot of luck and good timing, hopefully, you will be in a good enough position to return the favor once you have defended yourself. Once you have done that Kashmir and the world is your oyster, do you push west and restore the Persian Empire or do you stay in the mountains and expand eastward.

Jewish characters

Jewish

Abyssinia, Kingdom of

• Dawit I Gideon, Duke of Semien, 867
• Dawit II Gideon, Duke of Axum, 1066

Cumania, Khanate of

• Isaac Doganin, Count of Itil, 1066

Khazaria, Khanate of

• Manasseh II Bulanid, Khan of Khazaria, 867

Baghdad, High Chiefdom of

• Saad Mordechai, High Chief of Baghdad, 1 Jan. 1291: Court physician and steward in the court of Arghun Khan, Khagan of the Ilkhanate. Starting as a secret Jew, see how far you can go whether you choose to embrace Judaism or not.

Eastern religions

Hindu

Afghanistan, Kingdom of

• Kallar Shahi, Satrap of Kabulistan, 867: Bordered by Muslim nations it could become difficult quickly enough. It’s an interesting character to play Indian, but outside of India. The Shahis are possibly also descendants of the Hephthalites.

Bihar, Kingdom of

• Ramagupta Gupta, Thakur of Simaramapura and Mithila, 769: Can you re-establish the Gupta dynasty as the dominant power of India? You have a claim to a kingdom title held by your liege and road is hard but you can do it!

Deccan Empire

• Harihara Sangama, Samrat of Deccan Empire, 1337: The founder of the Vijayanagara Empire, an empire that originated as a direct response to the aggression of the Tughluqs. Only two decades after the foundation of the Empire, he managed to get control over a big part of South India and fend off the Tughluqs until the empire disintegrated after 1388. In-game, you start very small with a big Tughluq Sultanate to the North of you.

Kakatiya, Kingdom of

• Rudrama Devi Kakatiya, 1259: Yep, she's playable! But you need to start as her dad, who will die soon afterwards and has no other heirs. This is because, after 1259, Rudrama Devi has a non-dynastic son.

Kashmir, Kingdom of

• Didda, Queen of Kashmir, 980-1002: You have to edit defines.txt (.lua?) to play as her, but I imagine she's worth it.

Punjab, Kingdom of

• Jayapida Karkota, Maharaja of Punjab, 769: Not long before the 769 start date his ancestors controlled much of northern India but in 769 he's just in control of the northern province of Kasmira and a few much stronger vassals in Punjab. From this position, the historical Jayapida managed to reclaim much of the old empire, including the great prize of the imperial city of Kannauj before it was all lost again.

Rajputana, Kingdom of

• Toramana Hunas, Thakur of Mohadavasaka, 769: You are the last remnant of the White Huns also known as the Hephthalite Empire, a nomadic confederation that helped in the collapsing of the Gupta Empire. You hold the southern tip of what was once the Empire's land, under a powerful liege whose culture is foreign to you. Can you grow from your meagre start into a force to be reckoned with and re-establish the old empire?

• Prithviraj Chauhan, Maharaja of Rajputana, 1177: An important character in Indian folklore, until this day. He managed to forge a legendary alliance and fended off the Islamic general Ghori in 1191 during the first battle of Tarain. The second battle of Tarain in 1192, however, was lost by Chauhan, which led to his execution.

Buddhist

Note: All historical Khitan and Han characters are written in their better known Han Pin-yin names as opposed to names that appear in Mongolian or other regional sources.

Afghanistan, Kingdom of

• Nihaal Kaikanite, Mazorban of Kalat, 769: A small and almost lonely afghan Buddhist country, surrounded by Abbasids, Zunists and not-so-weak Sunni states. Against all odds, could you survive and become the Shah? Or maybe the first ruler of united India will be of house Kaikanite?

Mongolia, Khaganate of

• 辽洪基（耶律洪基）, Khagan of Liao, 1066: the Emperor Daozong of the Khitan Liao Dynasty of Northern China. However, his "last name" should be Yelu. Since the late 10th century the Khitan hordes have relentlessly expanded in all directions before settling down and Sinicizing, their realm stretching from the Tarim basin to near modern Korea. Such is their ferocity and might, that centuries later with the advent of the Mongol hordes, their names still exist in Slavic records as the legendary... Cathay! Historically, the waning of the Khitans began with Hongji's ill-fated yet long reign, whose senility included oppressive measures to vassal clans, murdering his respected Crown Prince and all that jazz... Of course, eventually he repented and installed his 2-year old grandson as heir, but alas, it was too late. A lack of proper education for the heir and continued policies eventually caused the much-oppressed vassal Jurchen Wanyan clan to rise in rebellion and shattered the Liao Empire under his grandson's reign. The legacy of the once glorious Liao only exists in the exodus embarked by the Khara-Khitans...

Yet however, you, have the power to prevent all of this. Manage your vassal relations (especially with the Wanyan), educate your heir, and conquer, conquer and conquer! There will be no Jurchen uprising, there will be no Mongol yoke, there will be no need for the Khara-Khitans...There will only be the one and only Khagan of Cathay! Let the Empire of Liao truly spread their villainous name from Ireland to Cathay!

Zenji Jigme, Ngapo of Bumthang, 1066

You are Zenji Jigme, an almost totally unremarkable person, but you have a great legacy behind you, Bhutan is a realm that has never relinquished its sovereignty (Historians are somewhat split over whether Bhutan was subject to the Tibetan Empire, paradox take the view that they were), 230 years ago, all of Bhutan was under your dynasty, but now, you only hold the eastern half of the country, can you keep Bhutan independent, surrounded by larger neighbours a Buddhist realm with a constant de jure claim on your lands, and a Hindu kingdom, thought with monastic feudalism as a government type, this daunting task is less of a tall order, for a challenge, try converting to Nestorianism by marrying into the family of the count of Charkliq, and establish a Christian outpost in a sea of heretics.

西夏

• 嵬名谅祚，西夏国王, 1066: Historically, Liangzuo (Emperor Yizhong) came of age amid a bloody internal struggle between pro-Chinese courtiers and courtiers who favored a more militaristic steppe society. His abrupt death in 1067, leaving only his young son Bingchang, immediately returned Xi Xia to another one. As de jure King of Xia, you start only controlling the Duchy of Jiuquan. Jiuquan is very rich (the game's way of representing the off-map half of the historical Xi Xia kingdom), but you will need to accumulate prestige rapidly to press your claims on the Tangut duchies to the south. U-Tsang will expand north rapidly and shares a dynasty with Guge, so your short-term goal should be to prevent their union by any means necessary while taking enough territory to block anyone else from forming the Tibetan Empire. By keeping your dynasty stable (and hopefully passing on your Quick trait), your holdings can be developed enough to invade China or even reverse the historical fall of Xi Xia and snuff the Mongolian invasions in their infancy.

Jain

Maharastra, Kingdom of

• Amoghavarsha Rashtrakuta, Maharaja of Rashtrakuta, 867: the 6th and greatest ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, a scholar and a poet who devoted himself to the pacifistic nature of his religion. Already an old man will you continue his legacy as his successors of a cultural powerhouse expanding only through marriage or will you form a lasting Jain empire across all of India by the sword?

Gujrat, Kingdom of

• Kumarapala Solanki, Maharaja of Solanki, 1160: Considered to be the last great royal patron of the Jain religion by later Jain scholars he was a warlike Hindu in his youth who conquered many surrounding realms but by 1160 in-game he has converted to Jainism and given up much of his earlier conquests. Legends have it that the Jain Gods preserved his rule against would-be conquerors who thought they could exploit his pacifism The rest of his family is Hindu but all the provinces of his realm are Jain and most of his subjects will like him enough to convert if asked and bribed with gold. Will you preserve Jain in an age where the subcontinent is increasingly divided between Hinduism and Islam and show would-be invaders that pacifism does not make you weak? He is available from 1143 but does not convert to Jain until January 1 1160, if you want to start as him at the height of his power in 1159 he still controls much of a neighboring Malwa. He rules until his death in 1172.

道教

• 周鼎，酒泉/安西伯爵，769：河西走廊的控制权落入吐蕃人之手，这区域切断了中原和西域都护府的联系。这种情况被模拟为大量对吐蕃领土的宣称。然而，卡在两个强权之间的你，重夺失地看起来近乎不可能。
• 张议潮，酒泉公爵，867：张议潮率军重夺河西走廊并使其重归大唐王朝。酒泉公国足够富庶但你的扩张之路被几个强大的领主阻挡。有足够的雄心壮志，你依然可以将整个塔里木重新收入囊中，永远不停地向前扩张中国到达之地。

诸商业共和国

维斯比

• Botstain af Stenkyrka, Grand Mayor of Visby, 1066: This titular republic is based on the island of Gotland, off the coast of Sweden. This is easily one of the more profitable positions on the map. While expanding in Finland may be relatively pointless, the rich fields of Germany, Frisia, France and England all beckon. With the nearest competition in Genoa, you certainly have the upper hand. But be warned! Should Erik "the Heathen" take control of Sweden, you will very quickly be eliminated, or forced to convert, which would undoubtedly be fun. Also, watch out for the other patrician families as they haven't taken kindly to such a young man being elected Grand Mayor.

汉萨同盟

This merchant league exists in northern Germany from 1227 on. Can also form by event any time after 1170, if the HRE still controls northern Germany and the emperor allows its creation.

比萨

• Gerardo I Visconti, Serene Doge of Pisa, 1081: used in GOTW
  • Eliminate all Republics in the Mediterranean other than yourself
  • Claim 2 of the following with all de jure territory: Mallorca, Kabyllia, Tunis, Tripolitania
  • Add the de jure duchies of Sicily, Calabria, Achaia, and Krete to your nation.
  • Form the Latin Empire.
  • Drive the Turks out of the de jure Kingdoms of Greece and Anatolia.

威尼斯

• Enrico Dandolo, Serene Doge of Venice, 1192 - 1205: The nonagenarian, blind Doge that diverted the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople, and refused the crown of the Latin Empire as it would violate Venice's constitution. You can do no such thing in-game, but you can still feel free to be a sneaky, profit-minded jerk while wearing your "Crusader" trait proudly, and of course, there's nothing to stop you from founding the Latin Republic. That blind ninety-year-old man fought at the sack of Constantinople. And won. Eat your heart out, John the Blind.

阿马尔菲

This titular republic operates from the grand city of Amalfi in Sicily. It is a vassal of the Byzantine Empire in 751, independent in 839, and destroyed in 1060. It has the easiest access to Africa of the Italian republics. It is also one of the most vulnerable, as its only county is a de jure vassal of the Duke of Salerno. On YouTube, KottabosGames played as Amalfi starting in 867, if you want a good watch

Unlanded characters

Load up as their top-level liege, land them, save and switch characters when re-loading.

• Johan Andersson, Courtier in Järnbäraland, 15 Sept. 1066: Landless courtier in Sweden, like most of Paradox's staff. Always a Grey Eminence, so you can usually see him as a chancellor to Chief Tjudmund. He's only available on the original earliest possible start date (1066), like all of the Paradox staff.
• Gruffydd Aberffraw, Courtier in Dublin, 15 Sept. 1066: 11-year-old prince-in-exile in the county of Dublin. Start as the count, build your base until you can restore the boy's claim in Wales, then play on as the Aberffraw clan.
• Tostig of Godwin, Courtier in Norway, 15 Sept. 1066: The brother of Harold Godwinson, and the one who convinced Hardrade to invade England even as William of Normandy planned to do so as well. He, according to legend, won over the court of Harald Hardrade, and even lead the Vikings against the Saxons at the battle of Stamford Bridge where he died. Why not land him? I hear that Faroyar is nice this time of year... Keep the Godwinsons going strong, even if England falls to the Ynglings or de Normandies!
• Siechiech Topor, Courtier in Mazovia, 1066-1094: Historically he managed to gain influence by exiling king Boleslaw the Bold (and poisoning his son Mieszko) and taking advantage of his liege Wladyslaw I Herman (who is "Infirm" in the game), even becoming his queen's lover. He was considered the de facto ruler of Poland and continuously tried to gain the throne through intrigue. he is also credited with conquering Pomeralia. Eventually, he was defeated in a civil war, exiled and blinded by the sons of Wladyslaw in 1100.
• Eadgar of Wessex, Courtier in England, 15 Sept. 1066: You thought Harold was hard? Try playing as the rightful king. This unlucky teenager is the last male member of the English royal family, whose rightful throne is contested by not one, not two, but three different usurpers, all of them far more powerful than he could hope to be. All you have to work with is 2 unmarried sisters and a strong claim on England. Can you restore the house of Wessex to its rightful throne? Alternatively, play from the court of the Byzantine Basileus in 1099.
• Aelfwine Knytling, Courtier in Toulouse, 1066: You are the last surviving descendant of Canute the Great, who ruled over Denmark, Norway and England. Quite the legacy for a lowly Saxon courtier deep in the middle of southern France. You start with a strong claim on the throne of England but with no realistic way to press it, you must be patient. Start by giving Aelfwine a county in your area of choice and take it from there. Can you restore your house to the throne of England? Or maybe even restore your ancestor's great realm?
• Pedro de Bourgogne, Courtier in (Prince of) Portugal, Hundred Years' War start: You are the heir to the throne of Portugal, but that is not why history will remember you. Pedro fell in love with Inês de Castro, the bastard daughter of the duke of Galicia and hardly a suitable match for the heir of a kingdom. Still, the two could not be kept apart, which forced his father, King Afonso IV, to have the young woman murdered. This action was enough to cause Pedro to declare war on his father and while defeated, the timely death of the king still gave the crown to Pedro, who settled for hunting down the murderers, torturing them to death (which involved Pedro ripping their hearts out with his bare hands) and as a (somewhat legendary) final act of defiance, having the body of his beloved dug up and forcing the whole court to swear fealty to Inês as queen of Portugal. Can you right this historical wrong, unite these two love birds and lead their descendants to even greater glory?
• Omar Khayyam, Courtier in Hashimid Emirate, 1066: Historical Omar Khayyam, even though his stats are somewhat mediocre, created a dynasty of hedonistic mathematician-poets.
• Hrolfr de Normandie, Courtier in Tröndelag, 867: A famous Viking warrior and the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Historically, he settled in Normandy and founded the dynasty that would one day take the throne of England. The character Rollo in the History Channel television show Vikings is based on Hrolfr. Start as Hrörekr of Holland, give Hrolfr some land, play on as him and see if you can re-create history! Alternatively, start as Harald Fairhair in Akershus, Ostlandet and invite him to court (gift necessary) to establish an in-game relationship between Hrolfr and Harald as happened historically.
• Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Courtier (often Marshall or Commander) in Zealand (Sjaelland), 867: Legendary (i.e., semi-fictional) protagonist of the BBC television show The Last Kingdom, adapted from the Saxon Stories novel series by Bernard Cornwell. Historically, Uhtred the Bold was ealdorman of all Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, while this Uhtred was an ealdorman in Derbyshire (aka Derby in-game) in the 10th century.
• Dadhmihr Khursidzade, 769: Appearing in random court in 769, you are descendant of last independent Zoroastrian ruler in Persia and oldest member of Dabuyid dynasty. While you have been educated as Sunni, your sympathies are still with Zoroastrians who suffer under the yoke of Mohammettans. Can you restore your dynasty to glory and as a true heir to Sassanid dynasty, take back that what rightfully belongs to you?
• Theodoric of Merohingi, 769: Appearing in the court of the Count of Rouen, you are the last living Merovingian. After your father Childeric III was deposed by the Caroligians, you've been forced to become a monk an abbey in Normandy. Land him a city or a bishopric to remove its monk trait before landing him a county. Or press his claim on the throne with a powerful Duke, it will remove it as well (and make him king). Will you be able to get rid of those perfidious Karlings and make the Merovingian dynasty last a thousand years?
• Werner Salian, 769: Starts in the court of Carcassonne as the son of Lambert Guideshi. Land him early and start the Salian Dynasty hundreds of years before their historic rise to power.
• Sicard Sicard, 769: Father of Sico of Benevento.
• Sico Sicard, 769
• Republic of Wales: Start from December 1066 as William the Conqueror, play it out and give the mayor of Cornwall the duchy of Cornwall, or otherwise any mayor a duchy, thus republic is made.

References

指南