[Discuss] Dukes still not recognised properly?

[George Story]

Response to point 1.

"1. If dukes are stronger than kings, and the the kings had to beg them to
go
fight, then what you have is not so much a single strong realm made up of
multiple duchies, but a collection of strong duchies that merely happen to
fly
the same flag, albeit on a lower staff than their own personal banners. If
the
dukes were really so powerful that they could defy the king, then *why*
would
they be vassals of the king?"

Simple, for fear of the personal abilities of the King to lead the other
Duchies against him.  The King IRL derived his power from his own station
and his leadership abilities.  A poor leader resulted in poor control over
his realm.  It is then that dukes did what they wanted.

If the King was powerful and had many connections, when he said jump
Everyone jumped.  This power was not derived from clerks who would strip a
title if the monarch said so.  This power was derived from the King
gathering his military and forcibly stripping a duke of his power.

My point of view on this is summed up with this: For the rulers in BM.  "we
shouldn't be asking for the game mechanics to give us the power we want to
be inherent in the system. We need to change our actions to accumulate the
power for ourselves, then exercise that power through our personal contacts
and connections. The game can give you the authority, and it already does,
by giving you the title and the tax gold. It's up to the players to assert
their authority and claim the attendant power that goes along with that."
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