Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings as well as the Old Testament. Most adherents of the Christian faith, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human and the savior of humanity prophesied in the Old Testament. Consequentially, Christians commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah.

Main Branches

In Crusader Kings II Christianity is the dominant religion in Europe and has three main branches: Catholic, Orthodox and Miaphysite. By default, Christian characters are playable.

Catholic

Head - The Pope

Heresies - Cathar, Fraticelli, Waldensian, Lollard

Holy sites - Köln, Rome, Santiago, Jerusalem, Canterbury

Catholicism is one of the oldest branches of Christianity and the one that has had the biggest impact on the history of Europe. The formal head of the religion is the Bishop of Rome - the Pope. Defining features in-game:

• There is always a Pope, even if Rome falls.
• The Pope can grant divorces.
• The Pope can grant the Invasion Casus Belli.
• The Pope can excommunicate Catholic characters.
• The Pope can call great Crusades.
• Catholic rulers can set up Antipopes.
• Catholic Bishops may pay tax to the Pope rather than their secular liege.

Orthodox

Head - The Ecumenical Patriarch

Heresies - Bogomilist, Monothelite, Iconoclast, Paulician

Holy sites - Lebedos, Constantinople, Mount Athos, Jerusalem, Antioch

The Orthodox Church is the other main branch of Chalcedonian Christianity that until 1054 was formally united with the Catholic Church, although the political divisions can be traced back to the crowning of Charlemagne as Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800, which did not sit well with the Emperor in Constantinople. The nominal head of the Orthodox Church is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, but he does not interfere in the affairs of other Patriarchs. Defining features in-game:

• There is always an Ecumenical Patriarch, even if Constantinople falls.
• Multiple Patriarchs - the five Pentarchs and Autocephalous Patriarchs under Kings.
• Patriarchs can grant divorces.
• The Ecumenical Patriarch can grant the Invasion Casus Belli.
• Patriarchs can excommunicate Orthodox characters.

Miaphysite

Head - The Pope of Alexandria a.k.a. The Coptic Pope

Heresy - Monophysite

Holy sites - Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Aksum, Ghazali

Miaphysite Christianity encompasses the Coptic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Miaphysites stress Christ had but a single nature, but of both human and divine character.This stance split them off from the main branch of Christianity after the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Though not viewed as outright heretics by Orthodox and Catholic Christians, it is a fine distinction. The nominal head of the Miaphysite Church is the Pope of Alexandria. Defining features in-game:

• There is always a Pope of Alexandria, even if Alexandria falls.
• Multiple Patriarchs - the five Pentarchs and Autocephalous Patriarchs under Kings.
• Patriarchs can grant divorces.
• The Pope of Alexandria can grant the Invasion Casus Belli.
• Patriarchs can excommunicate Miaphysite characters.

Nestorian

Head - The Patriarch of the East

Heresy - Messalian

Holy sites - Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Baghdad, Roudehen

Nestorianism is an early branch which states that Christ has two separate natures - one divine and one human. This is the opposite of the Monophysite position where Christ has but a single nature. The nominal head of the Nestorian Church is the Patriarch of the East, even if Antioch falls. Defining features in-game:

• There is always a Patriarch of the East, even if Antioch falls.
• Multiple Patriarchs - the five Pentarchs and Autocephalous Patriarchs under Kings.
• Patriarchs can grant divorces.
• The Patriarch of the East can grant the Invasion Casus Belli.
• Patriarchs can excommunicate Nestorian characters.

Unique Mechanics

Crusades - Crusades are great holy wars called by the Pope against a particular kingdom title held by a non-Christian. Catholic rulers are notified once a crusade is called and can join it an time while it is in progress. Participants in a crusade can gain the Crusader trait, and if the crusade is won, the participant with the greatest contribution will gain the targeted Kingdom title.

Excommunication - Excommunication is the expulsion of an individual from the church. Characters can ask the Pope or relevant Patriarch to excommunicate a particular individual if they are on good enough terms. Excommunicated individuals can pay a lot of money to lift excommunication, or ask the Pope or relevant Patriarch to lift it if they are on good enough terms. Excommunicated rulers suffer relations penalties, and other Christians can call wars against them with the Excommunicated casus belli.

Antipopes - Antipopes are pretenders to the title of the Pope, and vassal religious rulers can be made Antipopes by Catholic rulers. Creating an Antipope prevents the Pope from excommunicating the controller of the Antipope, and allows the ruler to excommunicate whosoever in his realm he wishes. Bishops who like the Antipope better than the Pope will pay taxes to him instead. Creating an Antipope worsens the relations with the Pope, but the Antipope gets a claim on the Papacy and - if pressed - can become the 'true' Pope.

Ending the Schism (requires Legacy of Rome DLC) - Orthodox rulers who control the Byzantine Empire can mend the Great Schism, the separation of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Doing so requires control of the five Pentarchs (Constantinople, Rome, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch), religious authority of at least 90% and 2000 piety. Mending the Great Schism makes Catholic Christianity a heresy of Orthodox Christianity, and upon mending the Schism many Catholic rulers will convert to Orthodoxy.

External Links

• Christianity
• Catholic Church
• Eastern Orthodox Church
• Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria