Before your Ruler snuffs it, you’ll want to ensure his successor is well-equipped to take up the reigns of power. For best results – start early and intervene often in the young Prince’s affairs. As King, you are after all a terrible control freak.
 
 

Summary

The Young Prince (0-15 years old)
 
1. Choose a good candidate early on
 
2. Make a suitable betrothal
 
3.. Educate him well
 
 
The Mature Heir(16 years old until Succession)
 
4. Train him as a Councillor
 
5. Train him as a Knight
 
6. Grant him the right land titles
 
 
 

1. Heir Candidate Choice (ages 0-4)

The customs of primogeniture assign you with a Primary Heir. But take a moment to decide if that’s one you really want. If you prefer a lesser heir as your successor then you can simply disinherit all senior heirs, including your Primary Heir, until only the Chosen One is left standing, slack-jawed before the seat of power.
 
 
Considerations:

• Does he have goodinheritable traits?
• Still young enough to educate skills]and shape personality traits?
• Has the right lifestyle skill focushis particular reign may need. (You know – Martial if your realm is expanding, Stewardship for a big building phase, Intrigue if you plan on corrupting the Scottish Tanistry elections etc.)

 
 
 

2. Betrothal (ages 0-15)

One of those long vs short term dilemmas
 

• Breeding: Think about an early betrothal if you’re engineering a dynastic Master Race. That way you’ll have time to find him a spouse with the exact genetic traits you’re looking for.
• Alliance: You could consider a marriage alliance to a powerful kingdom, as you can be sure this is one alliance that will survive his succession. Seems a little wasteful to me, since other his kin may well achieve this for him. if you plan ahead for this.
• Primary Spouse skills: One with very high Stewardship skill is always very desirable for tax and domain size bonuses.So maybe grab a great stewardess when you you find one (no, no the airborne kind)
• However, if you’re playing a polygamousculture you can have it both ways. Start out with a genetic betrothal. Then upon succession your heir, as Ruler, can find a good Steward to marry and re-assign the Primary Spouse role for her skills at the Council table.

 
 
 

3. Education (ages 4-15)

Sure, but with a Guardian, or as your Own Ward?
 

• Assigning a guardian can offer the best education in a child’s skill attributes, particularly if that Guardian has a high education trait (i.e Intelligent or Genius). And a guardian with the same lifestyle focus you’ve set for your heir is also very effective. One with high intelligence helps too.
• Raising your heir as your own ward, on the other hand, allows you opportunities shape his personality traits. Note that you can easily pick up a Learning lifestyle perk called ‘Pedagogy’ perk gives a nice +20% chance of your Ward gaining additional Skills.

 
 
 

4. Training as a Councillor (ages 16+)

“You still have much to learn, Grasshopper”
 

• Giving him a seat on your Council trains the skill corresponding to that seat (+5-20% depending on the Ruler’s rank)
• Naturally you might want him in a seat matching his lifestyle. But consider appointing him as your Steward. Gaining high Stewardship skill will serve him well as Ruler – both for its for it’s income bonuses, and higher domain limit caps.

 
 
 

5. Training as a Knight (ages 16+)

Martial arts training with a silver spoon
 

• In peacetime set him as ‘Forced’ for combat. This alone will train both his Martial and Prowess skills, with a chance of picking up some handy commander traits over time as well.
• Ideally, set your Marshal’s task to Train Commanders to accelerate this process.
• But before combat be sure to set him as ‘Forbid’ to combat, that way he stays conveniently alive.for the succession
• Once the feathers stop flying remember to reset the brave young warrior back to ‘Forced’

 
 
 

6. Land Titles (ages 16+)

Kids never seem quite ready to leave home …
 

• The advantageof granting him some land is this trains all his skills.
• The disadvantagesis that there’s a chance he’ll get involved any of a range conflicts leading to his ruination. These can result in him succeeding to the Throne burdened with rivals, injuries, a critical stress level and a bunch of unwelcome hooks. Another disadvantage is he’s apt to try managing his own family affairs. Perhaps even making an absurdly irresponsible love-match.
• The solution may be to assign him a single county far from other vassals, surrounded by your own territories, Offer him your alliance (to dissuade any local predators) but refrain from calling him to war. Meanwhile, keep a sharp eye on his family life. Just in case, as the appalled father-in-law, you feel compelled to initiate divorce proceedings.

 
 

 
 
I hope you enjoy the Guide we share about Crusader Kings III – Grooming the Heir to your Throne; if you think we forget to add or we should add more information, please let us know via commenting below! See you soon!