Passively/ non-violently spread your religion beyond your borders?

[(Rúna)]

In the current version of the game (pre-Royal Court) is it possible for your religion to spread to other countries? I think I know the answer but just wanted to know if there was some kind of subtle mechanic based on drift or something.

I know that you can often demand conversion from prisoners, and also from folk married into families within your nation and obviously there is not a council option to use your priest to convert or influence outside/ neighbouring nations (which, you know, well maybe there should be). But can it be spread through allyships or mutual cultural affinity etc?

Or, as it seems to be the case currently, if you made your religion, is its potential just limited to your borders, and if you want it to spread you literally have to conquer / expand your own nation and then begin the manual conversion? And I guess the violent "kidnap & convert" foreign rulers option if you're an evil zealot (though that just seems more a recipe for mischief and chaos to create opportunities from weakened neighbours lol).

As it is, unless I'm missing a lot, it seems... well, kinda shallow. You can see potential for how a more indepth religious system could be further expanded with other DLC like trade and cultural based DLC

[Rex is back, baby!]

Yes.

Through education and marriage.
I would educate s neighboring heir to my religion, who once they took over the throne, converted their kingdom.

[(Rúna)]

Originally posted by xəʁ:

Yes.

Through education and marriage.
I would educate s neighbouring heir to my religion, who once they took over the throne, converted their kingdom.

LoL, I did forget that when writing this post, though I have definitely done it before in game a couple of times with one of my characters, though I have found the majority of the time I have tried to do this, the rulers are very reluctant to send their kids to my foreign court.

And though it is technically an option, it seems an extremely inefficient method, considering you can only educate up to 2 people and they take up to 16 years each lol.

With the Royal Court DLC, I've understood that passive cultural drift to be a mechanic (hopefully not as painfully slowly as "integrating titles" task), though I suppose whether it spread beyond your borders is another question. But it should, right? And religion too.

[Jackochainsaw]

Passive spread depends on the religion. You'll have the easiest time with passive spread in a religion that is Pluralist in nature and also has Mendicant preachers. Fundamentalist religions don't tend to get picked up that much in stark contrast.

In Catholic zones heresies are different. Heresy gives the Pope an option to bash the living poop out of you with a Great Holy War. You'll get some other people convert randomly to your religion at the same time if the AI chooses the option to take that bottom path and suggest this religion has some beneficial properties rather than condemnation but generally if these individuals are under a powerful liege they'll have their title revoked quicker than Jack Black can ask for another ringed doughnut and rum and coke (allegedly).

In Muslim zones other religions aren't necessarily heresy, but you stand a better chance if you are the Caliph (which would indicate you have most of the holy sites anyhow).

In Africa, the Africans tend to pick the religion that gives them the quickest access to reformed status and either Feudal or Clan government, hence why in many games they go full Muslim of either Muwalladi, Ash'Ari or Ibadi flavour.

If you are in the Mongol/Siberian zone Tengri is the defacto because at some point the Tengri will kick the poop out of you. It doesn't matter if you start Turumic, you'll more than likely be Tengri by the end of things.

India either goes Buddhist or Hindu, rarely does it go full Jainist.

Also what helps is having a massive family with many cadet houses. Also having many independent kingdoms under your houses and cadet houses helps proliferate a religion further.

In staunch zones where religion is somewhat sacred, you won't find it easy to convert, even passively. I've only seen the Byzantines swap religions once in many games to Bogomil. They've been close with Apostolic but not close enough.