Can you play a Muslim Merchant Republic?

[Yukiko ~Snow Child~]

If so, how do I do it and where is the best county to start?

[kaiyl_kariashi]

need sword of islam and The Republic.

After that you either need to convert from a Muslim Tribal to a merchant republic, or start as one of the christian republics and then switch religion to Islam. and then convert all your fellow patricians once you become Doge.

[Soul Binder]

Originally posted by kaiyl_kariashi:

need sword of islam and The Republic.

After that you either need to convert from a Muslim Tribal to a merchant republic, or start as one of the christian republics and then switch religion to Islam. and then convert all your fellow patricians once you become Doge.

As an Ibadi ruler couldn't you just appoint your designated heir Mayor of a city as his first title then when you die, presto you have a merchant Republic?

[Yukiko ~Snow Child~]

Originally posted by kaiyl_kariashi:

need sword of islam and The Republic.

After that you either need to convert from a Muslim Tribal to a merchant republic, or start as one of the christian republics and then switch religion to Islam. and then convert all your fellow patricians once you become Doge.

I guess I'll play Tribal and convert to Merchant Republic. I've never done that before.

[WolfWhiteFire]

Originally posted by Troublesome Carrot Leader Guy:

Originally posted by kaiyl_kariashi:

need sword of islam and The Republic.

After that you either need to convert from a Muslim Tribal to a merchant republic, or start as one of the christian republics and then switch religion to Islam. and then convert all your fellow patricians once you become Doge.

I guess I'll play Tribal and convert to Merchant Republic. I've never done that before. :ghsmile:

I heard the whole decadence thing doesn't affect Merchant Republics though, you can't get the huge bonuses from having low decadence.

[Merkatz]

Originally posted by WolfWhiteFire:

I heard the whole decadence thing doesn't affect Merchant Republics though, you can't get the huge bonuses from having low decadence.

Last time I did an Ibadi MR, there was no decadence mechanic at all. It just goes away.

[Zsrai]

Originally posted by Merkatz:

Originally posted by WolfWhiteFire:

I heard the whole decadence thing doesn't affect Merchant Republics though, you can't get the huge bonuses from having low decadence.

Last time I did an Ibadi MR, there was no decadence mechanic at all. It just goes away.

You basically trade Decadence for the MR mechanics.

[bri]

Originally posted by Soul Binder:

Originally posted by kaiyl_kariashi:

need sword of islam and The Republic.

After that you either need to convert from a Muslim Tribal to a merchant republic, or start as one of the christian republics and then switch religion to Islam. and then convert all your fellow patricians once you become Doge.

As an Ibadi ruler couldn't you just appoint your designated heir Mayor of a city as his first title then when you die, presto you have a merchant Republic?

Nope, you'll have a duke with a wrong holding type. You used to be able to do that but they changed it when they put in the character "type" system.

[napalmblaziken]

Here's what I did. I picked the Seljuks in 1066, and went hard at work to get as many counties in Oman as I could. I then granted those to a city holding vassal, and then granted him a ducal rank. That caused a Merchant Republic to be formed, which I then switched over to him.

Being a Merchant Republic in the Indian Ocean fits historically imo since the Indian Ocean was a huge trading hub, and the place is rich in game with the Silk Road, but the problem is, it's kinda boring, as you have no rivals. The Mediterranean has Pisa, Genoa, Venice, and sometimes Amalfi all fighting for supremacy. You pretty much have it on your own.

Another option is to play as a Muslim horde like the Bolghars, and strengthen your horde until a Jihad for Jerusalem is called. At which point, join it, and make a beeline for Jerusalem. I don't know if the new DLC dropped or not, nor if that changed Jihads as well as Crusades. If Jihads remain unchanged, continuously throw your horde at the enemy to rack up contribution points. If the Jihad succeeds and you have the most, you get Jerusalem, kingdom rank title included. At which point, you can settle in a coastal city, and become a Merchant Republic. You can officially compete with those traders in Italy, and have access to some Silk Road counties. Problem is, you will immediately be susceptible to attacks from outsiders, and the threat of a Crusade will ALWAYS loom.

Good news is, Decadence will be disabled, so you don't need to worry about the amount of men in your court. I currently still play the Oman game, and have a lot of fun, despite the lack of rivals. Might force one with the console commands, just for the hell of it.