Destroying primary empires

[Rocky the Rock]

It's as simple as the title. Empires like the Abbassids never fall in my games.

Mainly for roleplay purposes, I want to see how europe'd look if the HRE shattered in 1066, or if the Abbassids fell instantly in about 800.

After Charlamagne's death, his land was split among his sons. Ingame, it'd be another way as whoever the primary heir was, would inherit the empire of Francia, and other children would become vassals. It's not my cup of tea.

Giving courtiers the empire via console hasn't worked; the courtier would usurp a random county, giving it to a dead person doesn't work. You obviously can't destroy the empire because it's your primary title. I'm willing to edit the save file directly, but I"m afraid it could cause problems.

[Jirki88]

Theoretically I guess it would be simplest to make a new event which would give all King and Duke vassals of an Empire the option to go independent on succession, much like it is when you're over the vassal limit. It wouldn't destroy the Empire level title, but it would split realms. Though I don't personally know how to go through with making such a event, I confess.

[Rocky the Rock]

Alright, I won't lie. It was far easier than I thought it would've been. I'd just delete this discussion, but I bet you other people might read his and need the information for roleplay.

First, ye'd save the game uncompressed (before saving, uncheck the box by the save name)
Second, ye'd search the save file for the title you are looking for (such as e_hre for the holy roman empire)

You could also search for the holder's id (charinfo).

If you searched correctly, you might see something like this (1066 start):
e_hre=
{
holder=1316
succession=feudal_elective

You would want to get rid of the entire line of "holder=1316". Loading the game, ck2 would then change the primary title of the original holder's to their next highest title. Any vassals of that tier or higher would no longer be defacto vassals, and go independent.

There's the chance that if the vassals were ONLY dukes or smaller, but the emporer would have a kingdom title, all the would become defacto vassals to that kingdom, OR only dejure vassals would follow the kingdom while the nondejure would go defacto independent. I ain't willing to test it out right now.

[Newton's Flaming Laser Sword]

Alternatively I suppose you could change character to the said empire, grand every duke/king/count independence, then pick another character and give someone else the last county the emperor had, unlanding him and destroying his title!

[Rocky the Rock]

@Witlokje de Bever
That's what I wanted to avoid. That damages the world far too much than I wanted to. I wanted to roleplay as after someone with gavelkind and a ton of children died, the empire's legitimacy would shatter and everyone went independent with no land changes after a succession. It would be like the Old Gods start date, where a ton of Frankish kingdoms were split among the karling kids, no empires around.

[salatrin]

Since u dont mind cheating/editing, if you have Jade Dragon, u can simply use the console to switch to someone in China's diplomatic range, then use the console to give that character 5000 grace with china.

Then ask china to invade the HRE, or Abbasids or whoever you want to shatter.

Then use console again to find the char id of the leader of the force you want to shatter and also the char id of the governer of the Western Protecterate. and then use console to have the
Western Protecterate imprison the leader of the force you want to shatter.

Then just switch back to the character you are originally playing.

The shatter war will automatically end and the empire level title gets destroyed instantly making all of their vassals independant

All of that can be done with only losing 1 day at most of ingame time.

[Rocky the Rock]

@salatrin
The only problem with that is China has to be either stable or in a golden age. My method can work at any time.