Lets say you are a king who is dying with 3 sons. Its a medieval christian kingdom thats wealthy and has lots of dangerous enemies. The succesion is designated by the King (you) although the non-eldest hasn't been not selected in over a century.Eldest son>nice guy, middling intelligence>spends most of the day hunting or gaming>lets the noble advisors and clergy do what they want>majority of nobles and half the clergy back him as a result>expect to inheritMiddle son>very talented general won a crushing victory against your greatest enemy>has the loyalty of most all the army>has backing of fair number of nobles opposed to the nobles supporting the eldest>cloested homosexual has not marriedYoungest son>genius, spymaster>basically runs the court ever since you become ill>genius at making money for the crown though taxes that target the powerful nobility and aiding the peasants and merchants>hugely popular in the capital >nobles don't like him>has made generous donations to the church so the chuch is split between him and eldestWhat do you do?
>>18760718Eldest son, obviously. He's the eldest, which is the custom at this point, most nobles like him, he's popular with the church, he doesn't want to rock the boat. Perfectly solid feudal heir.Other two are just civil war material.
AI slop didn't read
>>18760718In the middle ages the nobles are the army, so who has the backing, eldest or middle?
>>18760718You keep the existing custom, which in the case you describe would be based on the Lex Salica, as this is one of the most important bases of legitimation for your royal rule. Additionally you would also have your House Laws to regulate succesion crises - although those only really came to importance in the 17th and 18th centuries when the old medieval understandings of rulership were (often violently) wiped away by Absolutism. Lastly, were you influenced by your understanding of medieval rulership and society by Game of Thrones?>>18761819This too.
>Crown the youngest Augustus and the middle Caesar>Bury the eldest with full military honors after he "tragically" pulls a Rufus >Join a monastery>Augustus grants full amnesty to all nobles, he will need them for the next step>Declares a holy war against your most dangerous neighbor, after forming a secret alliance with their other enemy by marrying off the gay Caesar to their princess>Wins easily with the unified army led by the talented gay Caesar who can't have heirs anyways and will soon be shipped off to the other kingdom >Splits his conquered territory 75-25 with gay Caesar's new kingdom Impregnates gay Caesar's wife so now Augustus has two heirs in two powerful kingdoms>This is known only to a few who manage affairs in such a way that other countries are reluctant to unite against the two due to trade and future marriage ties>You die happy in your quiet monastery knowing your family will rule for generations to come
>>18761794Take the steppepill broLet the sons fight it outWinner takes allIt's good for army morale
