Government - CK3 Wiki (2024)

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A government is the system that rules characters and land. It determines the laws available to a character as well as any obligations (taxes and levies) a vassal may have to their liege.

Playable governments[edit | edit source]

There are three playable government forms: Feudal, Clan and Tribal. Tribal governments can change to Feudal or Clan government via decisions.

Feudal[edit | edit source]

Feudal governments can create new holdings and cadet branches. They also have access to the Crown Authority law. Each feudal vassal has Obligations included into its feudal contract, which can only be changed one step at a time. Obligations can be lowered at any time, but raising them will add +20 tyranny opinion unless the liege lowers the other obligation or provides the vassal a right. The liege can also use a hook on the vassal to avoid tyranny.

Obligations may be reduced if a character is not a vassal's rightful liege. By default, the reduction is 50%. If the liege holds the de jure title two ranks above the vassal (e.g. king over count), the reduction is only 25%. To be the rightful liege, a character must hold the direct de jure liege title of the vassal's primary title. Dukes whose liege holds the de jure empire title are exempt from the penalty.

Obligation type	Exempt effects	Low effects	Normal effects	High effects	Massive effects
Taxes	Tax: 0% Vassal opinion: +10	Tax: 2.5% Vassal opinion: +5	Tax: 10%	Tax: 15% Vassal opinion: −15	Tax: 25% Vassal opinion: −25
Levies	Levies: 0% Vassal opinion: +10	Levies: 10% Vassal opinion: +5	Levies: 25%	Levies: 35% Vassal opinion: −15	Levies: 50% Vassal opinion: −25

Clan[edit | edit source]

Clan governments can create new holdings and cadet branches and have access to the Crown Authority law. All vassals will want to be in an Alliance with their liege and will gain -15 Opinion of their liege if they are not. The penalty is doubled for Powerful Vassals.

When clan rulers are at peace they can appoint a Vizier.

If a clan ruler is a Dynasty Head, their realm will be named after their dynasty rather than the primary title.

Tax Jurisdictions[edit | edit source]

Governments collect taxes and levies from clan vassals by creating Tax Jurisdictions and assigning vassals to them. Tax Jurisdictions are accessible via a sidebar tab only available to Clan governments, or from the bottom of the Realm sidebar, on the Vassals tab. Each jurisdiction requires a Tax Collector. Count and Duke rulers can appoint 1 Tax Collector while King and Emperor rulers can appoint 2. Cultures with the Enlightened Magnates or Legalistic tradition can each appoint an additional one, as can dynasties with the first Brilliance legacy. A Vizier, depending on its Stewardship score, can grant from 1 additional Tax Collector to 5. Two Innovations, Bailiffs and Court Officials, also each grant an additional one. Only unlanded courtiers can be appointed as Tax Collector. How much taxes and levies a Tax Jurisdiction provides depends on the Tax Collector's aptitude, which is the following:

• +1 per Diplomacy (max 50)
• +1 per Martial (max 50)
• +1 per Stewardship(max 50)
• +1 per Intrigue (max 50)
• +2 per Learning (max 50)
• +5 per 20 Opinion
• +10 if Just
• +10 if Administrator
• +10 if Avaricious
• +10 if Diplomat
• +15 if culture has the Enlightened Magnates tradition
• +20 if culture has the Family Business tradition

Each Tax Jurisdiction has a Tax Decree, which determines what all vassals assigned to the jurisdiction pay. Each Tax Decree can only be changed once every 5 years and the menu will show current taxes and levies and taxes and levies should the Tax Decree be changed. Existing vassals will be removed as taxpayers if the new Tax Decree does not allow them.

Tax Decree	Taxes	Levies	Liege effects per vassal	Vassal effects	Requirements	Description
Basic Taxes	Normal	Normal				A standard tax. Taxpayers pay no more, and no less, than what they are expected to.
Zakat	+25%	Normal	+1% Domain Taxes	+10% Monthly Piety -30 Opinion of Liege		Zakat is a luxury tax, usually enforced upon the wealthy as a means to provide additional income for the state and to help those in need.
Iqta Grant	-20%	-20%	+1% Men-at-Arms Damage	-10% Men-at-Arms Recruitment Cost -10% Men-at-Arms Maintenance +15 Opinion of Liege		Iqta is a tax farming system where local magnates are given wide authority to collect taxes on behalf of the state. In return they must provide significant amounts of soldiers for their liege.
Ghazi Status	Normal	-20%	+1% Monthly Income while at War +2% Monthly Piety	+5% Monthly Income while at War +10% Monthly Piety -50% Holy War casus belli cost +25% Other casus belli cost Only vassals of same faith can be taxpayers		Warriors of the faith and the frontier, the Ghazi collect income from plunder and brigandage, and wage a never-ending war against the religious enemies of the state.
ji*zya Status	+50%	-75%		Liege cannot Demand Conversion Liege cannot Revoke Title Different faith is not a title revocation reason Liege cannot convert the faith in the vassal's realm -0.2 Monthly Prestige Only vassals of different religion can be taxpayers	Tax Nonbelievers tenet or ji*zya special doctrine	ji*zya is a special tax assigned to dhimmis, religious minorities, in return for the privilege to practice their errant faith in peace.
Muqata Status	-30%	-30%	+0.1 Monthly Prestige	+10% Development Growth +30 Opinion of Liege	Legacy of Persia DLC	Muqata is a tax system where distant lands are given greater autonomy and taxed less, to promote stability and long-term development.
Dehqan	+15%	+15%	-2% Monthly Prestige	+20% Monthly Prestige	Enlightened Magnates tradition	Persian magnates within an ancient, decentralized tax collection system, the deqhans closely manage their lands to promote productivity - and their own prestige.
Maguh Status	-10%	Normal	+1% Development Growth		Brilliance dynasty legacy level 4	An old Sassanian form of district administration, the maguh promote local development in exchange for reduced taxes to the state.

House unity[edit | edit source]

If a House Head has Clan government then its house will have an additional mechanic called House Unity, representing how well members of a house tend to get along with each other. House Unity is increased by taking Unifying Actions towards them and decreased by taking Divisive Actions towards them. House Heads also gain access to the Extol Virtuousness and Accuse of Decadence interactions with other house members as well as the Steer House Unity decision.

House Unity ranges from 0 to 200 and is divided into 5 levels. All house members who use multiple heirs succession are forced to use the succession law with the same name.

Level	Unity	Invasion CB	CB cost	Claimant faction acceptance	Lifestyle experience	Dread decay	Challenge house head	Other effects	House unity decisions
Antagonistic	0-39	Unlimited	-30%	+40				Casus Belli requires one Level of Fame less +15 House Vassal Opinion for 10 years from Enforce Demands -10 House Vassal Opinion for 10 years from White Peace -20 House Vassal Opinion for 10 years from Surrender	Reinforce Army with Loyal Officers Organize House Members for War Establish Futuwaa Lodges Demand Shared Army Logistics
Competitive	40-79	Every 10 years	-15%	+20	+5%			House members can use the Fabricate Hook scheme on each other	Enforce Intrigue Network Organize House Members for War Establish Futuwaa Lodges Demand Shared Army Logistics
Impassive	80-119	Once per lifetime			+10%				Consult House Members Improve Taxation
Friendly	120-159		+15%	-20	+5%	-20%		Unlocks the Rescue House Members casus belli for House Head Unlocks the Unify the House casus belli House Head	Send Bailiffs Encourage House to Improve Economy Promote Development Educate Youth in Mosques
Harmonious	160-200		+30%	-40		-40%		Unlocks the Rescue House Members casus belli for House Head Unlocks the Unify the House casus belli House Head	Placate Vassals Encourage House to Improve Economy Promote Development Educate Youth in Mosques

Depending on House Unity, the House Head can use the following House Unity decisions. Each decision can only be used once every 20 years.

Decision	Cost	Effects	Requirements
Reinforce Army with Loyal Officers	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Loyal Army Officers modifier for 10 years	Antagonistic house unity
Organize House Members for War	100 piety	House gains the Organized for War modifier for 20 years	Antagonistic or Competitive house unity
Enforce Intrigue Network	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Intrigue Network modifier for 10 years	Competitive house unity
Consult House Members	100 piety	+10% Base progress and skill impact on councilor tasks for house member councilors	Impassive house unity
Improve Taxation	200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Improved Administration modifier for 10 years	Impassive house unity
Send Bailiffs	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Enforced Bailiffs modifier for 10 years	Friendly house unity
Encourage House to Improve Economy	100 piety	House gains the Encouraged Economy modifier for 20 years	Friendly or Harmonious house unity
Placate Vassals	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Placated modifier for 10 years	Harmonious house unity
Establish Futuwaa Lodges	100 piety	House gains the Established Futuwaa Lodges modifier for 20 years	Antagonistic or Competitive house unity Culture has the Futuwaa tradition
Educate Youth in Mosques	100 piety	House gains the Established Madrasas modifier for 20 years	Friendly or Harmonious house unity Culture has the Beacon of Learning tradition At war
Demand Shared Army Logistics	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Shared Army Logistics modifier for 10 years	Legacy of Persia DLC Antagonistic or Competitive house unity Iranian heritage
Promote Development	Scaled gold 200 piety + 20 per landed house member	House gains the Promoted Development modifier for 10 years	Legacy of Persia DLC Friendly or Harmonious house unity Iranian heritage

Most houses start at 100 House Unity and thus Impassive. The following houses are exceptions in 867:

• House Abbasid starts at Antagonistic
• House Samanid starts at Competitive
• House Afrighid starts at Friendly
• House Tahirid starts at Harmonious
• House Umayyad starts at Harmonious

Tribal[edit | edit source]

Tribal governments have access to the Tribal Authority law, and can raise it without having to research innovations. If tribal authority is high enough, a tribal ruler can reform their government to become Feudal or Clan. They also have access to the Conquest casus belli, which can be used to invade a realm, with higher-rank realms allowed at higher levels of fame.

Tribal governments have the following unique effects:

• Holdings cannot be created in counties ruled by a tribal ruler, even by a clan or feudal liege.
• Development will only affect supply limit, as tax and levy development increase does not apply in counties ruled by a tribal ruler. (However, a certain level of development is needed to reform government.)
• Development does not passively grow in counties ruled by a tribal ruler.
• Tribal baronies only provide half of their supply limit to armies belonging to other governments.
• Tribal rulers can only discover Tribal-era innovations.
• For succession, tribal rulers are locked to Confederate Partition.
  • Tribal rulers can also be challenged by other tribal characters for their titles via personal combat (duel).
• Tribal rulers pay for men-at-arms using prestige instead of gold.
• Tribal rulers can raid (unless their religion forbids it).
• Once per lifetime, a tribal Ruler can use the Subjugation casus belli.
• Tribal rulers cannot prevent their vassals from declaring war.
• Tribal rulers cannot imprison vassals or courtiers without passing level 2 tribal authority.
• −50% Title creation cost.
• +0.2 monthly prestige.
• −20 opinion with feudal, clan, and republic vassals.
• Tribal rulers have access to a generally inferior Royal court.

Tribal Vassals provide taxes and levies based on the Liege's Level of Fame.

Unplayable governments[edit | edit source]

The following governments are not playable as they do not use dynastic succession.

Government	Requirements	Tithe as vassal	Description
Republic	City holding as realm capital	20% Taxes and 10% Levies	Towns are ruled by the privileged citizens of the burgher class, among whom one is chosen as mayor. While the mayor has significant influence, they depend on popularity to be re-elected.
Theocracy	Theocratic Clerical Tradition doctrine Temple holding as realm capital	10% Taxes and 10% Levies if different faith Taxes and Levies based on the liege's level of devotion if same faith	In a theocratic government, all authority belongs to a religious institution. It is ruled by a priest or priestess who carries out the will of the divine on Earth.
Holy Order	Holy Order title	Can hire their armies for free	The holy warriors of the orders have dedicated their life to fighting infidels and serving their faith. They may hold castles given to them by pious landholders. The order leader is chosen within the order ranks.
Mercenary Company	Mercenary title		Mercenary companies roam the lands in search of employment, and take up arms for the highest bidder. Loyalty is essential to a good reputation, but it only lasts until the end of their contract. The mercenary leader is chosen from within the company's ranks.

Realm Priests receive vassal income at a rate of 25% from Realm Priests belonging to their liege's direct vassals. They also provide up to 50% of their income from directly-controlled churches and their vassal priests to their feudal liege, scaled based on opinion.

References[edit | edit source]