Contrary to what Arthurian myth may imply, becoming a king isn’t as simple as picking up a magic sword. In the words of a wise peasant, “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.” No, to become a proper king of a proper kingdom, you have to do things the old-fashioned way: with a lot of bureaucracy. Here’s how to create a Kingdom in Mount and Blade: Bannerlord.
How to Create a Kingdom in Mount and Blade: Bannerlord
In order to establish a Kingdom in Mount and Blade: Bannerlord, you three things: people, land, and officials. Without all of these things, you’ll be a crownless King Nothing. To be specific, you need to fulfill these requirements:
- Have a Tier 4 Clan
- Own a fiefdom
- Have at least one companion
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To begin with, you need to establish a proper clan. You can’t be a king with no subjects to rule over. You only need 50 Renown to start a clan and get people to join you, but to get up to Tier 4, you’re going to need a whopping 900 Renown. You can raise your Renown by winning battles, taking up mercenary contracts, and completing quests. On the bright side, as your clan grows, you’ll get upgrades like increased party size and workshop limit, so this will get gradually easier.
Let’s Not Go to Camelot, Tis a Silly Place
Once your clan is sufficiently beefy, the next step is taking ownership of a fiefdom. A fief is any large patch of land or town with a singular, feudal-style owner like a lord or governor. There are a couple of ways you can go about getting a fief; if you’re battle-hardened, you can attack an occupied fief and castle and take it for yourself. Try doing this right after another clan or faction just conquered it, as they’ll be completely worn out.
Alternatively, you can join an existing Kingdom and earn a fief from them. Of course, you’ll need to bail on them to start your own Kingdom, which they won’t appreciate, but who cares what they think?
Once you’ve got a fiefdom of your own and aren’t under any other Kingdom’s banner, it’s time to set things in motion. Visit your fiefdom, open the menu, and click “Manage Town/Castle.” On the top-right, you’ll see a box denoting the fief’s governor. You’ll need to set one companion as the governor of the fief. Choose someone who you don’t need to fight for you, as they won’t be able to battle while they’re working.
Once you’ve got a governor in place, visit the fief’s Keep and click on the governor’s portrait to chat them up. Tell your governor that it’s time to take a “momentous step,” and you’ll begin the process to set up your Kingdom. You can hire vassals, set laws, and all that other good stuff. When it’s all said and done, your new Kingdom will be born, and you’ll automatically be crowned King.
Becoming a Kingdom gives you access to all kinds of new resources and connections. Just make sure you don’t get a target painted on your back by another Kingdom!
