Crown Prince of [Insert Kingdom]

[Veldmaarschalk]

Roger Borsa was the new Duke of Apulia, Calabria and Sicily after Robert Guiscard died, his halfbrother Bohemond was his vassal. Because the marriage between Robert and his first wife was annulled Bohemond was no longer considered a legitimate heir (in game terms he is a bastard).

So the other examples (those of Jerusalem aren't kings designating their heirs but more semi-elective kingdoms) are two or three instances in England. That is something else then 'it happened all the time', cause it didn't happen all the time.

EDIT
And almost in all instances in England the designated heir had to face a war against other candidates, that is one of the reasons that they also switched to primogeneture after Henry II.

EDIT

See this post by Doomdark in another thread

There is a succession law in CK2 called "Feudal Elective" (i.e. Elective Monarchy.) The current ruler gets to throw his weight behind a candidate, but this only counts as one "vote". If he is a king, each duke also gets to nominate a candidate (from among the dukes and the children of the king.) Mind you, this is still somewhat tentative, but expect something very similar to be in the game.

 

[Ruwaard]

This thread about heirs gave me another idea: appanages. IMO this should be a concept, which can be developed later in the game. And at the very least stronger and more developed monarchies (later in the (second half of the) game) should be able to designate, whether a title can be inherited by (or through) all heirs or that only the heirs in the direct male line can inherit.

 

[The Kingmaker]

So the other examples (those of Jerusalem aren't kings designating their heirs but more semi-elective kingdoms) are two or three instances in England. That is something else then 'it happened all the time', cause it didn't happen all the time.

Prior to say, 1200 it certainly did, granted quite often the "designated heir" was also the eldest son. By the way, considering my original comment referred to "the other succession systems," I don't see why you discount my Jerusalem example for being a semi-elective system. Think about it. For a long time, the "primogeniture only, eldest son gets all" rule that you seem to be advocating here tended to be the exception rather than the rule. Yes, France is the best example of the consummate Salic primogeniture system. Germany? No, it was a semi-elective monarchy for its entire medieval history. Anglo-Saxon England? Denmark? Norway? Sweden? All Elective. Spain? They split their inheritances up in all kinds of weird ways. Anglo-Norman England, Norman Sicily, Crusader Jerusalem? These tended to have messy successions precisely because they were recent conquests with no real precedent set for smooth succession. Byzantium? Certainly not, their succession was all about internecine politics. Scotland? I can't think of a country with worse succession crises than theirs.

EDIT:And almost in all instances in England the designated heir had to face a war against other candidates, that is one of the reasons that they also switched to primogeneture after Henry II.

Yes, indeed. Hence my point about being able to enact such difficult situations in the game, rather than having semi-smooth primogeniture succession so often. Stringent primogeniture a la the high middle ages, was really the only way to prevent messes from happening over succession issues.

EDIT: See this post by Doomdark in another thread

Things like this are exactly what I want in the game.

Look, I think we're writing at cross-purposes here, because I don't think we really disagree. I'm not advocating being allowed to go nuts with the succession and appoint whomever you like all the time. It's the exceptional circumstances that make the story interesting though.

I just want to be able to put in my two cents as the ruler, because that happened all the time. I want to be able to go into some menu in the game, and be able to see maybe a family tree, a chart of succession for my kingdom. In certain countries and under certain situations, I want to be able to disinherit an eldest son if he displeases me (though not without consequence, perhaps even a civil war). But I'd also like to be able to crown my eldest son before my character's death (a la Henry II with Henry the Young King), under similar conditions. Or if my only son dies, I want to be able to choose which heir gets it.. whether it's the grasping nephew, the spoiled daughter, or her husband or whatever. I just want more flavor in the succession.

Anyway, I'm still really excited for this game, and what Doomdark said sounds really cool.

 

[Arko]

would be nice if it was like the Emperor trait and just add a little prestige per year. That way the new King of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Aragon, Burgundy, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Bohemia and Poland doesn't become king with 5 prestige after being crowned King of Aragon 10 years prior.

a trait like CK1's emperor trait fits perfectly to the situation. it gives both a special title and a bonus.