Why isn't the Kingdom of Germany Elective?

[unmerged(127999)]

Why doesn't Germany, as the Holy Roman Empire, start out with elective law? Heinrich von Franken starts out with no successors, and with the normal law for most kingdoms. Why is this? I understand the constraints of the game, but the Holy Roman Empire was the epitome of elective law. Moreso then even the Byzantines.

I really just don't understand why Germany has the French or English succession laws.

 

[Calgacus]

Why doesn't Germany, as the Holy Roman Empire, start out with elective law? Heinrich von Franken starts out with no successors, and with the normal law for most kingdoms. Why is this? I understand the constraints of the game, but the Holy Roman Empire was the epitome of elective law. Moreso then even the Byzantines.

I really just don't understand why Germany has the French or English succession laws.

The laws in Crusaders Kings are modern fictions. The HRE was running "elective law" just like the West Franks were ... supposedly in theory but not in medieval practice. Only later, as dynastic failure undermined the principle of "primogeniture", does the elective principle once again become more charismatic for the HRE, and even then once again only temporarily while transitioning to another dynasty.

Having said that, I'd never noticed what the succession law of the emperors was in 1066. It's too tedious and unfun to start out as a lord with that many vassals.

 

[AllmyJames]

The HRE (as Kingdom of Germany) only begins with dynastic succession in 1066. In the other scenarios it has elective law.

One of the reasons Henry IV was unpopular was he and his father's policies of ignoring the electors and acting autocratically, so in some senses, the in-game inheritance law is appropriate.

 

[unmerged(127999)]

The HRE (as Kingdom of Germany) only begins with dynastic succession in 1066. In the other scenarios it has elective law.

One of the reasons Henry IV was unpopular was he and his father's policies of ignoring the electors and acting autocratically, so in some senses, the in-game inheritance law is appropriate.

Fair enough. But perhaps even the 1066 HRE succession law needs to be changed to elective law, and just have Henry IV hard-coded to want to change the laws to regular succession within a few months or years?