View source for Religion (M2TW)

In Medieval 2: Total War there are five different religions, namely [[Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Christianity]], [[Islam]], [[Pagan|Paganism]] and [[Heretic]].

== Religions ==

=== Christianity ===

Christian Factions can be either [[Catholic]] or [[Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Christians]].
[[Catholic]] factions receive missions from the Pope, while [[Orthodox]] factions do not.

===== Pope =====

The [[Pope]] is the head of the Catholic Church, and is the head of the [[Papal States]] Faction.  The Pope can [[Excommunication| excommunicate]] a faction if their relations with him drop too low. [[Excommunication]] causes religious unrest within the affected faction and also means a [[Crusade]] can be called against a [[Catholic]] faction.

===== College of Cardinals =====

The College of Cardinals is an organization of catholic priests that is centered in Rome. It is formed of the most pious priests in Christendom, and any sufficiently religious priest can be selected for it, if one of the thirteen seats is open. Contrawise, if there are no priests of high enough Piety(5) then no more seats in the College of Cardinals will be filled until this criterion is met. Cardinals usually remain under their faction's control, simply gaining an extra piety point from the "Cardinal" trait. However, whenever the Pope dies, an election is held among the College to determine the next pope.

===== Crusades =====

To start a [[crusade]] you must go to the [[pope]] overview scroll, which is a tab within the faction information menu (Press your faction shield in the campaign map UI, at the bottom right(ish) of the screen).
From the pope overview scroll request the pope to call a crusade via the "request crusade" button, depending on the pope's relationship level with your faction, you may or may not have to pay an amount of money.
Once the crusade has been called you must then join the crusade (see below).

Once the Pope has called for a crusade, whether it was requested by your faction or another faction, you are able to join it.
To join the crusade you must have an army with more than 8 units in it. Once you do, select that army and press the "Join Crusade" button. You can have more than one crusading army
That army will now become a crusading army, which has free upkeep for all units and is able to move twice as far as normal (even when being transported by ships), and you are now able to recruit crusader mercenaries such as crusader sargents, turkupole horse archers, and grand crosses to inspire your men and swell it's ranks. But units can only leave the crusading army if it captures a settlement and if the crusade doesn't move fast enough men will begin to seek a new lord who will finish the crusade.

Crusades give bonus' in terms of experience for all units involved, chivalrous traits for any generals who lead crusading armies, even if their army doesn't take the crusade objective (except if they abandon the crusade of course), and allow guilds of crusading orders of knights to be build.

=== Islam ===

The Islamic factions that start the game are the [[Moors]], [[Turks]] and [[Egypt|Egyptians]].
All Islamic factions can call [[jihad|jihads]].

===== Jihads =====

In order to request a [[Jihad]], the player must click on an Imam and look for the Call Jihad button. The Imam has to have a piety of at least 4 to request a Jihad. However, they cannot be called in quick succession. Jihads have the same problems and benefits of a crusade.

=== Pagan ===

The Aztec Empire are the only genuinely [[Pagan]] faction in the vanilla version. However, several rebel regions - such as Stettin - start out pagan and must be converted.

=== Heretic ===

The rebel faction is the only faction which belongs to the [[Heretic]] religion.

== Religious Agents ==
Religious Agents appear on the campaign map and have a primarily religious affect.

===Priests and Imams===
Priests and Imams are essentially the same type of agent, priest being the Christian version and Imam the Islamic version. They are recruited from settlements, and when left in a region, they will convert the people of that region to their religion.

===Heretics===
[[Heretic | Heretics]] are campaign map characters that increase the level of Heresy in the regions they pass through. They are effectively Priests for the Rebels faction.

They may be denounced ''(killed, to you and I)'' by a Priest or Imam

===Witches===
Witches are similar to Heretics in that they spread Heresy, there are some minor differences in what they can do. 

They may be denounced (killed) by a Priest or Imam.

===Inquisitors===
[[Inquisitors]] are rather troublesome little campaign map [[characters]] who are sent by the Pope to 'deal with Heresy' in your region.  

Beware that 'dealing with Heresy' can involve assassinating some of your best generals!

[[Category: Medieval 2 Information]]
[[Category:Medieval 2 Religions]]