Questions about excumincation and crusades

[Mortimer]

I am playing the highlands now Scotland, all I attacked was the southern town to make scotland then was sent on a crusade to cordova, which everyone hated, but one muslem nation, my crusaders took lisbon and became my vassels, then I took 3 cities in southern spain, then was asked to attack the french and took one city in southern france, and instantly got excumicated. Every catholic faction but france was either neutral or liked me. also since lisbon became powerful I get 70+ tribute, and had a strong army, and only 2-4 cities and was getting inflation so I donated to the church 2 or 3 times which should have kept me from being excomunicated. So my questions are:

1 why is lisbon muslem? They have a scotish king and crusades are supposed to convert the infidels

2 why would I be excomunicated when I payed them several times and had a successful crusade?

3 was it because my best friend and ally is lisbon? I figured since they were as powerful as me it might be a good idea to keep them happy so they would not claim independence

4 why did my asking for forgivness not work to get back to the catholic chruch when it caused the papelsy to become friendly with me?

5 should I have plundered lisbon instead of making it a vassel? and what does plundering do?

I am playing on hard so could be why I got excumicated easier, but I played hard before and had not been excumicated when I attacked more catholic factions, and did not pay them tributes ever. Also I never had a crusade work before

[Gustavus Adolphus]

1. I don't know, I think its dumb too. It ruins the whole point of crusades.
2. Mabye the computer dosen't care, mabye the other catholics were behind the pope pushing him on, who knows.
3. I don't think so, probably you were at war with 2 or 3 catholic kingdoms, or you were at war with them too much for their liking.
4. Sometimes he just does that. When your king dies it will accept your kingdom back.
5. I think plundering means you take the city, but plunder it for valubles. You don't take the city, and then your crusader army goes around and plunders the towns around in the provence.

[Elvain]

wasn't the pope French? As player has opion to excomunicate any kingdom if his cleric is a pope, Ai has it too...
this answers also question no.2
next reason could be low religious talent of your king

I agree with you at point 1 - "crusader" states should be catholic(of kingdom of Jersalem would be founded in the game by some game crusader, it would be muslim what would be really weird)

[Henry the Great]

wasn't the pope French? As player has opion to excomunicate any kingdom if his cleric is a pope, Ai has it too...

Is there a way to check the nationality of the current pope?

[Angryminer]

That's only possible with the "bsswitch"-cheat.

Angryminer

[Illuminatus!]

Or having a good memory. :scratch:

[Henry the Great]

Thanks. (In my current game, the Pope has not yet died, so there have been no new popes yet.)