Europa Universalis IV

Europa Universalis IV

Veritas et Fortitudo
bureaucracy and colonies
I have been expanding my bureaucracy for 100 yrs (since 1400) as Castile) and building just a few colonies sent me from 14 (12) to 14 (19.25). How can I play the game historically if I can't colonize anywhere? Colonies and territories should not effect the bureaucracy. It makes the game function oddly. I can't get my score above 14 no matter what I try.