Hi, I actually just started a byzantine monarch start a bit ago, its going really well.

First you start off as a userper, odd but whatever, Recruit from your main castle Nicea and train them up, gather the lords for war and take constantinople. After its pretty easy. If you have difficulty just do guild master tasks and other trade etc, whatever to gain denars.

Ruler is fun, you can give land and develop towns and castles and cities, wage war free people whatever. Had an epic fight with the latin empire and me and all my guys outside the gates of constantinople with 1500 people fighting. We lost twice but eventually cleared the field and captured many enemy lords and exceuting many.

Ps Go to your castle to set tax and recruitment rates

also diplomacy: You can send gifts to people or settlements from your court castle, give land, hold feasts and tournaments, if you marry that is otherwise your people steal all your household belongings. Make Alliances etc. There is a fair bit more there too. Another way to make money is capture nobility in battle and ransom them ps. You can recruit noble companions who can you land by giving them fiefs after upgrading them if you want.

waa! i never could capture constinople on the first try when i start the game. my nation generals have basically no troops and constinople has by it self 1000 men! :c

whom do you speak to about tournaments and such? i never made one before didnt know icould :D ill win!

to throw a tourny talk to your wife! just saw your reply.

also ive been playing more and monarch has a ton of options and quests. Replace your minister with one of your companions and youll see many.

Its basically rome total war at this point with many diplomacy options once you replace your minister. To get companions invite local nobles to your court and hire them and upgrade.

My fav diplomacy option is gifting fiefs to other nations, threating them for money, making a king your puppet state, and the intruige quests. (Politics)

Many more :)

plus I fuxed the sieges by nerfing crossbows and javs and upping certain stats lije speed and armor penetration with item edtitor mod. Works near perfect now even at 500 max unit size :)

wife huh? what if your a queen? :v does the husband become the betch? xD

just noticed how amazing manors are. they are basically villages you create. but whatis the point of vilalages if your monor is better? :/

well, they are expensive and hard to maintain, upgrade, and they are one more thing to maintain and defend of course. But I always upgrade them as fast as possible.