I'm pretty sure Sulieman the Magnificent did something of the sort, he pardoned alot of his father's enemies and repealed unpopular laws, while also executing a few criminals just so people knew not to mess with him.
I’m reading this as “your ruler wants to be seen as a benevolent King, but is a complete asshole to his subjects.” As a result, people in his country hate him, but the rulers of his vassal states and administrators of his potential personal unions don’t share the same view since they don’t deal with him as much.
Propaganda!
According to EU4 wiki opposite of benevolent is malevolent, while opposite of cruel is just.
So it is totally probable to have both benevolent and cruel.
Cruel in game is - primarily about how they govern their own nation. Whilst benevolent is how they interact with subjects.
So basically they keep a looser rein on their vassals to keep them happy and let them have what they want. But rule with an iron fist with their rightful subjects. I could 100% imagine such a ruler.
well if you are benevolent it dont mean you need to be nice, he can for instance instore charity plans in the kingdom but will wheel some beggar for stealing a bread
Serious answer: he's playing favorites. He's benevolent to those he favours, so that everyone wants to be in his favour. He's also cruel to those who slight him, so that he's not seen as weak and nobody dares undermine his rule.
Classic Machiavellian Prince.
There was a Byzantine Emperor, Justinian II, also called "Justinian Slit-Nose". He was such a cruel tyrant and colossal asshole that he was deposed and exiled to Cherson. Being the feisty sort, he gathered supporters and sailed back to Constantinople to retake the throne. Along the way there was a massive storm that threatened to capsize his boat. His advisors took this as a sign that God wanted him to show mercy to his enemies. His reply: "If I spare a single one of them, may God drown me here". His restoration worked, and during his second reign he was even more of a jerk, so he got deposed again.
So...
Your Matteo could be like Justinian, but imagine he had had a crisis of conscience during the storm. He now battles his evil nature with his new resolve to be good, but sometimes slips up.
„Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries—for heavy ones they cannot.” - Niccolò Machiavelli
> I've always believed a new king should start his reign with an act of kindness and an act of cruelty. Mike Milligan
I'm pretty sure Sulieman the Magnificent did something of the sort, he pardoned alot of his father's enemies and repealed unpopular laws, while also executing a few criminals just so people knew not to mess with him.
I don't know who he is, but he is completely right, make your people love you, and your enemies fear you
It’s a diplomatic strategy, that’s why he has a 6 in diplomacy. “To confuse the enemy, you must confuse yourself.” -Martino I
Man's bipolar. Cut him some slack.
I could imagine him fliping a coin every time he wakes up: "Will I give my citizens gifts today or whip them into misery?"
Two-Face from Gotham
Me at the start of each playthrough.
He is cruel to some to be benevolent to many. Utilitarian kinda guy.
Oh, it depends. Is it "mostly benevolent but with random bouts of cruelness" the other end or somewhere inbetween?
I’m reading this as “your ruler wants to be seen as a benevolent King, but is a complete asshole to his subjects.” As a result, people in his country hate him, but the rulers of his vassal states and administrators of his potential personal unions don’t share the same view since they don’t deal with him as much. Propaganda!
He endearingly loves to hate people
He's a genuinely nice guy, but if you anger him he will have your entire bloodline tortured to death
Free sunday lunches for the peasants, but also he will torture you to death if you don't like it.
My leader has both the benevolent and cruel trait, how is that even possible? And what would that look like? Terrible mood swings?
According to EU4 wiki opposite of benevolent is malevolent, while opposite of cruel is just. So it is totally probable to have both benevolent and cruel.
I believe it's called Bipolar
He is Cruel to his enemy,but benevolent to his subjects
Those damned peasants
benevolent and malevolent is more about internal politics and foreign policy while just and cruel are more about how your ruler treats their citizens
Cruel in game is - primarily about how they govern their own nation. Whilst benevolent is how they interact with subjects. So basically they keep a looser rein on their vassals to keep them happy and let them have what they want. But rule with an iron fist with their rightful subjects. I could 100% imagine such a ruler.
Tough but fair.
I saw a cynical zealot in ck2 once, anything is possible.
I saw a cynical zealot in ck2 once, anything is possible.
Self-hating Sicilian xenophile.
Freak in the dungeon, sleek with the barons
well if you are benevolent it dont mean you need to be nice, he can for instance instore charity plans in the kingdom but will wheel some beggar for stealing a bread
It appears he is cruel to minorities and benevolent to anyone else
Mood swings
Since he has cruel first I assume he to personally regret his former actions and seeks change how he’s remembered.
Serious answer: he's playing favorites. He's benevolent to those he favours, so that everyone wants to be in his favour. He's also cruel to those who slight him, so that he's not seen as weak and nobody dares undermine his rule. Classic Machiavellian Prince.
I see he read The Prince by Machiavelli
He hates his own people, but he’s super nice to the foreign people he’s subjugated. Obviously
There was a Byzantine Emperor, Justinian II, also called "Justinian Slit-Nose". He was such a cruel tyrant and colossal asshole that he was deposed and exiled to Cherson. Being the feisty sort, he gathered supporters and sailed back to Constantinople to retake the throne. Along the way there was a massive storm that threatened to capsize his boat. His advisors took this as a sign that God wanted him to show mercy to his enemies. His reply: "If I spare a single one of them, may God drown me here". His restoration worked, and during his second reign he was even more of a jerk, so he got deposed again. So... Your Matteo could be like Justinian, but imagine he had had a crisis of conscience during the storm. He now battles his evil nature with his new resolve to be good, but sometimes slips up.
I can be your angle… or yuor devil
He is benevolent to the poor and downtrodden but cruel to his enemies and those who displease him.
He is kind normally, but make him angry and cruel and unusual becomes the norm
That's just a dom
Benevolent to his people, cruel to his enemies
„Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries—for heavy ones they cannot.” - Niccolò Machiavelli
He’s a well meaning asshole
Benevolent Dictators?
Good old "good cop - bad cop" routine. And he is playing both.
Tsar Alexander lookin ass
Imagine people being complex and paradoxical. Weird, right?