How To Become The King Of An Existing Kingdom In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Not every Bannerlord campaign has to end with you creating your own kingdom. While founding a kingdom from scratch can be a lot of fun, it also comes with a long list of problems. You need settlements, clans, influence, money, and enough military power to survive being attacked from every direction. Sometimes it's simply easier to rise through the ranks of an existing kingdom and eventually take the throne for yourself.

What I like about this route is that it feels much more natural. You start as a mercenary, earn the trust of the kingdom, become a powerful noble, and eventually position yourself as the ruler. It takes time, but it can be far less stressful than building an entire kingdom from nothing.

If becoming king without starting your own faction sounds appealing, here's how the process works.

Join The Right Kingdom Early

The first decision is probably the most important one. If your long-term goal is to become king, you should think carefully about which kingdom you join. You'll likely spend a large portion of your campaign building relationships, earning influence, and acquiring fiefs there, so switching later can be inconvenient.

Personally, I usually look for a kingdom that has a strong position on the map but still has room to expand. A kingdom that's constantly losing territory can make your journey to the throne much more difficult.

It's also worth paying attention to the ruler and the major clans. You're going to spend a lot of time working alongside these nobles, so building positive relations early pays off later.

Become A Powerful Vassal

Simply joining a kingdom isn't enough.

If you want any chance of becoming king, you need to become one of the kingdom's most influential nobles. That means participating in wars, helping armies, winning battles, defending settlements, and generally contributing to the faction's success.

Over time, you'll earn influence, wealth, and reputation. All three are extremely important.

In most of my campaigns, I focus on becoming one of the strongest clans in the kingdom before I even start thinking about the throne. If your clan is wealthy, owns multiple settlements, and regularly contributes to military victories, other nobles are much more likely to support you later.

Build Relationships With Other Clans

This is the step many players overlook.

Influence is important, but relationships matter just as much.

The stronger your relationships with other nobles, the easier it becomes to gain support when important decisions are made. Whether it's voting on fiefs or influencing kingdom politics, having friendly clans on your side is always valuable.

I help allied nobles whenever possible. Joining their battles, assisting with defenses, and supporting them during votes can slowly build positive relations over time.

It might not seem important in the early game, but those relationships become incredibly useful later.

Grow Your Clan's Wealth

Being popular is great.

Being popular and rich is even better.

Large amounts of denars allow you to maintain stronger armies, upgrade settlements, recruit better troops, and recover from wars much faster than rival clans.

In Bannerlord, power often hinges on resources. The more money your clan generates, the easier it becomes to maintain your position near the top of the kingdom hierarchy.

Workshops, caravans, successful wars, and prosperous settlements all contribute to this. By the time the throne becomes available, you want your clan to be among the strongest financially

Wait For The Right Opportunity

Eventually, the kingdom's ruler will die.

When that happens, the kingdom chooses a new ruler through a vote. This is the moment you've been preparing for throughout the campaign.

The exact outcome depends on several factors, including influence, clan strength, wealth, relationships, and overall standing within the kingdom. There isn't a single hidden formula that guarantees success, but stronger clans with more influence and better relations generally have a much better chance of being selected.

This is why all the preparation beforehand matters so much.

You aren't trying to become king in a single day. You're spending an entire campaign putting yourself in the strongest possible position before the vote ever happens.

Keep Expanding Your Influence

Even after becoming a major noble, it's worth continuing to participate actively in kingdom affairs.

I often see players become complacent once they've acquired a few towns and castles.

Meanwhile, rival clans continue growing stronger.

Influence is constantly being generated and spent throughout the campaign, so maintaining a strong presence in wars and politics helps ensure that your clan remains relevant when leadership eventually changes.

Think of it as a long-term investment rather than a short-term goal.

Is Becoming King Better Than Creating Your Own Kingdom?

Honestly, it depends on how you like to play.

Creating your own kingdom gives you complete freedom, but it also comes with enormous responsibility and constant pressure from enemy factions.

Becoming king of an existing kingdom is usually a smoother experience. You inherit established clans, existing territory, and a functioning political structure instead of having to build everything yourself.

Personally, I've enjoyed both approaches, but becoming king through an existing kingdom often feels more immersive because it feels like you've genuinely earned the position over the course of the campaign.

Final Thoughts

Becoming the ruler of an existing kingdom isn't something that happens quickly in Bannerlord. It's the result of years of in-game work, political influence, military success, and careful relationship building.

The good news is that if you're already playing as an active vassal, you're probably making progress without even realizing it. Every battle won, every settlement acquired, and every relationship improved moves you one step closer to the throne.

If you're patient and focus on building a powerful clan, there's a very good chance that one day the kingdom's crown will end up exactly where you wanted it all along.