How to start your own Kingdom in Bannerlord
5/6/2026
Hello there, warriors of Calradia! Welcome back.
Today, we’re breaking down the exact roadmap for building a kingdom from scratch. We’ll cover the hard requirements, the step-by-step setup, and the survival strategy you need so you don’t get wiped off the map five minutes after your coronation.
The Pre Flight Checklist
Before you even think about crowning yourself, you need your house in order. Don't rush this; starting a kingdom unprepared is a death sentence. You’re going to need:
Clan Tier 4: This is non negotiable.
A Massive War Chest: The game says you just need a fief, but in reality? Don't start without at least 1 million Denars. You’ll need it for peace tributes and bribing Lords.
The Essentials: At least one fief like a castle or town, a loyal companion, and a high tier army of Tier 4 troops or better.
Pro Tip on Renown: If you’re struggling to hit Clan Tier 4, join a faction as a mercenary. Seek out battles where you’re slightly outnumbered. Winning those impossible fights is the fastest way to farm renown and level up your Leadership and Steward skills simultaneously.
Securing Your First Fief
You have two main paths here:
The Vassal Route: Fight for a king, help them take a town, and hope they vote to give it to you.
The Rebel Tactic: This is the recommended way. Wait for a town to rebel against its owner. These independent cities are fair game. You can siege them without starting a world war with a major superpower. It’s the cleanest way to get your foot in the door.
Pulling the Trigger: Creating the Kingdom
Once you’re standing in your own town and you’ve hit Tier 4, here’s the process:
Assign a Governor: Put a companion in charge of your settlement.
The Talk: Go into the keep, speak to that governor, and tell them it’s time to form a kingdom.
The Paperwork: Pick your name, culture, and initial laws. Don't overthink this yet as you can tweak policies later.
The Betrayal Warning:
If you’re currently a vassal for someone like Derthert or Ragnavand, you have to leave their kingdom first. You’ll be asked: Do you keep your fiefs or give them back?
Keep them: Expect instant war with your former boss.
Give them back: You’re safe, but you’re homeless and have to go conquer a rebel town from scratch.
The Survival Phase: Don’t Panic
The second you click Create Kingdom, every AI faction on the map smells blood. You are the smallest fish in the pond, and they will try to eat you.
Buy Your Way Out: If a massive 1,500 man army shows up at your gates, pay the tribute. It sucks to lose 20k to 50k Denars, but it’s cheaper than losing your only town and your entire army.
Economy is King: While at peace, focus entirely on workshops and caravans. You need a passive income to fund the massive garrison wages you’re about to accumulate.
Recruiting Lords and the Snowball Effect
You can’t defend a kingdom alone. You need vassals.
Turn Companions into Lords: You can promote your best companions to nobility, giving them their own clans. It costs influence and a bit of gold, but they are 100% loyal.
Flip Existing Lords: This is harder. You need high Charm and great relationships.
The Nice Guy Strategy: Stop executing people! Release Lords after you defeat them in battle. This builds the Relationship stat you need to eventually convince them to defect to your side later on.
The Rich Player Shortcut
If you absolutely hate sieges, there’s a pacifist route. If you max out your Trade skill to level 300, you unlock the ability to literally buy settlements. You can expand your empire through real estate deals rather than bloody battles. It takes forever to level, but it’s incredibly powerful for a late game peaceful expansion.
Final Word
That’s the core path. It’s a grind, and the early days of your kingdom will be stressful, but there’s nothing quite like seeing your own banner flying over the capital of Calradia.
If you want to dive deeper into which Policies you should pass first or how to win the Influence game, let me know. Good luck out there!