Legitimacy
This article is accurate for the latest versions of EU3, Napoleon’s Ambition, In Nomine, Heir to the Throne and Divine Wind.
Legitimacy is a measure of how legitimate a monarch appears to his or her people. It is presented as a score between 0 and 100. A score of 50 gives no bonuses or penalties with 0 and 100 giving full penalties and full benefits respectively. Legitimacy is only relevant to monarchies.
Legitimacy is tied to a particular monarch. When a new king takes the throne, legitimacy will be set to a new value based on the heir's claim strength. Newborn heirs will generally have a claim strength based on their parent's legitimacy, however.
Legitimacy Gain and Loss
There are a number of ways to gain and lose legitimacy. Note that there are other ramifications for some of these methods.
Gains
All gains are a percentage per year except for shifts due to inheritance, Monarch death or events.
- Royal Marriages +0.5% per marriage
- Note that this allows the formation of a personal union between two nations through event as well as through a Claim Throne or Fabricate Claims CB. Note that if you have a low legitimacy as well as lower prestige than a nation you have a royal marriage with, you can become the lesser partner in this union. Rampant marriages are not recommended.
- Grand Marshal +1% per star
- Being Trade Leader in Chinaware +5%
- A Beautiful Tapestry decision +1%
- Diwani Script decision +1%
- Royal Palace unique building +1%
Losses
Ongoing
- War Exhaustion 0.2%/year per point
- Regency -4%/year
- Negative Stability -1%/year per point below 0
Immediate
- Claim Throne Diplomatic Action: -20%
- Changing Form of Government: -1/2 of current total
- Losing an offensive war: -20%
- New dynasty takes throne: Set to 20%
Effects of Legitimacy
Each effect is scaled so that the full bonus is received at 100, the full penalty at 0, and no effect at 50.
- Stability cost modifier: +10% to −10%
- Revolt risk: +3% to −3%
- Tolerance of each religion: −1 to +1
- Infamy limit: −5 to +5
In addition, at legitimacy below 50, a nation is vulnerable to having its throne claimed, prompting a succession war.
