Crusader Kings 3 offers dozens of achievements, but some are brutally difficult. These rare challenges test your strategic thinking, diplomacy, martial skill, and in some cases, your patience. Below is a breakdown of the hardest achievements in CK3, what makes them so punishing, and why players chase them anyway.
1. “Mother of Us All”
Objective: As Magajiva Daurama of the Kano Kingdom in 867, reform an African pagan faith, convert all of Africa to it, and become its religious head.
Why It’s Hard:
You begin as a single-county ruler in sub-Saharan Africa with no strong allies and surrounded by hostile faiths. You must not only survive, but conquer and convert an entire continent while navigating succession struggles, tribal limitations, and foreign threats. Faith reform alone requires significant piety, territory, and stability.
2. “A Legacy to Last the Ages”
Objective: Complete the “Dynasty of Many Crowns” dynasty legacy while having rulers of ten different kingdoms as your dynasty members.
Why It’s Hard:
This is a long game that demands careful dynasty management, marrying strategically, and seizing opportunities across the map. Keeping your dynasty members on ten thrones without them being overthrown or absorbed requires constant vigilance and sometimes replays to adjust failed lines of succession.
3. “The Emerald Isle”
Objective: Starting as any Irish ruler, form Ireland and hold it for 100 years.
Why It’s Hard:
While Ireland may seem like a tutorial-friendly region, holding the kingdom for a century without it fracturing or being conquered can be challenging, especially under gavelkind succession or external threats like Norse raiders and the English crown. The long timeframe leaves plenty of room for disaster.
4. “Give a Dog a Bone”
Objective: Starting as Matilda di Canossa in 1066, form the Kingdom of Italy and have it be your primary title.
Why It’s Hard:
Matilda starts in a precarious vassal position under the Holy Roman Emperor. You must break free, avoid being crushed by your liege, deal with strong claimants, and manage an unstable region full of rival dukes. Forming the Kingdom of Italy without being absorbed or deposed is a delicate task.
5. “A House of My Own”
Objective: Create a cadet branch of your dynasty.
Why It’s Hard:
The challenge here is not in difficulty but in understanding the obscure conditions. You must be a landed ruler not of your house’s main branch, have enough prestige, and meet other hidden requirements. Many players attempt it without knowing how cadet branches actually work, making it a frustrating process.
6. “Seven Holy Cities”
Objective: As a Hindu ruler, hold all seven Hindu holy sites at once.
Why It’s Hard:
This requires massive expansion across India, Afghanistan, and into hostile Muslim territories. The sites are geographically scattered, and most are controlled by powerful rulers. Managing different cultures and high resistance to conversion adds another layer of difficulty.
7. “Miklagardariki”
Objective: As a Norse character, own the Kingdom of Thessalonika and the Byzantine Empire.
Why It’s Hard:
You must start far in the north, expand southward through hostile Christian lands, and conquer one of the most heavily defended realms in the game. The Byzantines are not easily broken, and cultural and religious differences will cause constant uprisings if not handled properly.
8. “The Things Love Does for Us”
Objective: Have a lover save you from a murder attempt.
Why It’s Hard:
This is heavily reliant on RNG. First, someone must try to kill you. Then your lover must be in the right place at the right time with a high enough opinion of you to intervene. It’s a niche scenario that’s very hard to engineer deliberately.
9. “Tour the Realm”
Objective: As an independent ruler, complete a Grand Tour visiting every vassal in your realm.
Why It’s Hard:
Only possible with the Tours & Tournaments DLC. This achievement becomes difficult when managing a large realm. You need to organise your itinerary correctly, avoid being killed or waylaid, and ensure all vassals are included. It is time-consuming and prone to disruption from wars, plots, and illness.
10. “The Basileus Is Dead, Long Live the Basileus!”
Objective: Become the Byzantine Emperor as a character of a non-Greek, non-Christian culture and faith.
Why It’s Hard:
You’ll need to conquer the empire and replace its established ruling class while dealing with severe penalties for being an outsider. Expect endless revolts, legitimacy issues, and widespread discontent. Managing to hold the title long enough to make it stick is the real challenge.
The Seven Swords Takeaway
These achievements aren’t just difficult for the sake of it. Each pushes you to explore less conventional parts of the game, experiment with unfamiliar mechanics, or maintain long-term strategic planning. Many players chase them for the satisfaction of overcoming Crusader Kings 3 at its most unforgiving. Whether it’s religious reform, cross-map conquest, or dynasty micromanagement, each of these milestones turns your campaign into something far more intense than the average playthrough.
