Managing Rebellions in Bannerlord

There is nothing worse than conquering a town after a bloody siege, only to have it flip back to "Rebel" control a week later. Rebellions occur when a settlement's Loyalty drops too low.

This guide explains how to keep your new subjects happy—or at least subdued.

The Mechanics of Loyalty

Every town has a Loyalty score (0-100).

• Safe Zone: 50-100.

• Danger Zone: 25-50.

• Rebellion Zone: < 25.

Why Loyalty Drops

1. Culture Mismatch (-3.0/day): If you (Vlandian) own a Battanian town, the people hate you. This is the #1 cause of rebellions.

2. Starvation: If the town has 0 food, loyalty plummets.

3. Security Issues: If nearby hideouts or bandits are active, security (and loyalty) drops.

How to Prevent Rebellions

When you first capture a town of a different culture, it is a ticking time bomb. You must act immediately.

1. Appoint a Governor of the Same Culture

This provides a +1.0 loyalty bonus. It doesn't fully cancel the -3 penalty, but it helps.

• Example: If you captured a Sturgian town, appoint a Sturgian companion (e.g., "the Fish") as Governor.

2. The "Festival and Games" Project

• Go to "Manage Town".

• Stop all construction (Walls, etc.).

• Select Festival and Games under "Daily Defaults".

• Effect: +3.0 Loyalty per day.

• This is the only way to actively grow loyalty in a foreign town early on.

3. Build Fairgrounds

• Once loyalty is stable (~50), queue up the Fairgrounds building.

• Each level gives passive loyalty bonuses (+0.5 to +1.5).

4. Kingdom Policies

If you are the King, enact these policies:

• Forgiveness of Debts: +2 Loyalty to settlements.

• Tribunes of the People: +1 Loyalty to settlements.

• These policies are overpowered and almost completely solve rebellion issues.

Dealing with Active Rebellions

If you ignore the warning signs and loyalty hits 0, a Rebel Clan will form.

• The Militia inside the town will join the rebels.

• Your Garrison will be kicked out (or killed).

• The town becomes an independent faction at war with you.

The Fix: You have to siege it again. There is no diplomatic solution. You must starve them out or storm the walls, killing the very militia you just trained.

Pro Tip: Don't let it get this far. If loyalty is 15 and dropping, sit in the town yourself. Your presence provides a security boost that might buy you time to fix the food/festival situation.