Ah, I've never had that problem with my councils but I can see that could be a problem. That is what calling in favours are for I guess :) (Or murder and tyranny).

The Jewish Semien game is going well - just had a Emperor who ruled for 65 years, dying in his 80s. Thought he was never going die given he was 1-handed, 1-legged, a drunkard and stressed. And had a pet cat. Elsewhere the Ummayads are going ridiculously strong. Still 0% decadance and rampaging through France, which has been badly fragmented since Francia fell. The most unusual thing is going on over in India, which I've never seen before. Hinduism has taken over it entirely, except for a small pocket on Lanka. Not only that, they've have been pushing back against the Muslims, taking over Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Khiva.