The Defender Of Faith: Cities And Their Religious Affiliations

The Defender of the Faith bonus in Sid Meier's Civilization is a combat bonus that applies to units near friendly cities that follow your religion. It is not a promotion, so it will not show on units, but it will be visible when hovering for an attack and getting the strength calculation. The bonus is applied in combat only, so it will not be visible when clicking on units outside of combat. The bonus is also applied when attacking from your territory into enemy territory.

Defender of the Faith bonus in combat

The Defender of the Faith bonus in combat is a powerful advantage for players in the Civilization franchise. In the fifth instalment of the game, this bonus provides a significant boost to players' units during battles.

The bonus is applied when a player's units are near friendly cities that follow their religion. This includes not only allied cities but also the player's own cities, as long as they follow the player's religion. The bonus is particularly useful for defending one's cities and can be strategically employed by positioning units accordingly.

The exact mechanics of the bonus have been a subject of discussion among players. Some players have observed that the bonus is only applied when their units are attacking, and it may not show up when simply checking the units near friendly cities. It is important to note that the bonus is not a promotion, so it will not be visible on the units themselves. Instead, players should see the modifier when hovering over the attack option and viewing the strength calculation.

In terms of the bonus amount, it appears that there have been adjustments made over time. Initially, the bonus provided a 20% boost to unit strength. However, in more recent versions of the game, the bonus has been adjusted to two separate bonuses of 10% each. The first bonus applies when a player's unit is in their own territory and attacking an enemy unit of a different religion. The second bonus applies when a player's unit, located in their own territory, is attacked by an enemy unit of a different religion. These bonuses stack, resulting in a total bonus of 20% when both conditions are met.

The Defender of the Faith bonus can be a valuable asset in combat, especially when combined with strategic positioning and religious alignment of cities. Players can take advantage of this bonus to strengthen their defence and gain an edge over their opponents.

Friendly cities and alliances

The concept of friendly cities extends beyond the virtual world of Civilization and has real-world implications as well. The Cities Alliance, a global partnership founded in 1999, is a prime example of this. The Alliance is committed to fighting urban poverty and promoting sustainable development in cities worldwide. With a diverse membership comprising national governments, local authorities, multilateral organizations, NGOs, universities, and foundations, the Cities Alliance leverages collective expertise to drive urban transformation.

One of the key objectives of the Cities Alliance is to enhance the well-being of urban populations by delivering innovative, multi-sectoral solutions to urban poverty. They achieve this through technical assistance, infrastructure grants, direct execution, and stronger partnerships. For instance, their project in the Medina of Tunis, Tunisia, focuses on women-led participatory planning, strategic interventions in public spaces, and city-to-city dialogues on gender-sensitive development.

The Cities Alliance also serves as a medium for information and experience sharing between various local governments, fostering the development of best practices in urban planning, mapping, and service delivery. This coordinating function is essential for building sustainable cities and strengthening urban ecosystems.

By fostering friendly cities and alliances, the Cities Alliance is making significant strides in the fight against urban poverty and the promotion of sustainable development on a global scale. These collaborative efforts empower citizens, enhance governance, and ultimately improve the lives of millions of people living in urban areas.

The title's history

The title "Defender of the Faith" was first conferred by Pope Leo X upon King Henry VIII of England on October 11, 1521. The title was bestowed in recognition of Henry's pamphlet "Assertio Septem Sacramentorum" ("Defence of the Seven Sacraments"), which defended the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the pope. This was seen as an important opposition to the early stages of the Protestant Reformation, particularly the ideas of Martin Luther. Henry had been seeking a papal title for years, and his work against Luther strengthened his claim.

When Henry broke with the papacy in 1530, Pope Paul III revoked the title and excommunicated him. However, in 1543, the Parliament of England conferred the title "Defender of the Faith" on Henry and his successors, now in their capacity as defenders of the Anglican faith. The title has been used by all subsequent English and British monarchs (except the Catholic Queen Mary I) and is reflected in the monarch's position as the supreme governor of the Church of England.

The original Latin phrase "Fidei Defensor" has been represented on British coins by the abbreviations "F D" or "FID DEF" since the reign of King George I in 1714. The title is also used in the monarch's full style in New Zealand and the UK, and until recently, in Canada and Australia. In 2023, the Canadian government introduced a bill to drop the phrase from the Canadian sovereign's title, which took effect in January 2024.

The title "Defender of the Faith" has also been bestowed upon other monarchs and heads of state throughout history, including King John III Sobieski of Poland, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, and King Henri I of Haiti.

The title's removal

The title "Defender of the Faith" was initially bestowed upon King Henry VIII by Pope Leo X in recognition of his defence of the Catholic Church against Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. However, the title was later revoked by Pope Paul III due to Henry's decision to break with Rome and establish himself as the head of the Church of England, and his strict regulation of the church.

In 1543, the English Parliament conferred the title back onto King Henry VIII, now as the defender of the Anglican faith, along with the style: "Henry the Eighth by the Grace of God King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth the Supreme Head".

The title "Defender of the Faith" has since been a part of the monarch's style in England and later Britain, with all subsequent monarchs (except the Catholic Queen Mary I) becoming supreme governors.

In the context of the video game Civilization, the "Defender of the Faith" ability gives a combat bonus to units near "friendly cities that follow this religion". This bonus applies to your own cities if they follow your religion, as well as any allied city or city-state you control.

In recent times, some countries within the Commonwealth have chosen to remove or alter the title. For example, Australia removed the title in 1973, while Canada dropped the reference to "Defender of the Faith" in the spring of 2023, with royal assent given to the change on 22 June 2023.

King Charles III, when he was still heir apparent, expressed a preference to change the spirit of the role, stating: "I personally would rather see [my future role] as Defender of Faith, not the Faith". However, he later clarified that "while at the same time being Defender of the Faith, you can also be the protector of faiths".

The title's reintroduction

The title "Defender of the Faith" has been reintroduced several times throughout history. The title was first granted by Pope Leo X to King Henry VIII of England in 1521 in recognition of his defence of the Catholic Church against Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. However, the title was later revoked by Pope Paul III due to Henry's decision to break with Rome and establish himself as the head of the Church of England.

In 1543, the Parliament of England conferred the title of "Defender of the Faith" back to King Henry VIII, now as the defender of the Anglican faith. This marked a shift in power dynamics, with the English monarchy gaining more independence from the Catholic Church. The title has since been passed down to subsequent English and British monarchs, with the exception of the Catholic Queen Mary I.

The title was also granted to other monarchs and heads of state, including King James IV and King James V of Scotland, and King John III Sobieski of Poland. During The Protectorate (1653-1659), the republican heads of state Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell did not adopt the title due to their more Protestant profile. However, the title was reintroduced after the restoration of the monarchy and has been in use by British sovereigns ever since.

In the context of the Civilization games, "Defender of the Faith" is a bonus that applies to friendly cities that follow the same religion. This includes your own cities as well as allied cities or city-states that you control. The bonus provides a combat advantage to units near these friendly cities.

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