Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong

[Sencha]

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely take it into account. I guess I was overestimating the importance of taxing and temples. So I'll ease back on them. I'll also increase my research staff, hire mercs more regularly and try to capture more provinces per turn.

I'll also try to use my Pretender more directly. I could have guessed that holding him up in the castle probably wasn't making the best use of him, but I was afraid he'd get killed in battle. (I've seen it happen, probably b/c I didn't design and/or equip him to be a SC).

As for my game settings, I didn't touch the scales much, (don't remember my exact settings), used a medium map and I believe the AI level was default.