This game is fantastic, it's not as hard to get into as Europa Universalis, but it's hard. Once you get the basics down though you can play it and enjoy it. There's some great newbie and lets play videos on Youtube.
I started out as a Count in Dublin. Took over some land, married off my kids and collected taxes. The Bishops in my county hated me because I was lustful and the church hates that apparently. Uncovered a plot that my brother was trying to take over my land so I had him imprisoned. Eventually I was hit on the head in battle and rendered incapable. During this time my wife also passed away from the plague. So I decided to remarry, and one of the top choices was the second wife of my deceased father, who was 50 years his junior and produced a child for him 6 months after his death at 71. So I had the opportunity to be the step father to my step uncle.
I'm now playing as my grandson as my original heir died of stress at 31 :'( . Everyone in my realm hates me as I'm a young ruler with 2 female daughters as heirs. This all happened in about 30 years of gametime (1066-1095)