You're welcome! Taking Ribe with the initial army Kong Magnus has, moving the capital from Bergvin to Anslo, maintaining peace with Denmark, and keeping taxes at normal indeed grew Anslo and Ribe quickly. Almost as quickly as AI Denmark's Roskilde and Lund with their skilled generals. Denmark wouldn't attack me before all rebel settlements in Scandinavia were taken. Without going the Ribe route Norway is surely slower to build up, as Skara, Sigtuna and Kalmar are all petty settlements, and money would be very tight. I think it would mean disbanding many of the initial troops in the beginning or at latest right after taking Skara, as even with taking Ribe some had to go. I've no idea why AI Denmark doesn't go towards Ribe right from the start, they have the army to do it close.

Keeping the titles after losing lands isn't really a problem for me, just wanted to make sure it wasn't a bug that two different generals could hold the same title. And even the heavy troop fix will make a lot in the next version, don't need them cardinals for immersion when playing pagan, orthodox or muslim factions