Im sorry for not noticeing this thread sooner. If you are stuck, and keeps getting captured and destroyed i suggest that you try to start over again.
Then you start your new game, travel to a town to sell your gold bar.
After selling the gold bar you should look for companions inside a tavern.
If none, just buy 1 or 2 extra horses and conscript 10 reqruits.
The recruits shall not be upgraded, they are mainly to boost your sieze and be sacrefice lambs.
Be sure to regulary check close towns for companions while you keep an army of around 10-11.
If you have 5 companions, then release 5 recruits from service. Be sure to allways have 5 reqruits even if you have 7-9 companions.
Now the main part starts.
Travel around forceing villages to give you supplies. Only take the valuable goods and be sure to pick the right town to sell it in for max profit.
Haveing a small army, companions with own horses, and extra horses for the reqruites to use will give you quite a good traveling speed.
This will easily give you around 10 000 denars + within the first 7 days.
Then you have the money you need for training your army, around 20-30 000 denars, conscript the recruits and wait in a town.
Keep an eye out for soldiers ready to upgrade.
For companions, i recomend you going without the army, just the companions and try to force villages to give you supplies. If you are 10(i think) or less in the party, the villagers will come out to fight you. Be sure to have upgraded the companions armour and weaponds. The pesants are easily killed and gives a fair sum of exp. This or chargeing sea raiders with chargers.
Then starting a faction, attack a recently taken over castle just to have as a base of opperations. Store your main army here as you build up. This allows you to also level up companions by fighting pesants without them being scared of your army. Then ready, attack the castle or town of your choise and start your very own kingdom.
Hope this helps you
PS: Used some tips allready written above because i, my self, use them and it could be as a summary..