1. Collect gold every 10 minutes while you are on, you get twice the gold over the same time as any other way
2. Always release the thief, you get gold. Always kill the wolves if you can for the same reason.
3. The squabblers: pick the one whose resource you need the most
4. Resource building, like farms, stonecutters, and woodcutters can be completed in 4 minutes for the first level with the yellow arrow.
Build them all first level as quickly as possible. Ask for resources if you need them. Going as far as 13% production will give you the most resources the fastest. Also gives you a lot of experience points quickly
5. Make sure you use the armor you capture to protect your castellan and commanders. Pay attention to the bonuses each piece gives you.
6. Extra armor can be sold for gold
7. At lower levels, concentrate on attacking robber barons as much as possible
8. You need to build a hospital, bakery, and flour mill as soon as possible. The hospital allows you to heal rather than train, which is cheaper, and the other two increase food production and reduce consumption
9. Don't waste rubies healing ruby troops, trash them. They eat too much anyway
10. Don't use rubies to speed up construction, use time skip if needed
11. Build a bakery as soon as you have the rubies
12. Hit the alliance help button under your gold, and help anyone who needs it. It is completely free.

Good Luck!