The players who top the ranking and are powerful in a Kingdom have put a lot of effort into achieving their status. Many of them may acquire in-game items in exchange for Gold, but the main thing in achieving success is having a competent strategy and unique way of thinking. 

Vikings: War of Clans is a free-to-play game, where each player chooses their own play style. You can choose not to invest real-world money and earn Gold all by yourself in game (for example, by participating in Competitions), or you may wish to speed up your development by buying Bank offers. But remember: All Vikings have an equal chance of becoming Konung. 

Use a Peace Treaty item to protect your Town from attacks. Apply a Domain Guard item to protect your warriors when they are yielding resources in resource locations. You can also negotiate with players who attack you, forge an alliance with them, or even join forces.