If you don't build the courthouse does the city perpetually generate extra unhappiness due to the occupation, or do they eventually settle down without one? How longer does that take with/without?
I don't know where I got the idea that if you wait long enough they'll come around… perhaps I've carried that idea over from a previous civ version? and it is no longer the case?
Best Answer
Until you build a courthouse, the city will always be "occupied" and generate unhappiness. Once built, the city will be like any other that you would have settled yourself with respect to the (un)happiness it contributes.
It seems to have the effect of putting a soft cap on how many cities you can annex at a time (to avoid going into negative happiness and severely stalling growth), as it is either fairly pricey, or it will take a few dozen turns to build. You can finish it in 2 turns with a Great Engineer's "Hurry Production", however.