Getting complicated

I'm beginning to fear that my character bank is getting to big. And by that, I mean, too many interesting characters, from too many diverse countries and histories. I can't believe that my readers will be able to keep up with them all! And yet, each one is important in his own way. I mean, there's the bad king, and his minions, the good prince with his friends and followers who are trying to reestablish him as king, the other two allied Kings who are debating on how to help Phillip, and just all the other minor minor characters whom they fun in to on their travels. How can I possibly cull? as soon as I breath life into any of these characters, large or small, they become their own people, and it would be murder for me to cut them out of the story, to keep their little voices from being heard.
ah me, what a terrible life we authors lead, deciding who lives and who dies.