The thing is the base x86 architecture ISNT very CISCy, there's only simple addressing modes (no double indirect modes), no addressing side effects to undo on exceptions (auto increments), only one TLB dip per instruction
(the push instruction is really the only excepetion)
compared to its compatriots (68k/vax/NSwhatever etc) it was positively RISCy in comparison - a vax instruction could take something like 29 TLB misses, make 29 memory accesses - a 68020 threw a horrible mess of microstate spew on a TLB miss so it could make progress (made unix signals implementation a nightmare, where do you safely put that stuff?)
(the push instruction is really the only excepetion)
compared to its compatriots (68k/vax/NSwhatever etc) it was positively RISCy in comparison - a vax instruction could take something like 29 TLB misses, make 29 memory accesses - a 68020 threw a horrible mess of microstate spew on a TLB miss so it could make progress (made unix signals implementation a nightmare, where do you safely put that stuff?)
I think its RISCyness is why it's still with us