Some chieftains fought them and were subdued, others submitted and received a share of the territory.
It is difficult to see how the local leaders could have managed without the approval of the chieftains.
On seeing his son as a bandit chieftain, the old count does actually die of shock.
Another important question that lacks proper attention is the mutual tie between the ' new ' local leaders and the chieftains.
That vicious viper, a tender lamb before, stealthily took the shears and shouted to the chieftains.
There was also another category of land known as minor 'inam' lands which was revenue-free lands enjoyed by a few institutions and chieftains.
Sometimes, support was sufficiently taken-for-granted that no actual election was held; the factional chieftains simply bargained among themselves, in the light of their known bloc of votes.
At the same time the chieftains had to gain the support of their local leaders, otherwise their power would have been even more fragile than it was in reality.