"But what of the Westerlands governor's authority to adjudicate, Your Grace?" Ser Garlan Tyrell asked cautiously.
As the liege lord of a region, he held the authority to settle disputes among his vassals, chiefly concerning land, castles, taxes, and jurisdiction.
Under this distinctive military feudal system, lords wielded immense power.
In cases of poaching in the forests, robbery, or murder, a lord could directly pronounce a death sentence.
"Governors may settle minor matters, but serious offenses involving the death penalty and the like must be referred to the Iron Throne," Gendry said.
By ordinary standards, Westeros's system was a patchwork, with city halls, lords, customs offices, road toll collectors, and so on.
The key was to draw clear, sweeping distinctions between municipal officials and judicial officials.
"What forceful measures." Garlan turned it over in his mind. This effectively placed all major judicial and governing authority in the hands of the throne.
Still, judging by the king's intentions, he did not mean to sweep everything away at once, but to proceed gradually. Otherwise, the great and lesser lords of the Seven Kingdoms would all go mad.
Even raising taxes in peacetime was considered tyranny, let alone curtailing the power of the lords.
Yet under the threat of the king's military might and dragonfire, the great and lesser lords dared not voice much opposition.
"Beyond the province itself, I intend to divide the Westerlands into four administrative levels: province, commandery, town, and village," Gendry continued.
Weeping Town, Ferry Town, and villages were already existing place names, while the lands controlled by the lords fell within the scope of a "commandery." Now these distinctions were merely being formally established.
"The centralization and unification of a nation is the tide of history, but Your Grace, is this not too hasty?" Eddard said cautiously.
"Time