•A prime example is the kingdom of Ayutthaya, which at the end of the fifteenth century dominated the central Menambasin. The territory under Ayutthaya's control, however, was divided into a number of graduated muangor settlements, each under its own governor. The latter might acknowledge the overlordshipof Ayutthaya and drink the sanctified water of allegiance to show their loyalty, but as royal relatives and muanglords their status could be almost equivalent to that of the ruler.
•Independence naturally increased with distance from the centre, and although a law of 1468-9 claims that twenty kings paid Ayutthaya homage, its hold sat lightly on distant Malay Muslim tributaries such as Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pattani. These areas essentially acted as autonomous states and as long as appropriate gifts were sent regularly to Ayutthaya there was little interference in their affairs.