These officials were in charge of the local law courts, led the city army, and administered the royal lands in the city's territory.
While the current court's decisions, over all, are only slightly more conservative than those from the courts led by Chief Justices Warren E. Burger and William H. Rehnquist, according to political scientists who study the court, its business rulings are another matter.
This absence of an explicitly defined role for courts led, in the early post-World War II years in Britain, to real fears that the courts would be unable or unwilling to question the expanded powers of governmental bodies.
The failure to punish almost anyone for the serious crimes Mr Yushchenko had denounced, or to overhaul the courts, led to disillusion among his supporters and boldness among his enemies.
This provocative action, instead of ending up in the courts, led to a negotiated grazing agreement between the two parties.
His persistent illegal actions, for months pointed out by the courts, led legally designated court officials to find him guilty of treason, abuse of authority, usurpation of functions and acting against the established form of government.
In fact, revolutionary courts led by religious leaders who knew nothing of forgiveness or fairness summarily executed thousands of Muslims.
