John Hughes wrote:
> The chief will also have his or her own family stead. Most steads
>are not run by an individual but by an extended family, centred
>around a group of senior brothers.
Three other factors I think are are important here:
- Time: Clan or tribal officers are supported by the clan or tribe.
Thye don't have the time to farm. herd, weave etc. So the clan
provides a hearth for them with a family of cottars to run it etc. -
effectively these are the household staff. You could spend time your
on another stead that was more of a 'home' to you if you wanted
(Married warriors might not want to spend time in the Thunder
Borthers's stead with the bacheleors ), but the idea is that you are
provided for so that you can concnetrate on dpoing your job.
- The chief/king has to entertain and he needs a fine and impressive
place to do it - the mead hall. Remember the importance of
hospitality. Do you want people to think you are a clan of
sickpickers that your mead-hall is a barn?
- ! and 2 would mean that only the wealthy could become chief/king
if the clan/tribe did not provide. Provision by the clan means that
anyone can be elected - "Stickpicker you may once have been, but our
chief lives in the Mead Hall with the tiled roof, that Eric
Woodsinger built in the days of your great-grandfather. Leave you
hovel behind and take up office Asborn the Poor"