In those times, similar castles arose throughout the low mountain range as rival lords squared off against each other.

Between 1784 and 1855 the emperors were little more than puppets in the hands of rival feudal lords and their powerful provincial armies.

But these reforms met with deep resentment and opposition from the land-holding clergy, the rival lords and even the common faithful.

The stranger watched the elaborate charade of cordiality between the two rival lords.

That stable career was destroyed when a villainous rival lord, Lord Hikiji, sent ninja to assassinate the Mifune family.

So that was Northumbria, a kingdom of rival lords, none of whom had cause to love me and two of whom wanted me dead.

Even at the level of privilege, it was often a matter of comfortless castles, sullen and undependable pikemen and rival lords who were forever feuding.

For in those days we did not know the meaning of real war, giving that name to our petty skirmishing between rival lords or against the Waste outlaws.

Nationalism had been minimal in days when most wars took place between rival feudal lords on a sub-national scale.

The town was fortified against rival lords, and against the seawater - the River Amstel being dammed at what is now Dam Square.