Like I'm not crazy, right? Like, fuedalism, or warlordism, was nearly universal for thousands of years. A king, daimyo, warlord, what have you, extorts everyone else, using lesser landed warlords to do his bidding and continue extorting others.

Warlords in contemporary China and modern Africa have the same system.

Japan's Samurai and all seem mystical and awesome, but they're effectively the same as existed in Europe. "Vikings", as well, as I understand it, followed a similar concept, with Jarls having men who swore loyalty to them.