Complex sentence: The zawiya tribes were protected by Hassane overlords in exchange for their religious services and payment of the horma, a tributary tax in cattle or goods; while they were in a sense exploited, the relationship was often more or less symbiotic.
Split into simpler sentences: The zawiya tribes were protected by Hassane overlords in exchange for their religious services and payment of the "horma," a tributary tax in cattle or goods. While the zawiya were exploited in a sense, the relationship was often more or less symbiotic.