A fief is a territorial duty handed over to the Houses of the Landsraad by the emperor. With the Faufreluche system, a systematic method of governance ensured that the houses of the Landsraad got placed in charge of planetary fiefs. The Great Houses controlled many planetary fiefs, while the Minor Houses controlled fewer. The idea of putting the Houses of the Landsraad in charge of fiefs was an excellent strategy the Faufreluches created to ensure that the emperor got represented throughout the universe.