The author reconstructs the political and social background that produced a decisive change of rule, examining territorial relations, noble power, ecclesiastical life, and administrative arrangements across the region. He subjects chronicles and legal surveys to critical scrutiny, separates later legend from contemporary testimony, and engages disputed interpretations offered by other scholars. The narrative follows events and pressures leading to a pivotal royal election and outlines the immediate causes and likely consequences of the ensuing transfer of authority. Detailed local description, maps, and appendices provide documentary and topographical support for the argument.