They had the authority to impose taxation, and to decide all criminal and civil cases except those which involved capital punishment.
Their power was limited only by the capacity of the monarch to restrain them, which varied according to their proximity to Pekan — the further from the court, the greater their authority.
The Pahang constitutional theory was that the Orang Besar Berempat and, to a lesser degree, the other chiefs were the foundation upon which the monarch's authority rested.
In time, with the sovereign being a distant figure, their allegiance tended to become more a matter of loyalty to the Bendahara personally.
[10] The full title and style for this peerage in the Malay language is Yang DiHormat Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar.
When a chief died, his successor was required to make a ceremonial offering to the monarch before his appointment was approved.