The King's Steward

A king's steward managed the treasury. The king spent freely — on wars, on feasts, on monuments.

The steward had a private rule: when the treasury fell below a certain level, he would refuse all new expenditures, regardless of the king's orders.

"You overstep your authority," the king said once.

"My authority is to ensure you have a treasury tomorrow. An empty treasury has no authority at all."

The king raged. But the kingdom remained solvent.