Three [[steppe]][[nomads]] who managed to unite several tribes into a single tribe are Abaoji of the [[Khitan]], Modu Chanyu of the [[Xiongnu]], and Tanshihuai of the [[Xianbei]].
Tribes within the [[ruling]][[tribe]] had [[economic]][[autonomy]], the ability to [[move]] away if they didn’t like things, and the weapons to [[fight]].
The ruler would [[give]][[gifts]] the heads of other tribes, who would then gift the people in their tribes to maintain their [[place]] in the [[flow]] of [[energy]].