In Macedonia there are still a considerable number of Beys, or landed gentry, whose ances tors — many of them newly converted Moslems of non-turkish origin — obtained grants of land at the conquest, which they held as military fiefs; and previous to the introduction in 1867 of the present centralising administration, the country districts of this province were ruled by local magnates, either such Turkish feudatories, or tribal Chieftains, such as are still found in Albania and Kurdistan, whose loyalty to the Porte was most easily secured by allowing them entire free dom in dealing with their own vassals.