Great Families

The Great Families, numbering forty, within the Chiss Ascendancy formed a political power structure of Chiss families inside the Aristocra of that society. These Great Families held a position in the hierarchy that was less powerful and influential than the Nine Ruling Families, but they were more so than those families outside of these two designated groups. They were also known by another name: the Forty Great Houses.

Occasionally, individuals from the Chiss Great Families had previously been part of the Ruling Families. Conversely, there were instances throughout the Ascendancy's history where specific Great Families were elevated to become members of the Ruling Families. The Great Families with aspirations of joining the Ruling Families had the option to dispatch representatives to the assemblies of the Chiss Syndicure. The tribunals of the Syndicure's Aristocra generally included representatives from both the Ruling Families and the Great Families. It is worth noting that the count of Great Families was not always exactly 40, just as the count of Ruling Families was not always exactly nine.

When disagreements arose between Great Families and families that did not belong to either the Great or Ruling Families, the less wealthy family often found it nearly impossible to obtain a favorable resolution. Evroes'pu'titor made this exact point to Mitth family Syndic Prime Mitth'urf'ianico, who had been dispatched to mediate a conflict between the prominent Xodlak family and the common Evroes family. Syndic Prime Thurfian responded by asserting that the Evroes family deserved equal justice alongside every other family within the Chiss Ascendancy.