 This was an indication of their status as frontier lords and of the breakdown in royal authority, which permitted regional magnates to assume whatever titles they wished without incurring royal disfavour.As another result of its frontier location and the lack of royal control exercised over it, Cerdanya was dotted with numerous castles during this period, when the Muslim threat was still strong.In 897, Wilfred the Hairy died having divided his vast Catalan patrimony (technically just a plurality of public offices) between his four sons.