 Initially, the lordship was administered by "ministeriales" (bonded knights), castellans, and castle staff in accordance with feudal practices, but in the middle of the 14th century the prince-bishops decided instead to lease the estate.Under one of the 16th-century lessees, Bled Castle became a Protestant stronghold for a time.When the leasehold era came to an end, the prince-bishops began to appoint governors to manage their distant lordship.