Comparing Empires

Who was in charge of the government--who had power? What was the basis for their power (in other words, why did people trust them to be in charge)? State power could be based on military power, or hereditary descent from previous rulers, or religious authority, or a constitution like ours, among other possibilities. What were the most important components of their government? Did they have a bureaucracy? Did the military play an important role? How did the leaders ensure that the bureaucracy would function efficiently and be loyal to the leader?