Final answer:
The people given land by the king to oversee on his behalf were called lords, noblemen, or vassals. These roles existed within feudal systems and similar hierarchical structures in various empires, where these individuals had to manage the land and maintain loyalty and service to the king or central authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individuals given land by the king to oversee on his behalf were known as lords, noblemen, or vassals. These terms varied depending on the period and the region but are generally related to the feudal system where the king granted land to his lords or noblemen, who in turn owed allegiance and military service to the king. The guidance from the king could include strict supervision, as with satraps in the Persian Empire where royal inspectors, termed the "eyes and ears of the great king," audited their governance, or noblemen in European kingdoms who played a significant part in the administration of the king's law and order within their landholdings.
These vassals had the authority to manage the land and act on behalf of the king, but their power was not absolute; they were supervised and sometimes even disciplined if found lacking in their duties. Imperial hierarchies, like that of the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs or the Chinese emperors, also had similar officials who governed regions under a centralized authority.