The ideal relationship between king and thane or between lord and warriors is known as "Comitatus." This is a sworn bond to protect the lands the thane inhabits and to protect the king when his kingdom is threatened. If the king demands, the thane must lay down his life it this defense. If the king is killed, the thane is obligated to enact revenge.
The king, in turn, is bound to provide protection for his thanes, to share in the wealth when there is a boon, and to parcel out his fiefdom in accordance of reputation.
It's a symbiosis that comes full circle in Beowulf. Beowulf comes to Hrothgar's defense early in the poem, and other thanes come to Beowulf's late. What the monks who edited the poem over the years seem to be saying, by way of Christian allusions, is that "Comitatus" leads to constant revenge and blood feuds.
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