[Nasrudith]

The way you defeat bullies isn't another bully. Just look at the record of violent revolutions going full circle over and over again. The way you destroy bullies is the same as warrior elites (generic term for nobles, head warriors of tribes, generalismons, generic because it doesn't matter). Make them irrelevant.

Wealthy warrior elites are left with terrible dilemmas with merchants. If they let merchants grow then their position slips (less elite) but the military position stays the same or grows from taxes. If they don't then their holdings become backwards and they weaken, but they retain their hold on power internally. They can try to plunder but that means war and even if successful running out of prey to hunt. Seizing territory spreads them thinner and gives more administrative burden.

Peace is really a terrible weapon of attrition against warrior elites. It forces them to stab themselves with Morton's fork repeatably.

The funny thing is that economic bullies find themselves in the same role, as they either become warrior elite literally (using force for gain) or metaphorically (using their economic clout as a cudgel) vs new challengers who themselves may render them irrelevant if they fail to innovate.