A
principality (or
princedom) is a
monarchical feudatory or
sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a
monarch with the title of
prince or princess, or (in the widest sense) a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term
prince.
Terminology
Some have never been an actual
polity, but simply a territorial denomination in chief of which a princely style is held, with or even without an often more modest estate or income, both of which may even be (at least partially) outside the geographical confines of the principality.
Surviving sovereign principalities are
Liechtenstein,
Monaco, and the co-principality of
Andorra. Extant royal
primogenitures styled principality include
Asturias (Spain), and
Wales (UK). The term "principality" is often used informally to describe Wales as it currently exists, but this has no constitutional basis. The
Principality of Wales existed in the northern and western parts of Wales between the 13th and 16th centuries; the
Laws in Wales Act of 1536 which legally incorporated
Wales within England (until the 20th century) removed the distinction between that area and the
March of Wales, but no principality covering the whole of Wales was created thereafter. Since that time, the title
Prince of Wales (together with
Duke of Cornwall) has been a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the
United Kingdom, but it confers no responsibilities for government in Wales.
The term is also sometimes used as a generic term for any monarchy, especially for other small sovereign states ruled by a Monarch of a lesser rank (compare
Fürst) than King, for instance
grand duchies, whose monarch is a
Grand Duke or
Duchess. No sovereign
duchy currently exists, but
Luxembourg is a surviving example of a sovereign grand duchy. Historically there have been sovereign principalities of many ruler styles, such as Countships, Margraviates and even Lordships.
Notable principalities existed until the early 20th century in various regions of
France,
Germany and
Italy.
While the definition would fit a
princely state perfectly, the historical tradition is to reserve that word for native monarchies in colonial countries, and to apply "principality" to the Western monarchies.
Western principalities
Development
Though principalities existed in Antiquity, before the height of the
Roman Empire, the modern principality as it is known today evolved into being in the
Middle Ages between 350 and 1450 when
feudalism was the primary
economic system employed by Eurasian societies. Feudalism increased the power of local princes to govern the king's lands. As princes continued to gain more power over time, the authority of the king was diminished in many places. This led to political fragmentation as the king's lands were broken into mini-states led by princes and dukes who wielded absolute power over their small territories. This was especially prevalent in
Europe, and particularly with the
Princes of the Holy Roman Empire.
During the period known as the
Renaissance from 1200 to 1500, principalities were engaged in constant warfare with each other as royal houses asserted sovereignty over smaller principalities. These wars caused a great deal of instability and economies were destroyed. To add insult to injury, the
bubonic plague reduced the power of principalities to survive independently. But eventually, agricultural successes, development of new goods and services to trade and patronisation by the Roman Catholic Church boosted commerce between principalities. These states became wealthy and expanded their territories and improved the services provided to their citizens. Princes and dukes developed their lands, established new ports and chartered large thriving cities. Some took their newfound wealth and built the first palaces and elaborate government offices people now associate with principalities.
Consolidation
While some principalities prospered in their independence, less successful states were swallowed by stronger royal houses. Europe saw consolidation of small principalities into larger
kingdoms and
empires. This trend directly led to the creation of such states as
England,
France,
Portugal, and
Spain. Another form of consolidation was orchestrated in
Italy during the Renaissance by the
Medici family. A banking family from
Florence, the Medici took control of governments in various
Italian regions and even assumed the
papacy. They then appointed family members to become princes and assured their protection by the Medici-controlled Vatican.
Nationalism
Nationalism, the belief that the nation-state is the best vehicle to realise the aspirations of a people, became popular in the late 19th century. Characteristic of nationalism is the preference for loyalty to the people instead of loyalty to monarchs. With this development, principalities fell out of favour. As a compromise, many principalities united with neighbouring regions and adopted constitutional forms of government with the monarch as a mere figurehead while administration was left at the hands of elected parliaments. The trend after
World War II was the abolition of various forms of monarchy like principalities and the creation of republican governments led by popularly elected presidents.
Ecclesiastical principalities
Principalities where genealogical inheritance is replaced by succession in a religious office have existed in significant number in the
Roman Catholic Church, in each case consisting of a feudal polity (often a former secular principality sensu lato, such as a Lordship, Countship...) held ex offico -the closest possible equivalent to hereditary succession- by a
Prince of the church, styled more precisely according to his ecclesiastical rank, such as
Prince-bishop,
Prince-abbot and, especially as a form of crusader state,
Grand Master.
Other principalities
Non-western and colonial world
Principalities have existed in ancient and modern civilisations of
Africa,
Asia,
Pre-Columbian America and
Oceania.
However in the colonial context, the term
princely states is generally preferred, specially for those that came under the sway of a Western colonising power, e.g., the
British Indian and neighbouring or associated (e.g., Arabian) princely states were ruled by monarchs called Princes by the British, regardless of the native styles, which could be equivalent to royal or even imperial rank in the autochthonous cultures.
Micronations claiming to be principalities
Several
micronations, which claim sovereignty but are not recognised as states, also claim the status of sovereign principalities, the most notable in Europe being
Sealand off the coast of
England and
Seborga, a small town in
Italy; other micronational principalities elsewhere include the
Principality of Hutt River in Australia and the
Principality of Minerva in the South Pacific.
Other uses
A fictional country, the Principality of
Belka, is one of the countries in the
Ace Combat game series.
In the TV anime
Mobile Suit Gundam universe, the Principality of Zeon was a space colony which declared its independence and waged war against the
Earth Federation.
In
Meg Cabot's series the
Princess Diaries, the protagonist,
Mia Thermopolis, is the Crown Princess of the imaginary country of
Genovia. Mia's father is the Prince Regnant of the country, making it a principality by definition.
Some of the kingdoms in the
Society for Creative Anachronism include principalities among the smaller regions which comprise the overall kingdom. The principalities are governed by a Prince and Princess, chosen through rite of combat, and these in turn are governed by the King and Queen of the kingdom in which they exist.
Users of the internet game
Nationstates may create principalities.
See also
Sources and references
(incomplete)
