Types of Ancient State

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A chiefdom is a form of hierarchical political organization in ancient tribal societies usually based on kinship, and in which formal leadership is monopolized by the legitimate senior members of select families or 'houses'. These elites form a political-ideological aristocracy relative to the general group. to Origins: Affines, Ancestors and Aristocrats. A chiefdom is thus led by a highly ranked incumbent of an inherited political role, tribal chief or king: chiefs lead because of their ascribed status, not their achieved status. A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity, not administered as a part of another local government, whose territory consists of a sovereign city its dependencies and possibly its surrounding territory. A client state is a state that is economically, politically or militarily subordinate to another more powerful state in international affairs. Types of client states include:satellite, associate, puppet, neo-colony, protecterate, vassal and tributary.. More powerful ancient states would create client states by making the leaders of that state subservient out of those it defeated. Aconfederation or confedracy is a union of political units for common action in relation to other states. Usually created by treaty, confederations tended to be established for dealing with critical issues (such as defense, foreign affairs, or central form of government being required to provide support for all its members.In the context of the history a confederation may refer to a semi-permanent political and military alliance consisting of multiple nations (or "chiefdom's" "tribes", "bands", or "villages") which maintained their separate leadership. A dukedom, or duchy, is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess. Some historic duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the ancient era. A earldom is a territory, fief or domain ruled by an Earl, Count or Countess in which case it would be called a Countship. Some historic earldom's/countship's were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms,others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the ancient era. A federation is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions under a central (federal) government. Several ancient chiefdoms and kingdoms were considered federations. The term empire derives from the latin imperium (power, authority). Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples (ethnic groups) united and ruled either by a monarch (Emperor, Empress) or an Oligarchy. An imperial political structure is established and maintained in two ways: (i) as a territorial empire of direct conquest and control with force (direct, physical action to compel the emperor's goals) or (ii) as a coercive, hegemonic empire of indirect conquest and control with power (the perception that the emperor can physically enforce his desired goals). A Khanate, or chanat, is a Turco-Mongol -originated word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan. In modern Turkish, the word used is kağanlık or hanlık. In Mongolian the word khanlig is used, as in "Khereidiin Khanlig" meaning the khanate of the Kerait. This political entity is typical for people from the Eurasian steppe and it can be equivalent to tribal chiefdom,  principality, kingdom or even empire. A Kingdom is a state ruled by a King or Queen) is a form of government in which sovereignty is actually or nominally embodied in a single individual (the monarch). Forms of monarchy differ widely based on the level of legal autonomy the monarch holds in governance, the method of selection of the monarch, and any predetermined limits on the length of their tenure. When the monarch has no or few legal restraints in state and political matters, it is called an absolute monarchy and is a form of autocracy. A Marquisate, or march, is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a Marquis or Marchioness. Some historic marquisates were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms,others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the ancient era. A principality, or princedom, can either be a monarchal, fuedal, or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by title of Princess or Princess or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince. Most of these states have historically been a polity, but in some occasions were rather territories in respect of which a princely style is held. The prince's or princess's estate and wealth may be located mainly or wholly outside the geographical confines of the principality. A republic is a form of government in which power is exercised by the public at large, and affairs of state are a concern of the publcotic sphere (from Latin: res publica), rather than privately accommodated (such as through inheritance or divine mandate). In modern times the definition of a republic is also commonly limited to a government which excludes a monarch. A viscountcy or county, is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a Viscount or Viscountess. Some historic viscountcies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the ancient era. A religious state is a territory ruled by a religious head of state such as a Caliph, Sultan, Pope, Bishop. Types of ancient religious states include a Amphocotmy, Papal, Caliphates, Sultanates.
 * Chiefdoms
 * City states
 * Client states
 * Confederations
 * Dukedoms
 * Earldoms
 * Federations
 * Empires
 * Khanates
 * Kingdoms
 * Marquisates
 * Principality
 * Republics
 * Viscountcy
 * Religious

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