A principality can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign
state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or by a
monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince.
Terminology Most of these states have historically
been a polity, but in some occasions were rather territories in respect of
which a princely title is held. The prince's estate and wealth may be
located mainly or wholly outside the geographical confines of the
principality. Generally recognised surviving sovereign
principalities are Liechtenstein, Monaco, and the co-principality of
Andorra. Extant royal primogenitures styled as principalities include
Asturias, and Wales. 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 areas of
Wales between the 13th and 16th centuries; the Laws in Wales Act of 1536
which legally incorporated Wales within England removed the distinction between
those areas and the March of Wales, but no principality covering the whole of
Wales was created. Since that time, the title Prince of Wales has traditionally
been granted to the heir to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, but it
confers no responsibilities for government in Wales. The Principality of
Catalonia existed in the north-eastern areas of Spain between 9th and 18th
centuries, and based its sovereignty in the "Constitutions of the Principality
of Catalonia," until the defeat of the Catalans in the succession war for the
throne of what were commonly named as "the kingdoms of Spain". Principality of
Asturias is the official name of autonomous community of Asturias.
The term principality is also sometimes used generically for any small monarchy,
especially for small sovereign states ruled by a monarch of a lesser rank than
a king, such as a Fürst, as in Liechtenstein, or a Grand Duke. No
sovereign duchy currently exists, but Luxembourg is a surviving example of a
sovereign grand duchy. Historically there have been sovereign principalities
with many styles of ruler, such as Countships, Margraviates and even
Lordships; especially within the Holy Roman Empire.
While the preceding definition would seem to fit a princely state perfectly,
the European historical tradition is to reserve that word for native monarchies
in colonial countries, and to apply "principality" to the Western
monarchies. European principalities
= Development= Though principalities existed in
antiquity, even before the height of the Roman Empire, the principality as it is
known today developed in the Middle Ages between 750 and 1450 when feudalism was
the primary economic and social system in much of Europe. Feudalism increased
the power of local princes within a 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 ruled 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 Late Middle Ages from 1200 to 1500, principalities were often at war
with each other as royal houses asserted sovereignty over smaller principalities.
These wars caused a great deal of instability and economies were
destroyed. Episodes of bubonic plague also reduced the power of principalities
to survive independently. Eventually, agricultural progress and development of
new trade goods and services boosted commerce between principalities. Many of
these states became wealthy, 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 used their
new-found wealth to build palaces and other institutions now associated with
sovereign states. = 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 had already
happened in England in the first millennium, and this trend subsequently
led to the creation of such states as 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 as princes and assured their protection by the
Medici-controlled Vatican. Prussia also later expanded by acquiring the
territories of many other states. However, in the 17th to 19th centuries,
especially within the Holy Roman Empire, the reverse was also occurring: many new
small sovereign states arose as a result of transfers of land for various
reasons. Notable principalities existed until the
early 20th century in various regions of France, Germany and Italy.
= 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. A characteristic of nationalism is an
identity with a larger region such as an area sharing a common language and
culture. 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 acting as a mere figurehead
while administration was left in the hands of elected parliaments. The trend
in the 19th and 20th centuries was the abolition of various forms of monarchy
and the creation of republican governments led by popularly elected
presidents. = Ecclesiastical principalities=
Several principalities where genealogical inheritance is replaced by
succession in a religious office have existed in the Roman Catholic Church, in
each case consisting of a feudal polity held ex officio — 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 or, especially as a form of crusader state,
Grand Master. Some of these instances were merely
religious offices without sovereign power over any territory, while others,
such as Salzburg and Durham, shared some of the characteristics of secular
princes. Other principalities
= Non-European and colonial world= Principalities have existed in ancient
and modern civilisations of Africa, Asia, Pre-Columbian America and Oceania.
In the colonial context, the term princely states is generally preferred,
especially for those that came under the sway of a European colonising power: for
example the British Indian and neighbouring or associated 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. = Micronational principalities=
Several micronations, which de facto have few characteristics of sovereign
states and are not recognized as such, more or less seriously claim the status
of sovereign principalities. Examples are Sealand, a former military fort in
the North Sea; Seborga, internationally considered a small town in Italy; and
Hutt River, internationally considered to be in Australia.
See also Andorra
Asturias Grand prince
Liechtenstein Monaco
Principality of Sealand Principality of Wales
Victory title References
Sources and references WorldStatesmen