Aduchy, also called adukedom, is acountry, territory,fief, or domain ruled by aduke orduchess. InWestern European tradition, the title of duke ranked among the highest nobility, generally just below themonarch and abovecounts orearls.
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Historically, there was a significant distinction between sovereign dukes, who ruled independent states, and dukes who were simply noblemen within larger kingdoms. Some duchies functioned as sovereign states in regions that only later became unified nation‑states, such as Germany (once theHoly Roman Empire, a federal empire) and Italy (later a unified kingdom). By contrast, other duchies were subordinate territories withinkingdoms that had already consolidated, either partially or fully, during themedieval era: examples include France, Spain, Sicily, Naples, and thePapal States.
In France, several duchies existed in the medieval period, includingNormandy,Burgundy,Brittany, andAquitaine.
The medieval Germanstem duchies (German:Stammesherzogtum, literally "tribal duchy," the official title of its ruler beingHerzog or "duke") were associated with theFrankish Kingdom and corresponded with the areas of settlement of the major Germanictribes. They formed the nuclei of the major feudal states that comprised the early era of theHoly Roman Empire of the German nation (961–1806; in German:Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation). These wereSchwaben (Swabia, mainly the present-day German state of Baden-Württemberg),Bayern (Bavaria), andSachsen (Saxony) in pre-Carolingian times, to whichFranken (Franconia, at present the northern part of the German state of Bavaria) andLothringen (Lorraine, nowadays mostly part of France) were added in post-Carolingian times. As mentioned above, such a duke was styledHerzog (literally "the one who is leading [the troops]").
In medieval England, duchies associated with the territories ofLancashire andCornwall were created, with certain powers and estates of land accruing to their dukes. TheDuchy of Lancaster was created in 1351 but became merged with the Crown when, in 1399, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, ascended the throne of England asHenry IV. Nowadays, the Duchy of Lancaster always belongs to the sovereign and its revenue is thePrivy Purse. TheDuchy of Cornwall was created in 1337 and held successively by the Dukes of Cornwall, who were also heirs to the throne. Nowadays, the Duchy of Cornwall belongs to the sovereign'sheir apparent, if there is one: it reverts to the Crown in the absence of an heir apparent and is automatically conferred to the heir apparent upon birth. These duchies today have mostly lost any non-ceremonial political role, but generate their holders' private income. During the Wars of the Roses, the Duke of York made a successful entry into the City of York, by merely claiming no harm and that it was his right to possess "his duchy of York."[1] Any feudal duchies that made up the patchwork of England have since been absorbed into the Royal Family. Other than Cornwall and Lancaster, British royal dukedoms are titular and do not include landholdings. Non-royal dukedoms are associated with ducal property, but this is meant as the duke's private property, with no other feudal privileges attached. At present, all independent (i.e.,sovereign) duchies have disappeared.
The following duchies were part of the medieval Kingdom of Italy, which itself was part of the Holy Roman Empire:
Allprovinces of Sweden have the right to have a ducal coronet in their arms.[2][3] The king gives princes and princesses ducal titlesof them. The current such royal duchies are:
