Aprincipality (or sometimesprincedom) is a type ofmonarchical state orfeudal territory ruled by aprince orprincess. It can be either asovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "principality" is often used to describe small monarchies, particularly those inEurope, where the ruler holds the title of prince or an equivalent.
Historically, principalities emerged during theMiddle Ages as part of the feudal system, where local princes gained significant power within aking's domain. This led to political fragmentation and the creation of mini-states. Over time, many of these principalities consolidated into largerkingdoms andempires, while others retained their independence and prospered.
Sovereign principalities which exist today includeLiechtenstein,Monaco, and the co-principality ofAndorra. Additionally, some royal primogenitures, such asAsturias inSpain, are styled as principalities. The term is also used generically for small monarchies ruled by a monarch of a lesser rank than a king, such as agrand duke.
Principalities have played a significant role in European history, particularly within theHoly Roman Empire, and have fallen out of favour with the development ofnationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries. The concept of a principality has also been applied in various forms across different regions and historical periods.
Most of these states have historically been apolity, 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.
ThePrincipality of Catalonia was a state located in the north-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula and southern France between the late 12th and early 18th centuries, as the term for the political entity ruled by theCatalan Courts (the parliament) as a member of thecomposite monarchy of theCrown of Aragon, until the defeat of the Habsburgs in theWar of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), when these institutions were abolished by the Bourbons due to their support for the Habsburg pretender. "Principality of Asturias" is the official name of autonomous community ofAsturias, however, the term "Principality of Catalonia" or simply "Principality" remains in popular and informal contexts to refer to the autonomous community ofCatalonia.
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 aFürst (usually translated in English as "prince"), as in Liechtenstein, or aGrand Duke. No sovereignduchy currently exists, butLuxembourg is a surviving example of a sovereign grand duchy. Historically there have been sovereign principalities with many styles of ruler, such asCountship,Margraviate and evenLordship, especially within theHoly Roman Empire.
While the preceding definition would seem to fit aprincely state perfectly, the European historical tradition is to reserve that word for native monarchies in colonial countries, and to apply "principality" to the European monarchies.
Though principalities existed in antiquity, even before the height of theRoman Empire, the principality as it is known today developed in theMiddle Ages between 750 and 1450 whenfeudalism was the primaryeconomic 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 inEurope, and particularly with thePrinces of the Holy Roman Empire.
During theLate 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 ofbubonic 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.
While some principalities prospered in their independence, less successful states were swallowed by stronger royal houses. Europe saw consolidation of small principalities into largerkingdoms andempires. This had already happened inEngland in the first millennium, and this trend subsequently led to the creation of such states asFrance,Portugal, andSpain. Another form of consolidation was orchestrated inItaly during the Renaissance by theMedici family. A banking family fromFlorence, the Medici took control of governments in variousItalian regions and even assumed thepapacy. They then appointed family members as princes and assured their protection.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 ofGermany andItaly.
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.
Several principalities where genealogical inheritance is replaced by succession in a religious office have existed in theRoman Catholic Church, in each case consisting of a feudal polity (often a former secular principality in the broad sense) heldex officio — the closest possible equivalent to hereditary succession — by aprince of the church, styled more precisely according to his ecclesiastical rank, such asprince-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 asSalzburg andDurham, shared some of the characteristics of secular princes.
In the colonial context, the termprincely states was used, especially for those that came under the sway of a European colonising power: for example theBritish 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 theIndigenous cultures.
Severalmicronations, whichde facto have few characteristics of sovereign states and are not recognized as such, more or less seriously claim the status of sovereign principalities. Examples areSealand, a former military fort in theNorth Sea;Seborga, internationally considered a small town inItaly; andHutt River andPrincipality of Wy inMosman, internationally considered to be inAustralia.
