Principality

A principality is, in a strict sense, a territory controlled by a Prince. It can be a sovereign and independent, autonomous State with bonds of Vassalité towards another State.

In the broad sense, a principality is an unsuitable term used nowadays to connote broad autonomy and the great power compared to the sovereign of some feudal strongholds (the such counties, the duchies and others baronnies).
With the Ancien Mode, when the title of prince is created, it is only about one protocolar distinction without effect on the territory dependant on this " prince ".

Principalities of yesterday

For the Moyen-âge one speaks about principality to distinguish an entity Politique from first order inside a sovereign State and including other secondary entities. It can be a question of a county, a walk or Marquisat or of a Duché.

It can also be a question of a ground, seigniory or small State to which the title of prince is attached, or whose chief has row of prince (that he is duke, large-duke etc).

Medieval counties and duchies

• County of Anjou
• Duchy of Aquitaine
• Duchy of Burgundy: composed of the counties of Autun, Direction, Auxerre and Troyes
• Duchy of Brittany: include the Carolingian counties of Rennes, Nantes and Vannes as well as Comté of Cornwall, the Viscount of Leon and Penthièvre
• Comté of Champagne: constituted of the counties of Meaux, Troyes, Blois, Chartres, Turns
• County of Flanders: or marquisat of Flanders , includes/understands the counties of Bruges, Waes, Ghent and of Mempisc (Bergues), the Ternois, the Boulonnais and the Artois
• Marche of Neustrie of the Robertiens
• Duché of Normandy, including/understanding the Island of Sercq ( Sark Island ), last feudal stronghold British and European to date
• Duché of Savoy

Other medieval principalities

• Principality of Antioche
• Principality of Salm
• Principality of Serbia
• Russian Principalities
• Welsh Principalities
• Principality of Liege
• Principality of Montbeliard
• Principality of Yvetot
• Principality of Weimar.

Principalities of the modern time (XVIème-XVIIIe centuries)

• Principality of Cop (Brie)
• Principality of Phalsbourg and Lixheim (Lorraine)
• Principality of Salm-Salm (Lorraine)
• Principality of Sedan (the Ardennes)

Principalities of today

• Principality of Andorra (having two Co-princes)
• Principality of Liechtenstein
• Principality of Monaco

More or less similar entities

• Principality of Sealand (not recognized by the United Nations)

• Republic of San Marino
• Republic of Malta
• Mutinés of Pitcairn

Other areas of the world

Asia

• princely State of the British Indies
• Kingdoms and principalities of Indonesia