Petty kingdom: Difference between revisions
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==Wales== |
==Wales== |
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Rarely has the country of Wales formed one cohesive kingdom. For the greater part of its history, Wales evolved into four petty kingdoms, or principalities, following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. Mountainious geography, forested glens, river valleys, and upland [[moorland|moors]] contributed to a strong sense of localism and autonomy, though the Welsh people shared a deeply felt sentiment of nationality, as reflected in Welsh law codified in the 10th century. According to historian Professor John Davies, there are four geographic regions more or less too equal in terms of resources and population, from which four principalities emerged: Ynys |
Rarely has the country of Wales formed one cohesive kingdom. For the greater part of its history, Wales evolved into four petty kingdoms, or principalities, following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. Mountainious geography, forested glens, river valleys, and upland [[moorland|moors]] contributed to a strong sense of localism and autonomy, though the Welsh people shared a deeply felt sentiment of nationality, as reflected in Welsh law codified in the 10th century. According to historian Professor John Davies, there are four geographic regions more or less too equal in terms of resources and population, from which four principalities emerged: Ynys Môn for Gwynedd, the Severn river valley for Powys, the Vale for Glamorgan (Morgannwg), and the Ystrad Tywi (Valley of the Tywi) for Deheubarth. |
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*[[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] 5th century–1282 (conquest by Edward I of England) |
*[[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] 5th century–1282 (conquest by Edward I of England) |
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Revision as of 22:10, 22 August 2010
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A petty kingdom is an independent realm recognizing no suzerain, or the basis of a suzerainty are in dispute and transitory in nature, with the petty kinglet controlling only a portion of the territory held by a particular ethnic group or nation. Petty kingdoms were prominent before the formation of many of today's nation-states. Many of today's countries were typically ruled by multiple local kings in more or less stable kingdoms. The various small states of the Holy Roman Empire are generally not considered to be petty kingdoms since they were at least nominally subject to the Holy Roman Emperor and not fully independent.
By the European High Middle Ages, many post-Roman Early Middle Ages petty kingdoms had evolved into principalities, grand duchies, or duchies. By the European Early Modern era many of these principalities had been mediatized into larger monarchies, but the ruling families were considered morganatic for marriage considerations, and ranked equal to royal famlies in society.
England
Before the Kingdom of England was established as a united entity, there were various kingdoms in the area—of which the main seven were known as the heptarchy. These were Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria (also extended into present-day Scotland), East Anglia, Sussex, Kent, and Essex.
Iberian peninsula
The Christian petty kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula that eventually formed Spain included prior to complete unification:
See the article about the taifa for the Islamic petty kingdoms that existed in Iberia after the collapse of the Caliphate of Cordoba in 1031.
Ireland
The earliest known kingdoms or tribes in Ireland are referred to in Ptolemy's Geography, written in the 2nd century. He names the Vennicni, Rhobogdi, Erdini, Magnatae, Autini, Gangani, Vellabori, Darini, Voluntii, Eblani, Cauci, Menapii, Coriondi and Brigantes tribes and kingdoms.
Irish medieval pseudohistory gives a seemingly idealized division of kingdoms. The island is divided into "fifths" (Old Irish cóiceda, Modern Irish cúige). There is Ulaid (Ulster) in the north, Cóiced Ol nEchmacht (Connacht) in the west, Mumha or Mhumhain (Munster) in the south, and Laighin (Leinster) in the east. They all surround the central kingdom of Míde (whose name has survived in the modern counties Meath and Westmeath). Each of the outer four fifths had their own king, with the High King of Ireland ruling over them from Tara in Míde.
In historical times Míde disappeared as a province. The four remaining fifths contained large numbers of tuatha or sub-kingdoms, constantly shifting as old dynasties died and new ones formed.
Norway
In the early Viking Age, there were several different petty kingdoms. Spurred by the unification of several of these kingdoms under Halfdan the Black, his son Harald Fairhair was able to unite them all in 872.
Some of the kingdoms:
- Agder
- Grenland
- Hadeland
- Hardanger
- Hedmark
- Hålogaland
- Land
- Namdalen
- Nordmøre
- Oppland
- Orkdal
- Rogaland
- Romsdal
- Sogn
- Solør
- Sunnmøre
- Telemark
- Toten
- Trøndelag
- Vestfold
- Vingulmark
- Voss
Serbia
Medieval Serbia comprised, at various time periods, smaller kingdoms of Rascia, Zeta (Dioclea, corresponding to portions of contemporary Montenegro) and the duchy of Hum (roughly corresponding to present-day Herzegovina and some of its surroundings).
Scotland
There were many petty kingdoms in Scotland before its unification. They can be grouped by language:
- Cumbric (see Hen Ogledd):
- Pictish:
- Anglo-Saxon:
- Bernicia
- Northumbria (also extended into England)
- Gaelic:
Sweden
According to the Norse sagas, and modern history, Sweden was divided into more-or-less independent units in some areas corresponding to the folklands and the modern traditional provinces. According to the sagas, the folklands and provinces of eastern Svealand were united under the Swedish king at Gamla Uppsala. Moreover, the domains of this king could also include parts of Götaland and even southern Norway. This probably reflects the volatile politics of Iron Age Scandinavia. The province of Småland once consisted of several petty kingdoms as also the meaning of the word Småland reveals (Små land = Small Lands/countries).
Wales
Rarely has the country of Wales formed one cohesive kingdom. For the greater part of its history, Wales evolved into four petty kingdoms, or principalities, following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. Mountainious geography, forested glens, river valleys, and upland moors contributed to a strong sense of localism and autonomy, though the Welsh people shared a deeply felt sentiment of nationality, as reflected in Welsh law codified in the 10th century. According to historian Professor John Davies, there are four geographic regions more or less too equal in terms of resources and population, from which four principalities emerged: Ynys Môn for Gwynedd, the Severn river valley for Powys, the Vale for Glamorgan (Morgannwg), and the Ystrad Tywi (Valley of the Tywi) for Deheubarth.
- Gwynedd 5th century–1282 (conquest by Edward I of England)
- Deheubarth 920-1116 (Merged with Gwynedd to form the defacto Principality of Wales)
- Seisyllwg, a petty kingdom from 680–920, comprising Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi. In 871, Princess Anghared inherited Seisyllwg, and her husband Rhodri of Gwynedd-Powys administered it by right of his wife on her behalf, and incorporated it into his kingdom. Later, Angharad and Rhodri gave Seisyllwg to their second son Cadell ap Rhodri to rule as a vassal and appendage of Gwynedd. Cadell founded the Dinefwr dynasty of Deheubarth.
- Ceredigion
- Ystrad Tywi
- Dyfed, a petty kingdom between c. 410–920, merged into Deheubarth through inheritance.
- Seisyllwg, a petty kingdom from 680–920, comprising Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi. In 871, Princess Anghared inherited Seisyllwg, and her husband Rhodri of Gwynedd-Powys administered it by right of his wife on her behalf, and incorporated it into his kingdom. Later, Angharad and Rhodri gave Seisyllwg to their second son Cadell ap Rhodri to rule as a vassal and appendage of Gwynedd. Cadell founded the Dinefwr dynasty of Deheubarth.
- Powys
- Morgannwg