Duchy
historyA duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.
Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era (such as Germany and Italy). In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era (such as England, France, and Spain).
For the history of duchies as an institution, see the entry on Duke.
Examples
Traditionally, a grand duchy, such as Luxembourg, was generally independent and sovereign. Sovereign duchies were common in the Holy Roman Empire and German-speaking areas.
In France, a number of duchies existed in the medieval period. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom still holds the medieval French title of Duke of Normandy; the only lands still attached to the Duchy of Normandy are the Channel Islands, and there no longer is a King of France to grant the title, but it is inherited regardless. Other important French duchies included Burgundy, Brittany, and Aquitaine.
In medieval England, the territories of Lancashire and Cornwall were made duchies, with certain powers accruing to their dukes. The Duchy of Lancaster was created in 1351 but became merged with the Crown when, in 1399, the duke, Henry Bolingbroke ascended the throne of England as Henry IV. The Duchy of Cornwall was created in 1337 and held successively by the dukes of Cornwall who were also heirs to the throne. These duchies today have lost their political role, although there is an ongoing dispute over the status of Cornwall. 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". Any and all feudal duchies that made up the patchwork of England have since been absorbed within the Royal Family.
The only old ducal title without special status to the Royal Family today, is Hereford.
In more recent times, territorial duchies have become rare; most dukedoms conferred in the last few centuries have been of a purely symbolic character (see Duke). No independent duchy exists today, except for Luxembourg, which technically is an independent grand duchy.
See also
Current or historical duchies
- Grand Duchy
- Duchies in England
- Duchy of Limburg
- Duke of Cornwall
- Duchy of Cornwall
- Littoral Croatian Duchy
- Cornwall
- Constitutional status of Cornwall
- Duchy of Lancaster
- Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
- United Baltic Duchy
- Duchy of Warsaw
- Duchy of Normandy
- Duchy of Burgundy
- Duchy of Aquitaine
- Duchy of Vasconia
- Duchy of Gascony
- Duchy of Brittany
- Duchy of the Franks
- Grand Duchy of Lithuania
- Grand Duchy of Finland
- Duchy of Atreides from the Dune series by Frank Herbert
- Grand Duchy of Jeuno (from Final Fantasy XI)
- Duchy of Dollet (from Final Fantasy VIII)
- Grand Duchy of Karameikos, from the Dungeons & Dragons Mystara Campaign Setting.
- Duchy of Grand Fenwick
- Borogravia (from the Discworld series)
- Quirm (from the Discworld series)
- The Six Duchies (from The Farseer Trilogy and Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb)
- Zeon (from the Mobile Suit Gundam series)
- Erat (from the Belgariad series)
- Asturia (from the Belgariad series)
- Mimbre (from the Belgariad series)
- Wacune (from the Belgariad series)
- Crydee (from the Riftwar saga)
- Yabon (from the Riftwar saga)
- Krondor (from the Riftwar saga)
- Olasko from the Riftwar saga)
- Rillanon from the Riftwar saga)
- Ran from the Riftwar saga)
- Rodez from the Riftwar saga)
- The Sunset Isles from the Riftwar saga)
- Freid (from The Vision of Escaflowne series)
- Cagliostro from
- »The Duchy of Cornwall - The Duchy of Cornwall official web-site
- »Tyr Gwyr Gweryn The Duchy charters, Cornish foreshore case and much more in full