fiefdoms

Lords' granted lands

Fiefdoms is the plural of fiefdom, a territory or domain under someone's control.

Historically, a fief was land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for service.

The modern use is almost always figurative and slightly disparaging—describing organizations where managers treat departments as personal kingdoms: Each vice president guards their fiefdom jealously.

The word suggests turf protection and resistance to collaboration.

feudal

lords

Men of high rank

vassalsFeudal subordinates owing service
manorsAristocratic landed properties
serfsFeudal bound laborers

medieval · estates · nobility · allegiance · tenure · castles · peasants · landholding · aristocracy · homage

organizational

territories

Areas under jurisdiction

turfGrass-covered earth surface
departmentsSubdivisions of an organization
silosFarm storage towers

empires · bureaucracies · divisions · jurisdictions · gatekeepers · power bases · protectionism · rivalry · autonomy · control

political

warlords

Military leaders controlling regions

strongmenAuthoritarian rulers or muscular performers
patronageSupporter's financial backing
corruptionDishonest abuse of power

cronyism · regional · factions · oligarchs · powerbrokers · nepotism · spheres · authoritarianism · loyalists · tribal

fiefdoms

lords

territories

warlords

fiefdoms

Opposites

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