free city
Self-governing urban state
A free city is historically a city-state that governs itself independently, not subject to a feudal lord or larger nation.
The term appears in medieval European history for cities granted special autonomy, and in modern contexts for cities under international administration: Danzig was designated a free city after World War I.
In fantasy and gaming, free cities are independent trading hubs outside any kingdom's control.
Of medieval trading alliance
- HamburgGerman city-state, major port
- BremenGerman city-state, port
- DanzigBaltic seaport's German name
- KrakówMajor Polish cultural center
Frankfurt · guild · merchant · trading · medieval · imperial · Holy Roman Empire · burgher
Supreme in power
- self-governanceIndependent management of affairs
- independenceFreedom from external control
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
enclave · charter · privileges · immunity · exemption · neutral · nonaligned · self-sufficient
Hanseatic
Of medieval trading alliance
Kraków · Frankfurt · guild · merchant · trading · medieval · imperial · Holy Roman Empire · burgher · patrician
sovereign
Supreme in power
- self-governanceIndependent management of affairs
- independenceFreedom from external control
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
self-determination · enclave · charter · privileges · immunity · exemption · neutral · nonaligned · self-sufficient · protectorate
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- jurisdictionscounty, province, state, counties, municipalities
- territoriesprovince, state, region, country, colony
- city-statesSingapore, polis, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein
- local governmentaldermen, councillors, councillor, governor, mayors
- Medieval CitiesVenice, Genoa, Florence, Milan, Pisa
free cityprotectorate
Guarded semi-autonomous territory
puppet state · crown colony · dominion · fief · client state
free citybesieged city
Settlement encircled by attackers
free, city, freely, freedom, freeness, freer, freest, unfree, freeborn