vassal state
Subordinate dependent country
A vassal state is a country that is nominally independent but subordinate to a more powerful nation, owing allegiance and often tribute in exchange for protection.
The term derives from medieval feudal relationships between lords and vassals.
In modern usage, vassal state typically carries critical or dismissive connotations, suggesting a country has surrendered its sovereignty: Critics called the occupied territory a vassal state of the empire.
- protectorateGuarded semi-autonomous territory
- suzeraintyControl without full annexation
- dependencyState of needing support
- satrapyProvincial administrative district
- feudal lordLand-granting medieval ruler
allegiance · liege lord · bending the knee · homage · paying tribute · colony · fiefdom · overlordship · subject · puppet government · puppet regime · foreign domination · march · annexed · subjugation · throne · oath · kingdom
- territoryterritory, land, region, domain, realm
- dependenciescolony, protectorate, dependency, dominion, crown colony
- feudal landsfief, fiefdom, demesne, manor, barony
- political entitiesnation, country, kingdom, republic, dominion
- politiesnation, country, kingdom, empire, republic
- Buffer Statesbuffer zone, neutral zone, DMZ, demilitarized zone, no mans land
vassal statesovereign state
Fully independent country
sovereign nation · free state · superpower · great power · hegemon
vassal statesuzerain
Lord over vassals
imperial power · hegemon · colonial power · metropole · empire