chieftain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Throughout much of Africa and Asia, global empires like Britain preferred a strategy of “indirect rule,” with chieftaincies, monarchies, and other power structures that let them delegate their domination to local elites.

From Slate • Mar. 1, 2019

He was instrumental in abolishing Guinea's tribal chieftaincies, which he considered corrupt, and in establishing more than 4,000 elected village councils.

From Time Magazine Archive

Deliberative assemblies do not start in councils gathered by chieftains, but councils precede chieftaincies.

From On Limitations To The Use Of Some Anthropologic Data by Powell, John Wesley

This conquered territory was divided among a number of small states or petty chieftaincies, seven of the most conspicuous of which are often spoken of as the Heptarchy.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 2: Ebert to Estremadura by Various

A strange compound of feudalism with tribalism ensued, in the shape of mongrel chieftaincies, henceforth the predominant powers.

From Irish History and the Irish Question by Smith, Goldwin