Plural of archduchy; territories or domains ruled by an archduke or archduchess.
Plural of 'archduchy,' from 'arch-' (chief) and 'duchy' (the domain of a duke), ultimately from Latin 'dux' (leader). The term appears in historical works discussing the political geography of the Holy Roman Empire and its constituent territories.
The archduchies of Austria and Burgundy were among the most wealthy and politically important territories in medieval and early modern Europe—their names in old documents show how power was literally mapped onto geography.
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