The action or process of despoiling; systematic plundering or stealing of valuables, especially in war or conquest.
From Latin 'despoliatio', derived from 'despoliare' (to rob completely). The suffix '-tion' converts the verb into a noun describing the action itself, commonly used in legal and diplomatic contexts.
Despoliation became a key term after World War II—it's now used in international law specifically about the systematic theft of artwork and treasures by occupying forces, making repatriation cases possible.
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