Medieval Governance

noun a territory or domain ruled by a duke or duchess

• The duchy was ruled by a noble family for centuries.
• The duchy is known for its beautiful landscapes and historic castles.
• I heard the duchy is a hotspot for tourists during the summer.
• She felt like she was the duchess of her own little duchy, with everyone looking up to her.

noun a title given to the head of certain monastic orders or congregations

• The abbots general are responsible for overseeing the entire order of monks.
• The abbots general are like the bosses of all the monks.
• Those abbots general sure have a lot of power in the monastery.
• The abbots general are the shepherds guiding their flock of monks.

noun a term used in medieval Latin to refer to an abbot who is not under the authority of a bishop

• The abbots nullius were responsible for overseeing territories that were not under the jurisdiction of any diocese.
• The abbots nullius had a lot of power over their territories.
• The abbots nullius were like the bosses of their areas.
• Being an abbot nullius in his own home, he made all the decisions without consulting anyone else.