The name of the provinces were inspired by the roughly corresponding medieval fiefdoms.
Scramble for power ensued and ambitious persons started carving fiefdoms for themselves.
Noblemen who held lands (fiefdoms) hereditarily passed those lands on within their family.
National armies usually appeared throughout the country's points of strength, while in times of weakness mercenaries and conscript armies were recruited temporarily from fiefdoms.
Not without reason have congressional committees been called independent fiefdoms.
The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms.
Part of their fiefdoms was let out to a small clientele of vassals.
One, the power was for the party and class, and not personal fiefdoms.
