Vassal state

A polity that retains some self-government while owing allegiance or tribute to a more powerful state, which exercises suzerainty over it.

Suzerainty: A relationship in which a dominant power controls a subordinate polity’s external affairs while leaving it some internal autonomy. Suzerainty names the authority the superior state exercises over a vassal state.
Kingdom of Ryukyu: An island kingdom centered on Okinawa that maintained tributary relations with China and Japan. Ryukyu’s shifting ties illustrate how a polity could retain local rule under competing powers.
Annexation: The formal incorporation of territory into a state that claims sovereignty over it. Unlike a vassal state, an annexed territory is claimed as part of the dominant state.
Imperialism: A policy or practice through which a state extends power over other territories or peoples. Vassalage let empires expand influence without directly annexing every subordinate polity.
Tribute: A payment or transfer of goods made by one polity to another as a sign of submission or allegiance. Regular tribute could express and sustain a vassal state’s subordinate status.
Kingdom of Judah: An ancient kingdom in the southern Levant, centered on Jerusalem, that at times paid tribute to larger empires. Judah’s relations with Assyria and Babylon provide examples of coerced vassalage.
Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself and conduct its relations without subordination to another state. Vassal status limits the independent authority that sovereignty implies.
Indirect rule: A system of governance in which an imperial power administers territories through existing local authorities. Vassal arrangements could preserve local rulers as intermediaries for a dominant state.
Feudalism: A social and political order built around landholding, personal bonds, and reciprocal obligations among lords and dependents. European vassalage formed one part of a broader system of lordly obligations.
Kingdom of Bohemia: A historic kingdom in Central Europe whose rulers held varying degrees of autonomy within the Holy Roman Empire. Bohemia shows how a vassal-like bond could coexist with a powerful local monarchy.

Linked from 4 pages