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Protectorate

Adapted from Wikipedia Β· Discoverer experience

A historical flag from the Luwu Kingdom featuring a tiger design and Arabic script, representing Indonesia's rich cultural heritage.

A protectorate is a special kind of relationship between two countries. In this setup, one country agrees to let a stronger country help protect it. The protectorate keeps control over most of its own affairs, like making laws for its people. But it cannot make its own decisions about foreign policy, or how it deals with other countries, without the help and approval of the stronger country.

This arrangement is usually made through a formal treaty, which is a written agreement between the two nations. The protectorate gets safety from threats, especially from nearby enemies, but it must follow the rules set by the protecting country when dealing with the rest of the world.

Being a protectorate is different from being a colony. A colony is owned and controlled directly by another country. A protectorate, however, still has its own identity and government, even though it depends on the protecting country for defense and foreign relations. Sometimes, a country might act like a protectorate without an official treaty, and this is called a de facto or veiled protectorate, like Egypt under British rule from 1882 to 1914.

History

Protectorates have been part of international relations for a very long time, going back to ancient times. For example, the Delian League, which was part of Classical Athens' empire, worked like a group of cities that governed themselves but let Athens handle their foreign affairs. Similarly, the Roman Republic had many protectorates called socii, which supplied a large part of its soldiers.

During the Middle Ages, Andorra was a protectorate of both France and Spain. The idea of modern protectorates grew during the Napoleonic Wars, when the French Empire created many protectorates across Europe, such as the Confederation of the Rhine, the Kingdoms of Italy, Spain, Etruria, and Holland, as well as the Duchy of Warsaw and other areas in Switzerland and Ireland.

Typology

Foreign relations

A protectorate usually handles its important international matters through the country that protects it. It often relies on that country for defense and rarely acts alone in matters of war. This is different from being fully taken over, as the protecting country does not control the protectorate’s internal affairs.

Protected state

A protected state keeps some independence in handling its own foreign policy but agrees to be protected by a stronger country. This relationship is often kept quiet and described in polite terms, like β€œa free state with special agreements.” On maps, a protected state looks just like any other independent country.

Colonial protection

Many places, like parts of old Nigeria, were under colonial protection. These arrangements were often less fair to the protected areas but very flexible. Over time, some protectorates were treated almost like colonies, even though local leaders still had some say. Sometimes, companies were given the power to rule these areas, which saved costs for the home country.

Amical protection

Amical protection, like the UK’s past ties with the Ionian Islands, often had good terms for the protected area. This kind of protection usually came from a sense of duty or to counter a rival power. Big countries sometimes offered this protection to smaller, less important states. Even today, very small states sometimes give up some control to bigger countries for protection.

List of protectorates

Brazil

Imperial protectorates

Republican protectorates

British Empire

Main article: British protectorate

List of former British protectorates

Americas
  • Mosquito Coast (1638–1787, 1844–1860) (over Central America's Mosquito people)
Arab world
Asia
Europe
Sub-Saharan Africa

protectorates that existed alongside a colony of the same name

Oceania

List of former British protected states

As protected states, the following states were never officially part of the British Empire and retained near-total control over internal affairs; however, the British controlled their foreign policy. Their status was rarely advertised while it was in effect, it becoming clear only after it was lifted.

China

Further information: Protectorate (imperial China)

Dutch Empire

Various sultanates in the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia):

Sumatra

  • Tarumon Kingdom (1830–1946)
  • Langkat Sultanate (26 October 1869 – December 1945)
  • Deli Sultanate (22 August 1862 – December 1945)
  • Asahan Sultanate (27 September 1865 – December 1945)
  • Bila (1864–1946)
  • Tasik (Kota Pinang) (1865 – December 1945)
  • Siak Sultanate (1 February 1858 – 1946)
  • Sungai Taras (Kampong Raja) (1864–1916)
  • Panei (1864–1946)
  • Sultanate of Serdang (1865 – December 1945)
  • Indragiri Sultanate (1838 – September 1945)
  • Jambi Sultanate (1833–1899)
  • Kuala (1886–1946)
  • Pelalawan (1859 – November 1945)
  • Siantar (1904–1946)
  • Tanah Jawa (1904–1946)

Riau Archipelago

  • Riau-Lingga (1824–1911)

Java

  • Banten (1682–1811)
  • Cirebon (1684–1819)
  • Yogjakarta Sultanate (13 February 1755 – 1942)
  • Mataram Sultanate (later Surakarta Sunanate) (26 February 1677 – 19 August 1945)
  • Principality of Mangkunegara (24 February 1757 – 1946)
  • Duchy of Pakualaman (22 June 1812 – 1942)
  • Semarang (1682–1809)

Bali

  • Klungkung (1843–1908)
  • Badung (1843–1906)
  • Bangli (1843–1908)
  • Buleleng (1841–1872 and 1890–1893)
  • Gianyar (1843–1908)
  • Jembrana (1849–1882)
  • Karang Asem (1843–1908)
  • Tabanan (1843–1906)

Lombok

  • Mataram Lombok (1843–1894)
  • Sumbawa (1908–c. 1948)
  • Bima (8 December 1669 – 1949)
  • Dompu (1905–1942)

Flores and Solor

  • Larantuka (1859–1904)
  • Tanah Kuna Lima (1917–1924)
  • Ndona (1917–1924)
  • Sikka (1879–c. 1947)

Borneo

  • Sultanate of Banjar (1826–1860)
  • Pontianak Sultanate (16 August 1819 – 1942)
  • Sambas Sultanate (1819–1949)
  • Kubu (4 June 1823 – 1949)
  • Landak (1819–c. 1949)
  • Mempawah Kingdom (1819–1942)
  • Sanggau Kingdom (182?–1949)
  • Sekadau (182?–c. 1949)
  • Simpang (1822–c. 1949)
  • Sintang (1822–1949)
  • Sukadana (1828–c.1949)
  • Kota Waringin Sultanate (1824–1949)
  • Kutai Kertanegara Sultanate (8 August 1825 – 1949)
  • Gunung Tabur (1844–c.1945)
  • Bulungan Sultanate (1844–c.1949)
  • Simbaliung (1844–c. 1949)
  • Kubu (1823–1949)
  • Tayan (1823–c. 1949)

Celebes

  • Gowa Sultanate (1669–1906; 1936–1949)
  • Bone Sultanate (1669–1905)
  • Bolaang Mongonduw (1825–c. 1949)
  • Laiwui (1858–c. 1949)
  • Luwu (1861–c. 1949)
  • Soppeng (1860–c. 1949)
  • Butung (1824–c. 1949)
  • Siau (1680–c. 1949)
  • Banggai (1907–c. 1949)
  • Tallo (1668–1780)
  • Wajo (1860–c. 1949)
  • Tabukan (1677–c. 1949)

Ajattappareng Confederacy (1905–c. 1949)

  • Malusetasi
  • Rapang
  • Swaito (union of Sawito and Alita, 1908)
  • Sidenreng
  • Supa

Mabbatupappeng Confederacy (1906–c. 1949)

  • Barru
  • Soppengriaja (union of Balusu, Kiru, Kamiri, 1906)
  • Tanette

Mandar Confederacy (1906–c. 1949)

  • Balangnipa
  • Binuang
  • Cenrana
  • Majene
  • Mamuju
  • Pambauang
  • Tapalang

Massenrempulu Confederacy (1905–c. 1949)

  • Allah
  • Batulapa
  • Bontobatu
  • Enrekang
  • Kasa
  • Maiwa
  • Malua

Moluccas

  • Ternate Sultanate (12 October 1676 – 1949)
  • Bacan Sultanate (1667–1949)
  • Tidore (1657–c.1949)

West Timor and Alor

  • Amanatun (1749–c. 1949)
  • Amanuban (1749–c. 1949)
  • Amarasi (1749–c. 1949)
  • Amfoan (1683–c. 1949)
  • Beboki (1756–c. 1949)
  • Belu (1756–c.1949)
  • Insana (1756–c.1949)
  • Sonbai Besar (1756–1906)
  • Sonbai Kecil (1659–1917)
  • Roti (Korbafo before 1928) (c. 1750–c.1949)
  • TaEbenu (1688–1917)

New Guinea

  • Dutch New Guinea:
    • Kaimana Sultanate (1828–1949)

Egypt

  • All-Palestine (1948–1959) – although it claimed the former territory of Mandatory Palestine, the polity only held control of the Gaza Strip. It was recognized by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen; but not Transjordan who would annex the West Bank in 1950.

France

Africa

"Protection" was the formal legal structure under which French colonial forces expanded in Africa between the 1830s and 1900. Almost every pre-existing state that was later part of French West Africa was placed under protectorate status at some point, although direct rule gradually replaced protectorate agreements. Formal ruling structures, or fictive recreations of them, were largely retainedβ€”as with the low-level authority figures in the French Cerclesβ€”with leaders appointed and removed by French officials.

  • Benin traditional states:
    • Independent of Danhome, under French protectorate, from 1889
    • Porto-Novo a French protectorate, 23 February 1863 – 2 January 1865. Cotonou a French Protectorate, 19 May 1868. Porto-Novo French protectorate, 14 April 1882.
  • Central African Republic traditional states:
    • French protectorate over Dar al-Kuti (1912 Sultanate suppressed by the French), 12 December 1897
    • French protectorate over the Sultanate of Bangassou, 1894
  • Chad: Baghirmi state 20 September 1897 a French protectorate
  • CΓ΄te d'Ivoire: 10 January 1889 French protectorate of Ivory Coast
  • Guinea: 5 August 1849 French protectorate over coastal region; (RiviΓ©res du Sud).
  • Niger, Sultanate of Damagaram (Zinder), 30 July 1899 under French protectorate over the native rulers, titled Sarkin Damagaram or Sultan
  • Senegal: 4 February 1850 First of several French protectorate treaties with local rulers
  • Comoros traditional states:
  • Present Djibouti was originally, from 24 June 1884, the Territory of Obock and Protectorate of Tadjoura (Territoires FranΓ§ais d'Obock, Tadjoura, Dankils et Somalis), a French protectorate recognized by Britain on 9 February 1888, renamed on 20 May 1896 as French Somaliland (CΓ΄te FranΓ§aise des Somalis).
  • Mauritania: 12 May 1903 French protectorate; within Mauritania several traditional states:
    • Adrar emirate from 9 January 1909 French protectorate (before Spanish)
    • The Taganit confederation's emirate (founded by Idaw `Ish dynasty), from 1905 under French protectorate.
    • Brakna confederation's emirate
    • Emirate of Trarza: 15 December 1902 placed under French protectorate status.
  • Morocco – most of the sultanate was under French protectorate (30 March 1912 – 7 April 1956) although, in theory, it remained a sovereign state under the Treaty of Fez; this fact was confirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1952.
    • The northern part of Morocco was under Spanish protectorate in the same period.
  • Traditional Madagascar States
  • Tunisia (12 May 1881 – 20 March 1956): became a French protectorate by treaty

Asia

  • French Indochina until 1953/54:
    • Annam and Tonkin 6 June 1884
    • Cambodia 11 August 1863
    • Laos 3 October 1893
    • Vietnam 6 June 1884

Europe

  • Neapolitan Republic (1647–1648)
  • Rhenish Republic (1923–1924)
  • Saar Protectorate (1946–1956), not colonial or amical, but a former part of Germany that would by referendum return to it, in fact a re-edition of a former League of Nations mandate. Most French protectorates were colonial.

Oceania

  • French Polynesia, mainly the Society Islands (several others were immediately annexed). All eventually were annexed by 1889.
    • Tahiti (native king styled Ari`i rahi) becomes a French protectorate, 1842–1880
    • Raiatea and Tahaa (after temporary annexation by Tahiti; (title Ari`i) a French protectorate, 1880)
    • Mangareva (one of the Gambier Islands; ruler title `Akariki) a French protectorate, 16 February 1844 (unratified) and 30 November 1871
  • Wallis and Futuna:
    • Wallis declared to be a French protectorate by King of Uvea and Captain Mallet, 4 November 1842. Officially in a treaty becomes a French protectorate, 5 April 1887.
    • Sigave and Alo on the islands of Futuna and Alofi signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate on 16 February 1888.

Germany

See also: List of former German colonies

The German Empire used the word Schutzgebiet, literally protectorate, for all of its colonial possessions until they were lost during World War I, regardless of the actual level of government control. Cases involving indirect rule included:

Before and during World War II, Nazi Germany designated the rump of occupied Czechoslovakia and Denmark as protectorates:

India

  • Bhutan (1947–1971).
  • Kingdom of Sikkim (1950–1975), later acceded to India as State of Sikkim.

Italy

  • The Albanian Republic (1917–1920) and the Albanian Kingdom (1939–1943)
  • Monaco under amical Protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia 20 November 1815 to 1860.
  • EthiopiaΒ : 2 May 1889 Treaty of Wuchale, in the Italian language version, stated that Ethiopia was to become an Italian protectorate, while the Ethiopian Amharic language version merely stated that the Emperor could, if he so chose, go through Italy to conduct foreign affairs. When the differences in the versions came to light, Emperor Menelik II abrogated first the article in question (XVII), and later the whole treaty. The event culminated in the First Italo-Ethiopian War, in which Ethiopia was victorious and defended her sovereignty in 1896.
  • Libya: on 15 October 1912 Italian protectorate declared over Cirenaica (Cyrenaica) until 17 May 1919.
  • Benadir Coast in Somalia: 3 August 1889 Italian protectorate (in the northeast; unoccupied until May 1893), until 16 March 1905 when it changed to Italian Somaliland.
    • Majeerteen Sultanate since 7 April 1889 under Italian protectorate (renewed 7 April 1895), then in 1927 incorporated into the Italian colony.
    • Sultanate of Hobyo since December 1888 under Italian protectorate (renewed 11 April 1895), then in October 1925 incorporated into the Italian colony (known as Obbia).

Japan

  • Korean Empire (1905–1910)

Poland

  • Kaffa (1462–1475)

Portugal

Russia and the Soviet Union

De facto

See also: Russian-occupied territories

Some sources mention the following territories as de facto Russian protectorates:

Spain

  • Spanish Morocco protectorate from 27 November 1912 until 2 April 1958 (Northern zone until 7 April 1956, Southern zone (Cape Juby) until 2 April 1958).
  • Sultanate of Sulu (1851–1899)

Turkey and the Ottoman Empire

Main article: Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire

De facto

United Nations

Main article: United Nations protectorate

United States

Contemporary usage

Some agencies of the United States government, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, refer to the insular areas of the United Statesβ€”such as American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islandsβ€”as protectorates. However, the agency responsible for the administration of those areas, the Office of Insular Affairs within the United States Department of the Interior, uses only the term "insular area" rather than protectorate.

Joint protectorates

Further information: Condominium (international law)

Images

The flag of the Jambi Sultanate, a historical symbol of Indonesia.
The flag of the Sultanate of Pelalawan, a historical kingdom in Indonesia.
The flag of the historic Sultanate of Bima in Indonesia, featuring bold black, red, and yellow colors.
The official flag of Sambas Regency, a region in Indonesia.
The flag of the Bulungan Sultanate features bold blue, yellow, and black colors representing the heritage and identity of this historical Indonesian kingdom.
Historical flag from a Dutch expedition to an island in the 19th century.
Historical flag of the Sultanate of Ternate, featuring a yellow background with white and purple text.
The flag of the Tidore Sultanate, a historical symbol from Indonesia.
Historical flag of Raiatea, French Polynesia (used from 1880 to 1897).
Historical flag of the Lower `Awlaqi Sultanate, a former British protectorate.
The flag of Kota Pinang, featuring blue and white colors symbolizing the region's identity.
Flag of Kaimana Regency in Indonesia

Related articles

Treaty
China
Classical Athens
Middle Ages
Andorra
France

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