Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Confederation
(2,547 words)

1. Terminology and meaning

Although today a confederation is generally considered a type of state typical of modernity, Latin foedus (“alliance,” “treaty,” “league”) and confoederatio (“alliance,” “agreement”) were already used in classical discussions of the state. The legal concept became increasingly important during the European processes of state formation at the beginning of the early mod…

Cite this page
Bahlcke, Joachim, “Confederation”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_022501>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



▲   Back to top   ▲