Voivodeship

Voivodeship

Voi(e)vod(e)ship, or palatinatum, is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administrated by, a voi(e)vod(e) in several European countries. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia. Administrative level of area (territory) of voivodeship is equivalent to duchy in western medieval states, much like the title of voivode was equivalent to that of a duke. Another roughly equivalent title and area in medieval Eastern Europe were those of ban (bojan, vojin or bayan) and banate.

In a modern context, the word normally refers to one of the provinces (województwa) of Poland, of which there are currently 16.