The map above shows the patchwork of kingdoms, principalities, bishoprics, duchies, republics, cities, sultanates, etc. in and around Europe in 1500 CE/AD.
Some countries such as France and England are easily recognisable and largely occupy the same areas as their modern incarnations.
Other such as Hungary, Lithuania, Sweden and the Papal States are also recognisable although with borders far larger than their modern equivalents.
Yet the vast majority of countries have passed into history from the Ottoman and north African Sultanates to the myriad of countries in Italy, the Holy Roman Empire, Livonian Confederation and Irish Kingdoms.
It’s a reminder that Europe’s borders are constantly evolving. Today’s borders are largely a product of the end of World World 2 and the Cold War.
Yetkinler has this to say about his map:
This is a map of Europe in the year 1500, created for the subreddit /r/empirepowers. Not all states on the map could be labelled, because then the Holy Roman Empire (outlined in red) would be a mess.
See below for a full list of states or visit this Google Doc.
| Name | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Maghreb | ||
| Morocco | Sultanate | Independent |
| Tetouan | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Chefchaouen | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Taza | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Debdou | Viceroyalty | Moroccan Substate |
| Meggeo | Tribe | Moroccan Substate |
| Hintata | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Tadla | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Jebel Lekhder | State | Moroccan Substate |
| Beni Snassen | Tribe | Independent |
| Tlemcen | Sultanate | Independent |
| Oran | Emirate | Tlemceni Substate |
| Tha’aliba | Tribe | Independent |
| Algiers | Emirate | Independent |
| Kuko | Sultanate | Independent |
| Labbes | Sultanate | Independent |
| Bougie | Lordship | Independent |
| Zenatas | Tribe | Independent |
| Hafsids | Caliphate | Independent |
| Bizerte | Lordship | Hafsid Substate |
| Tripoli | Emirate | Independent |
| Beni Sulaym | Tribe | Independent |
| Iberia | ||
| Castile | Crown | Independent |
| Navarre | Kingdom | Independent |
| Andora | Principality | Navarrese Substate |
| Aragon | Crown | Independent |
| Portugal | Kingdom | Independent |
| Italy | ||
| Genoa | Republic | Independent |
| Naples | Kingdom | Independent |
| Papal State | Theocracy | Independent |
| Savoy | Duchy | Independent |
| Florence | Republic | Independent |
| Piombino | Principality | Florentine Substate |
| Urbino | Duchy | Papal Substate |
| Romagna | Lordship | Papal Substate |
| San Marino | Republic | Independent |
| Ferrara & Modena | Duchies | Papal Substate / Independent |
| Mantua | Margravate | Independent |
| Milan | Duchy | Independent |
| Masserano | County | Independent |
| Montferrat | March | Independent |
| Pontremoli | Municipality | Independent |
| Massa | Duchy | Independent |
| Lucca | Republic | Independent |
| Siena | Republic | Independent |
| Pisa | Republic | Independent |
| Bologna | Lordship | Independent |
| Finale | Marquisate | Independent |
| Montechiarugolo | County | Independent |
| Guastalla | County | Independent |
| Mirandola | Lordship | Independent |
| France | ||
| France | Kingdom | Independent |
| Britanny | Duchy | French Substate |
| Orange | Principality | Independent |
| Monaco | Lordship | Independent |
| Dol-Combourg | Abbey | Independent |
| Metz | Bishopric | Independent |
| Tende | County | Independent |
| Montbéliard | Principality | Independent |
| Verdun | Free City | Independent |
| Verdun | Bishopric | Independent |
| Mulhouse | Free City | Independent |
| Munster, Haut-Rhin | Free City | Independent |
| Colmar | Free City | Independent |
| Turckheim | Free City | Independent |
| Kaysersberg | Free City | Independent |
| Obernai | Free City | Independent |
| Rosheim | Free City | Independent |
| Strausburg | Free City | Independent |
| Haguenau | Free City | Independent |
| Wissembourg | Free City | Independent |
| Sélestat | Free City | Independent |
| Saluzzo | Marquisate | Independent |
| Dombes | Principality | Independent |
| Britain | ||
| England | Kingdom | Independent |
| Scotland | Kingdom | Independent |
| Ireland | ||
| Thomond | Kingdom | Independent |
| Desmond | Kingdom | Independent |
| Desmond | Earldom | Independent |
| Uí Maine | Kingdom | Independent |
| Magh Luirg | Kingdom | Independent |
| Tir Connail | Kingdom | Independent |
| Tir Eoghain | Kingdom | Independent |
| Clandeboye | Kingdom | Independent |
| Clanricarde | The | Independent |
| Umhaill | Kingdom | Independent |
| Síol Anmchadha | Kingdom | Umhaill Substate |
| West Bréifne | Kingdom | Independent |
| East Bréifne | Kingdom | Independent |
| Airgíalla | Kingdom | Independent |
| Ormond | Earldom | Independent |
| Osraige | Kingdom | Independent |
| Wexford | County | Independent |
| Uí Failghe | Kingdom | Independent |
| Leinster | Kingdom | Independent |
| Kildare | Earldom | English Substate |
| Dunsany | Barony | Independent |
| Dillon | House | Independent |
| Low Countries | ||
| Utrecht | Bishopric | Independent |
| Liege | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Stavelot-Malmedy | Principality | Independent |
| Cambrai | Bishopric | Independent |
| Guelders | Duchy | Independent |
| Ravenstein | Lordship | Independent |
| Anholt | Lordhsip | Independent |
| Echternach | Abbey | Independent |
| Gronsveld | County | Independent |
| Thorn | Abbey | Independent |
| Switzerland | ||
| Switzerland | Confederacy | Independent |
| Grasburg | Bailiwick | Swiss Substate |
| Gersau | Republic | Swiss Substate |
| Valais | Zehnden | Swiss Substate |
| Engelberg | Abbey | Swiss Substate |
| Three Leagues | Free State | Swiss Substate |
| Lausanne | Bishopric | Swiss Substate |
| Neuchatel | County | Swiss Substate |
| Basel | City | Swiss Substate |
| Thurgovia | Bailiwick | Swiss Substate |
| Appenzell | Community | Swiss Substate |
| Saint Gall | Prince Abbey | Swiss Substate |
| Schauffhausen | City | Swiss Substate |
| Geneva | City | Savoyan Substate |
| Scandinavia | ||
| Denmark | Kingdom | Independent |
| Norway | Kingdom | Danish Substate |
| Sweden | Kingdom | Danish Substate |
| Dithmarschen | Peasant Republic | Independent |
| Austria | ||
| Austria | Archduchy | Independent |
| Salzburg | Archbishopric | Independent |
| Gorizia | County | Independent |
| Trent | Prince-Bishopric | Austrian Substate |
| Balkans | ||
| Hungary | Kingdom | Independent |
| Serbia | Despotate | Hungarian Substate |
| Montenegro | Tribe | Independent |
| Wallachia | Principality | Ottoman Substate |
| Moldavia | Principality | Ottoman Substate |
| Ragusa | Republic | Ottoman Substate |
| Anatolia | ||
| Ottomans | Sultanate | Independent |
| Ramadan | Emirate | Independent |
| Tomarza, Hadjin, & Göksun | Lordships | Independent |
| Dulkadir | Emirate | Independent |
| Knights | Holy Order | Independent |
| Maniots | Tribe | Independent |
| Baz | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Amadya | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Hakkari | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Shatak | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Hosab | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Bashkala | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Ahlat | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Bitlis | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Çermik | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Sagman | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Pertek | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Çabakçur | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Genç | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Vostan | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Moks | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Eğil | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Hazro-Tercil | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Kulp | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Sirvan | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Cizre | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Mt Athos | Monastery | Ottoman Substate |
| Germany | ||
| Hamburg | Free City | Independent |
| Lübeck | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Lübeck | Free City | Independent |
| Brunswick-Lüneburg | Duchy | Independent |
| Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel | Principality | Independent |
| Braunschweig | Free City | B.-Wolfenbüttel Substate |
| Hildesheim | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Mecklenburg | Duchy | Independent |
| Bremen | Free City | Independent |
| Calenberg | Principality | Independent |
| Bremen | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Hannover | City | Calenberger Substate |
| Saxe-Lauenburg | Duchy | Independent |
| Schwerin | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Ratzeburg | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Grubenhagen | Principality | Independent |
| Stolberg | County | Independent |
| Quedlinburg | Abbey | Independent |
| Nordhausen | Free City | Independent |
| Walkenried | Abbey | Independent |
| Mühlhausen | Free City | Independent |
| Hohnstein | County | Independent |
| Schwarzburg | County | Independent |
| Bavaria-Munich | Duchy | Independent |
| Bavaria-Landshut | Duchy | Independent |
| Berchtesgaden Provostry | Prince-Provostry | Independent |
| Hohenwaldeck | Lordship | Independent |
| Freising | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Regensburg | Bishopric | Independent |
| Regensburg | Free City | Independent |
| Ortenburg | County | Independent |
| Passau | Bishopric | Independent |
| Leuchtenberg | Landgrave | Independent |
| Saxony (Duchy) | Duchy | Independent |
| Saxony (Electorate) | Electorate | Independent |
| Magdeburg | Prince-Archbishopric | Independent |
| Pomerania | Duchy | Independent |
| Cammin | Bishopric | Pomeranian Substate |
| Brandenburg | Electorate | Independent |
| Barby | County | Independent |
| Halberstadt | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Mansfeld | County | Independent |
| Goslar | Free City | Independent |
| Blankenberg | County | Independent |
| Anhalt-Zerbst | Duchy | Independent |
| Anhalt-Köthen | Principality | Independent |
| Erfurt | County | Independent |
| Schmalkalden | County | Independent |
| Schwarzburg | County | Independent |
| Reuss-Gera | County | Independent |
| Reuss-Weida | County | Independent |
| Reuss-Plauen | County | Independent |
| Schönburg | County | Independent |
| Holstein-Pinneburg-Schaumburg-Gemen | County | Independent |
| Sedan | County | Independent |
| Jülich-Berg | Duchy | Independent |
| Bentheim | County | Independent |
| Werden | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Moers | County | Independent |
| Hoya | County | Independent |
| Delmenhorst | County | Independent |
| Verden | Free City | Independent |
| Verden | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Minden | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Diepholz | County | Independent |
| Tecklenburg | County | Independent |
| Lingen | County | Independent |
| Osnabrück | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Herford | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Ravensburg | County | Independent |
| Lemgo | Free City | Independent |
| Haltern | Free City | Independent |
| Cologne | Free City | Independent |
| Wickrath | County | Independent |
| Wesel | Free City | Independent |
| Essen | Prince-Abbacy | Kleverlandish Substate |
| Dortmund | Free City | Independent |
| Soest | Free City | Kleverlandish Substate |
| Höxter | Free City | Independent |
| Warburg | Free City | Independent |
| Brakel | Free City | Independent |
| Rietberg | County | Independent |
| Teutonic Knights (Germany) | Holy Order | Independent |
| Lippstadt | Lordship | Independent |
| Münster | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| East Frisia | County | Independent |
| Jever | Barony | Independent |
| Oldenburg | County | Independent |
| Aachen | Free City | Independent |
| Cleves | Duchy | Independent |
| Paderborn | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Lippe | Lordship | Independent |
| Manderscheid-Schleiden | County | Independent |
| Prüm | Abbey | Independent |
| Palatinate | Count-Palatinate | Independent |
| Cologne | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Porrentruy | Feudal | Independent |
| Waldeck | County | Independent |
| Strausburg | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Knights Hospitaller (Germany) | Holy Order | Independent |
| Metz | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Speyer | Free City | Independent |
| Odenheim | Provostry | Independent |
| Speyer | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Zweibrücken | County | Palatinate Substate |
| Hanau-Lichtenberg | County | Independent |
| Nieder-Isenburg | County | Independent |
| Manderscheid-Blankenheim | County | Independent |
| Virneburg | County | Independent |
| Nassau-Saarbrücken | County | Independent |
| Nassau-Dillenburg | County | Independent |
| Nassau-Weilburg | County | Independent |
| Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein | County | Independent |
| Wild-and Rhinegraves | County | Independent |
| Salm-Dhaun | County | Independent |
| Sayn | County | Independent |
| Mainz | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Sayn-Wittgenstein | County | Independent |
| Hesse | Landgraviate | Independent |
| Wetzlar | Free City | Independent |
| Solms-Braunfels | County | Independent |
| Friedberg | Free City | Independent |
| Isenburg | County | Independent |
| Runkel | Feudal | Independent |
| Worms | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Worms | Free City | Independent |
| Sponheim | County | Independent |
| Reipoltskirchen | Lordship | Palatinate Substate |
| Palatinate-Simmern | Principality | Palatinate Substate |
| Winneburg and Beilstein | Lordship | Independent |
| Manderscheid-Kail | County | Independent |
| Leiningen-Westerburg | County | Independent |
| Frankfurt | Free City | Independent |
| Königstein | County | Independent |
| Lorraine | Duchy | Independent |
| Toul | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Toul | Imperial City | Independent |
| Trier | Archbishopric | Independent |
| Hanau-Münzenberg | County | Independent |
| Solms-Lich | County | Independent |
| Hersfeld | Abbacy | Independent |
| Wartenburg | County | Independent |
| Fulda | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Bayreuth | Margraviate | Independent |
| Nuremburg | Free City | Independent |
| Bamberg | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Schweinfurt | Free City | Independent |
| Hausen | Lordship | Bamburger Substate |
| Eichstätt | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Weißenburg | Free City | Independent |
| Castell | County | Independent |
| Schwarzenberg | Lordship | Independent |
| Windsheim | Free City | Independent |
| Rothenburg | Free City | Independent |
| Löwenstein | County | Independent |
| Wertheim | County | Independent |
| Würzburg | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Hall | Free City | Independent |
| Hohenlohe | County | Independent |
| Limpurg | Lordship | Independent |
| Welzheim | Lordship | Independent |
| Ansbach | Margraviate | Independent |
| Württemberg | Duchy | Independent |
| Wimpfen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Rothenfels | County | Independent |
| Lindau | Imperial City | Independent |
| Kempten | Imperial City | Independent |
| Augsburg | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Augsburg | Imperial City | Independent |
| Klettgau | Landgravate | Independent |
| Stühlingen | Landgravate | Independent |
| Hohenhöwen | Lordship | Independent |
| Gundelfingen | Lordship | Independent |
| Zell am Harmersbach | Imperial City | Independent |
| Gengenbach | Imperial City | Independent |
| Heilbronn | Imperial City | Independent |
| Fürstenberg | County | Independent |
| Rottweil | Abbey | Independent |
| Rottweil | Imperial City | Swiss Substate |
| Überlingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Konstanz | Prince-Bishopric | Independent |
| Wangen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Isny im Allgäu | Imperial City | Independent |
| Reutlingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Weil | Imperial City | Independent |
| Eßlingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Schwäbisch Gmünd | Imperial City | Independent |
| Aalen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Dinkelsbühl | Imperial City | Independent |
| Bopfingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Nördlingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Oettingen | County | Independent |
| Thannhausen | Lordship | Independent |
| Giengen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Wiesensteig | Lordship | Independent |
| Meßkirch | Lordship | Independent |
| Kaufbeuren | Imperial City | Independent |
| Irsee | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Mindelheim | Lordship | Independent |
| Hohenzollern | County | Independent |
| Zwiefalten | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Pfullendorf | Imperial City | Independent |
| Buchau | Imperial City | Independent |
| Buchhorn | Imperial City | Independent |
| Salem | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Ravensburg | Imperial City | Independent |
| Ulm | Imperial City | Independent |
| Wettenhausen | Prince-Provostry | Independent |
| Ursberg | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Roggenburg | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Memmingen | Imperial City | Independent |
| Leutkirch im Allgäu | Imperial City | Independent |
| Biberach an der Riß | Imperial City | Independent |
| Rot an der Rot | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Marchtal | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Stadion | County | Independent |
| Heggbach | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Schussenried | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Königsegg | Lordship | Independent |
| Ochsenhausen | Prince-Abbacy | Independent |
| Baden | Margraviate | Independent |
| Middle East | ||
| Shirvan | Sultanate | Independent |
| White Sheep (Iran) | Tribe | Independent |
| White Sheep (Iraq) | Tribe | Independent |
| Lorestan | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Soran | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Ardalan | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Mukriyan | Tribe | White sheep Substate |
| Levant | ||
| Mamluks | Sultanate | Independent |
| Caucasus | ||
| Kakheti | Kingdom | Independent |
| Kartli | Kingdom | Independent |
| Imereti | Kingdom | Independent |
| Samtskhe | Kingdom | Independent |
| Abkhazeti | Principality | Independent |
| Guria | Principality | Imerti Substate |
| Odishi | Principality | Imerti Substate |
| Steppes | ||
| Ossetia | Tribe | Independent |
| Dzurdzuks | Tribe | Independent |
| Khunzal | Tribe | Independent |
| Lezgians | Tribe | Independent |
| Crimea | Tribe | Ottoman Substate |
| Circassia | Tribe | Ottoman Substate |
| Gazikumukh | Khanate | Shirvani Substate |
| Great Horde | Khanate | Independent |
| Nogai | Horde | Independent |
| Astrakhan | Khanate | Independent |
| Poland | ||
| Poland | Kingdom | Independent |
| Brieg | Principality | Hungarian Substate |
| Wohlau | Duchy | Hungarian Substate |
| Liegnitz | Principality | Hungarian Substate |
| Lithuania | Grand Duchy | Independent |
| Mazovia | Duchy | Polish Substate |
| Siewierz | Duchy | Polish Substate |
| Nysa | Duchy | Polish Substate |
| Russia | ||
| Muscovy | Grand Duchy | Independent |
| Ryazan | Grand Duchy | Independent |
| Qasim | Khanate | Muscovite Substate |
| Kazan | Khanate | Muscovite Substate |
| Pskov | Viceroyalty | Muscovite Substate |
| Baltics | ||
| Teutonic Knights | Holy Order | Independent |
| Livonia | Confederation | Independent |
| Ösel–Wiek | Bishopric | Livonian Substate |
| Courland | Bishopric | Livonian Substate |
| Riga | City | Livonian Substate |
| Riga | Archbishopric | Livonian Substate |
| Dorpat | Bishopric | Livonian Substate |
Erig says
There’s a mistake in the status you allow to Brittany. Brittany was NOT a “french substate”… It was fully independant until 1548, and became united to France in 1548 before the 1532 treaty. This treaty was planning a union between France and Brittany, not a domination of one on the other.
During its long history, Brittany had to compose with its problematic neighbors, France and England, and had to change its alliance often. If our sovereigns accepted the English and French suzerainty one after the other, they never became a serf nor a dominion, and never paid tribute to any of the english or french kings.
Spiral says
What’s the difference between an union, personal union and dynastic union?
Rk says
Wales was not part of the kingdom of England in 1500.
Ken says
Still isn’t.
Alun Stone says
Not correct, Wales was annexed in the late 1200’s by Edward, true, there was no act of union until 1530, but it was still under English control.
IceWare says
In a (real) union two or more states share some institutions, however they are not as unified as states in a political union. A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. In a dynastic union two different states are governed by the same dynasty, but not the same monarch, although it depends on the country.
The difference between dynastic and personal union is basicly this: If the ruler dies and one part of the union breaks away it was a personal union. If it stays it’s a dynastic
Felix says
Montenegro was a Sanjak of the Ottoman Empire.. not sure how it could be claimed as an independent ‘tribe’ in 1500 AD. Kingdom of Croatia was in a personal union with Hungary. It had separate laws, boundaries and even its own Sabor (parliament). The Serbian Despotate last until 1459, afterwards it was part of the Ottoman Empire including in 1500 AD.