Protectorate

Protectorate, in international law, relationship between two states in which the stronger state guarantees to protect the weaker one from external aggression or internal disturbance in return for full or partial control over its foreign and domestic affairs. This relationship is established by treaty between the states concerned; usually the extent and character of the protectorate are outlined in the treaty. No matter how great the right of interference—and in some cases it may be tantamount to virtual control—the protected state retains its nominal sovereignty, thus differing from a colony (see Colonies and Colonialism) or a mandated territory (see Mandate).

With the growth of modern nation-states, many small, autonomous political units placed themselves under the protection of a more powerful state, as Trieste did with Austria in 1382. Particularly during the 19th century, many European powers used the protectorate to control territories that, for diplomatic reasons, such as fear of war with other powers, they were unwilling or unable to incorporate bodily into their growing colonial empires. See Imperialism.