An emirate is a territory ruled by an

emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...

, a title used by

monarchs A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority an ...

or high officeholders in the

Muslim world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...

. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a

caliphate A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

. It can be considered equivalent to a

principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...

in non-Muslim contexts. Currently in the world, there are two emirates that are independent states (

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

and

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

), one state ruled by an unrecognised emirate (

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

), and a state that consists of a federation of seven emirates (the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

). A great number of previously independent emirates around the world are now part of larger states.

Etymology

Etymologically, emirate or amirate ( ', plural: ') is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of any

(prince, commander, governor, etc.). In English, the term is pronounced or in British English and or in American English.

Types

Monarchies

The

is a federal state that comprises seven federal emirates, each administered by a

hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...

emir, these seven forming the

electoral college An electoral college is a body whose task is to elect a candidate to a particular office. It is mostly used in the political context for a constitutional body that appoints the head of state or government, and sometimes the upper parliament ...

for the federation's president and prime minister. As most emirates have either disappeared, been integrated in a larger modern state, or changed their rulers' styles, e.g. to

malik Malik (; ; ; variously Romanized ''Mallik'', ''Melik'', ''Malka'', ''Malek'', ''Maleek'', ''Malick'', ''Mallick'', ''Melekh'') is the Semitic term translating to "king", recorded in East Semitic and Arabic, and as mlk in Northwest Semitic d ...

(Arabic for "king") or

sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

, such true emirate-states have become rare.

Provinces

Furthermore, in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

the term can be generalized to mean any province of a country that is administered by a member of the ruling class, especially of a member (usually styled

) of the royal family, as in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

n governorates.

List of present emirates

Current emirates with political autonomy are listed below: * (since 14 May 1961) * (since 3 September 1971) * (since 2 December 1971) ** ** ** ** ** ** ** * (since 15 August 2021; unrecognized)

List of former and integrated emirates

These are the emirates that have either ceased to exist, are not recognized and hold no real power, or were integrated into another country and preserved as "traditional states". They are arranged by location and in order of the date of the first leader styled "emir."

Africa

North Africa

Emirate of Nekor The Emirate of Nekor or Şālihid Emirate () was an Arab emirate centered in the Rīf area of present-day Morocco. Its capital was initially located at Tamsāmān, and then moved to Nekor. The ruling dynasty presented itself as of Himyarite A ...

Rif The Rif (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. It is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea and Spain and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the homeland of the Rifians and the Jebala people ...

region of modern

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

710–1019 * Emirate of Ifriqiya, Aghlabid

Ifriqiya Ifriqiya ( '), also known as al-Maghrib al-Adna (), was a medieval historical region comprising today's Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and Tripolitania (roughly western Libya). It included all of what had previously been the Byzantine province of ...

within modern

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, and

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

800–909 * Emirate of Tunis, Hafsid

within modern

, and

1229–1574 *

Zab Emirate The Zab Emirate () was an emirate that ruled Biskra and the surrounding oases in the Zab region under the Banu Muzni family from mid 14th century to 1402 in the highlands and desert fringes of eastern Algeria Algeria, officially the Peop ...

, modern

circa 1400 (short-lived) *

Emirate of Trarza The Emirate of Trarza (arabic: إمارة ترارزة) was a pre-colonial state in what is today southwest Mauritania. It has survived as a traditional confederation of semi-nomadic people to the present day. Its name is shared with the modern ...

, modern southwest

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

1640s–1910s *

Emirate of Cyrenaica The Emirate of Cyrenaica () came into existence when Sayyid Idris unilaterally proclaimed Cyrenaica an independent Senussi emirate on 1 March 1949, backed by the United Kingdom. Sayyid Idris proclaimed himself Emir of Cyrenaica at a 'national c ...

, modern eastern

1949–1951 (became the

Kingdom of Libya The Kingdom of Libya (; ), known as the United Kingdom of Libya from 1951 to 1963, was a constitutional monarchy in North Africa that came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a bloodless coup d'état on 1 Sept ...

) File:Hafsid1400.png, Ifriqiya under the Hafsids File:EthniesSénégal.jpg, Trarza (upper left) File:Map of Cyrenaica.png, Cyrenaica in Libya

Sub-Saharan Africa

=Ethiopia

= *

Emirate of Harar The Emirate of Harar was a Muslim kingdom founded in 1647 when the Harari people refused to accept Imām ʿUmardīn Ādam as their ruler and broke away from the Imamate of Aussa to form their own state under `Ali ibn Da`ud. The Harar, city of Ha ...

, eastern

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

1647–1887

=Ghana

= * Zabarma Emirate, northeastern

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

1860s–1897

=Niger

= * Emirate of Say, southwestern

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

19th century– (integrated)

=Nigeria

= *

Fika Emirate The Fika Emirate is a Nigerian traditional states, traditional state with headquarters in Potiskum, Yobe State, Nigeria. Dr. Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa received his staff of office as 43rd Emir of Fika from Yobe State, Yobe governor I ...

, northeastern Nigeria 15th century– (integrated) *

Gwandu Gwandu, also called Gando, is a town and emirate in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The seat of government for the emirate and district of this name is in Birnin Kebbi, which is the capital of Kebbi State and was capital of the historical Kingdom of Kebb ...

Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 15th century to 2005 (integrated and then deposed) *

Kebbi Emirate The Kebbi Emirate, also known as the Argungu Emirate is a traditional state based on the town of Argungu in Kebbi State, Nigeria. It is the successor to the ancient Hausa kingdom of Kebbi. The Emirate is one of four in Kebbi State, the others be ...

, northwestern Nigeria 1516– (integrated) * Borgu Emirate, westcentral Nigeria, formed from Bussa Emirate 1730–1954 and Kaiama Emirate 1912–54, unified 1954– (integrated) * Gumel Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1749– (integrated) *

Yauri Emirate Yauri (or Yawuri) is an emirate in Nigeria's Kebbi State, occupying the Yauri, Nigeria, Yauri Local Government Area. Today, Yauri is one of the smallest historical emirates in Northern Nigeria. In 1972, the population was about 112,000 people inh ...

, northwestern Nigeria 1799– (integrated) *

Gombe Emirate The Gombe Emirate (Fula: Lamorde Gombe 𞤤𞤢𞤥𞤮𞤪𞤣𞤫 𞤺𞤮𞤥𞤥𞤦𞤫) is a Nigerian traditional states, traditional state in Nigeria that roughly corresponds in area to the modern Gombe State.The current Emir of Gombe ...

, northeast Nigeria 1804– (integrated) *

Kano Emirate The Kano Emirate was a Muslim state in northern Nigeria formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad when the Muslim Hausa people, Hausa-led Sultanate of Kano was deposed and replaced by a new emirate which became a vassal state of the Sokoto Caliph ...

, northcentral Nigeria 1805– (integrated) * Bauchi Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1805– (integrated) *

Daura Emirate The Daura Emirate is a religious and Nigerian traditional state, traditional state in Northern Nigeria, the Emir of Daura still rules as a ceremonial hereditary monarch, and maintains a palace. Muhammad Bashar became the emir in 1966, reigning fo ...

, northcentral Nigeria off and on 1805– (integrated) *

Katsina Emirate The history of Katsina State, Katsina stretches over a millennium. It is part of the Hausa Kingdoms, Hausa Bakwai states, believed to be founded by the descendants of Bayajidda according to legend. Throughout its history, Katsina has been govern ...

, northcentral Nigeria 1806– (integrated) *

Katagum Katagum is a town, a local government area and a traditional emirate in Bauchi State of north eastern Nigeria. The town is located on the northern bank of the Jama'are River, which is a tributary of the Hadejia. Most of the inhabitants are p ...

Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1807– (integrated) *

Zaria Emirate The Kingdom of Zazzau, also known as the Zaria Emirate, is a traditional state with headquarters in the city of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The current emir of Zazzau is Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli CFR, who succeeded the former emir, late Alhaji Shehu ...

, northcentral Nigeria 1808– (integrated) *

Potiskum Emirate The Potiskum Emirate (or Pataskum Emirate) is a Nigerian traditional states, traditional state in Nigeria, with headquarters in Potiskum, Yobe State. The emir holds the title "Mai". The emirate was founded in 1809 by the Ngizim or Ngizimawa people ...

, northeastern Nigeria 1809– (integrated) *

Adamawa Emirate The Adamawa Emirate (Fula language, Fula: ''Laamorde Adamaawa'', ; ; ; ) is a Nigerian traditional states, traditional state located in Fombina, an area which now roughly corresponds to areas of Adamawa State and Taraba state in Nigeria, and pre ...

, eastern Nigeria and formerly into western

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

1809– (integrated where preserved) * Ilorin Emirate, southwestern Nigeria 1817– (integrated) * Muri Emirate, eastcentral Nigeria 1817– (integrated) *

Kazaure Emirate Kazaure is an Emirate and a Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the ancient city of Kazaure. Early history Kazaure was said to have been first settled by a group of Hausa (al ...

, northcentral Nigeria 1819– (integrated) *

Lapai Emirate The Lapai Emirate, today in Nigeria, is a traditional state that lies near the Gurara River, a tributary to the Niger River, formerly originally inhabited where Gbari People, and presently came under the power of Nupe people, covering roughly the s ...

, central Nigeria 1825– (integrated) *

Suleja Emirate The Suleja Emirate ( Hausa: ') is a Hausa principality in what is now Niger State, Nigeria. The emirate was established as the Abuja Emirate during the 19th century, located just north of the site of the present-day federal capital city named ...

, central Nigeria 1828– (integrated) *

Agaie Emirate The Agaie Emirate was a state created by Malam Baba, a Fulani religious scholar/warrior who conquered the Nupe people of the area in 1822. Its seat was the present town of Agaie in Niger State, Nigeria, and was subject to the Sokoto Caliphate. Ba ...

, westcentral Nigeria 1832– (integrated) *

Bida Emirate The Bida Emirate is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the old Nupe Kingdom, with its headquarters in Bida, Niger State. The head of the emirate is the ''Etsu Nupe'', who is the leader of the Nupe people. History The old Nupe Kingd ...

, westcentral Nigeria 1856– (integrated) * Kontagora Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1858– (integrated) * Borno Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1900– (integrated) * Dikwa Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1901– (integrated) * Biu Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1920– (integrated)

Asia

Arabia

* Emirate of Mecca, Western Arabia 967–1916 *

Uyunid Emirate The Uyunid Emirate () was a historical Arab emirate centered in al-Hasa that ruled over most of eastern Arabia and Najd. The Uyunid dynasty, which belonged to the Banu Abd al-Qays tribe, ruled the emirate from 1076 until it was overthrown by t ...

, the modern

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

1076–1253 * Jabrids Emirate, Eastern and center Arabia 1417–1524 * Emirate of Al-Uyaynah central Arabia 1446–1760 * Bani Khalid Emirate, Eastern Arabia 1669–1796 * Emirate of Beihan, modern southern

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

1680–1967 *

Emirate of Diriyah The first Saudi state (), officially the Emirate of Diriyah (), was established in 1744, when the emir of a Najdi town called Diriyah, Muhammad I, and the religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab signed a pact to found a socio-religious ...

, mainly in modern

and the

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...

1727–1818 *

Emirate of Nejd The second Saudi state (), officially known as the Emirate of Najd, was a state that existed between 1824 and 1891 in the Najd region of what is now Saudi Arabia. Saudi rule was restored to central (Najd) and Eastern Arabia after the first Sau ...

, center and eastern

Arabia The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

1818–91 *

Emirate of Dhala Dhala or Dhali` ( '), Amiri ( '), or the Emirate of Dhala ( ') was a state in the British Aden Protectorate, the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, and its successor, the Federation of South Arabia. Its capital was Dhala (Ad Dali'). Histo ...

, modern southern

early 19th century to 1967 *

Emirate of Jabal Shammar The Emirate of Jabal Shammar (), also known as the Emirate of Haʾil () or the Rashidi Emirate (), was a state in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula, including Najd, existing from the mid-nineteenth century to 1921.J. A. Hammerton. ''P ...

, northcentral Arabia 1836–1921 *

Emirate of Nejd and Hasa The Emirate of Nejd and Hasa was the second iteration of the Third Saudi State from 1913 to 1921. It was a monarchy led by the House of Saud.Madawi Al-Rasheed. (2002). ''A History of Saudi Arabia''. Cambridge, England, UK: Cambridge University ...

, central Arabia 1902–21 *

Idrisid Emirate of Asir The Emirate of Asir () was a state located in the Arabian Peninsula. The Emirate was in the modern-day provinces of Asir and Jazan Province, Jazan, in what is now southwestern Saudi Arabia, and extending to Al Hudaydah Governorate, al-Hudaydah in ...

Jizan Jizan () is a city and the capital of Jazan Province, which lies in the southwest corner of Saudi Arabia. Jizan is situated on the coast of the Red Sea and serves a large agricultural heartland that has a population of 173,919 as of 2022 and over ...

in modern southwestern

1906–34 * Emirate of Bahrain, 1971–2002 (before it was under a hakim (ruler); after under a malik (king)) * Emirates of Saudi Arabia, the thirteen provinces of

File:FederationOfSouthArabiaMap.jpg, Beihan and Dhala in South Arabia File:First Saudi State Big.png, Diriyah File:Second Saudi State Big.png, Nejd File:Alrasheed hail english.png, Jabal Shammar File:Sa mapa6.png, Asir at its height File:LocationBahrain.svg, Bahrain File:Saudi Arabia - province locator template.png, Saudi Arabian emirate divisions

Central Asia

Emirate of Bukhara The Emirate of Bukhara (, ) was a Muslims, Muslim-Uzbeks, Uzbek polity in Central Asia that existed from 1785 to 1920 in what is now Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It occupied the land between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rive ...

, modern

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

1785–1920 * Khotan Emirate, 1933 northwest China, merged into

First East Turkestan Republic The Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan (TIRET) was a breakaway state centered on the city of Kashgar, located in the far west of China's Xinjiang Province, Republic of China, Xinjiang Province. It is often described as the First East T ...

File:Bukhara1850.png, Bukhara File:First ETR in China.svg, Khotan in modern China

South Asia

Emirate of Afghanistan The Emirate of Afghanistan, known as the Emirate of Kabul until 1855, was an emirate in Central Asia and South Asia that encompassed present-day Afghanistan and parts of present-day Pakistan (before 1893). The emirate emerged from the Durrani ...

1823–1929 *

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (), also referred to as the First Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, was a totalitarian Islamic state led by the Taliban that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. At its peak, the Taliban government ...

, first period of

Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...

rule in

( overthrown) * Islamic Emirate of Kunar, southern Afghanistan 1991–1991 *

Emirate of Multan The Emirate of Multan was a medieval kingdom in Punjab region in the northwest Indian subcontinent that was centred around city of Multan (present-day Punjab, Pakistan). It initially extended towards parts of Kashmir, and included parts of present ...

* Habbarid Emirate File:LocationAfghanistan.svg, Emirate of Afghanistan

Near East

*Emirate of

Mosul Mosul ( ; , , ; ; ; ) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. It is the second largest city in Iraq overall after the capital Baghdad. Situated on the banks of Tigris, the city encloses the ruins of the ...

(see list of emirs for more), modern

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

905–1096, 1127–1222, 1254–1383, 1758–1918 * Emirate of Melitene, modern central Turkey mid-ninth century to 934 * Emirate of Amida, modern

Eastern Turkey The Eastern Anatolia region () is a geographical region of Turkey. The most populous province in the region is Van Province. Other populous provinces are Malatya, Erzurum and Elazığ. It is bordered by the Black Sea Region and Georgia in th ...

983–1085 * Karaman Emirate, south-central

Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

1250–1487 *

Emirate of Aydin The Aydinids or Aydinid dynasty ( Modern Turkish: ''Aydınoğulları'', ''Aydınoğulları Beyliği'', Old Anatolian Turkish: آیدین اوغوللاری بیلیغی, also known as the Principality of Aydin and Beylik of Aydin (), was one ...

, state composed of

Oghuz Turks The Oghuz Turks ( Middle Turkic: , ) were a western Turkic people who spoke the Oghuz branch of the Turkic language family. In the 8th century, they formed a tribal confederation conventionally named the Oghuz Yabgu State in Central Asia ...

in modern Turkey from the early 14th century to 1390 * Emirate of Dulkadir, modern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

1337–1522 *

Emirate of Erzincan The Emirate of Erzincan was a state centered around the city of Erzincan that controlled parts of eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus in the 14th and early 15th centuries. Its first known ruler, Ahi Ayna (), rose to power as a vassal of the Eretnid ...

, 14–15th centuries * Emirate of Ramazan, modern

1352–1608 *

Emirate of Mount Lebanon The Emirate of Mount Lebanon () was a part of Mount Lebanon that enjoyed variable degrees of partial autonomy under the stable suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire between the mid-16th and the early-19th century. The town of Baakleen was the seat o ...

, modern

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

1516–1842 * Timurid Emirates,

Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...

's empire and the minor emirates left behind after the fall of the

Timurid dynasty The Timurid dynasty, self-designated as Gurkani (), was the ruling dynasty of the Timurid Empire (1370–1507). It was a Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim dynasty or Barlās clan of Turco-Mongol originB.F. Manz, ''"Tīmūr Lang"'', in Encyclopaedia of I ...

in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, 1526-c.1550 *

Soran Emirate Soran Emirate () was a medieval Kurdish emirate established before the conquest of Kurdistan by Ottoman Empire in 1514 and later revived by Emir Kor centered in Rawandiz from 1816 to 1836. Kor was ousted in an offensive by the Ottomans. Early ye ...

, modern northern Iraq 1816–35 *

Az Zubayr Az Zubayr () is a city in and the capital of Al-Zubayr District, part of the Basra Governorate of Iraq. The city is just south of Basra. The name is also sometimes written Al Zubayr, Al Zubair, Az Zubair, Zubair, Zoubair, El Zubair, or Zobier. ...

, town in

Basra Governorate Basra Governorate ( ), also called Basra Province, is a governorate in southern Iraq in the region of Arabian Peninsula, bordering Kuwait to the south and Iran to the east. The capital is the city of Basra, located in the Basrah district. Other ...

, Iraq during 16th century *

Emirate of Transjordan The Emirate of Transjordan (), officially the Amirate of Trans-Jordan, was a British protectorate established on 11 April 1921,Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

1921–46 * Islamic Emirate of Byara, modern

Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region (KRI) is a semi-autonomous Federal regions of Iraq, federal region of the Iraq, Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurds, Kurdish-majority governorates of Arabs, Arab-majority Iraq: Erbil Governorate, Sulaymaniyah Governorate ...

, 2001–2003 File:Anatolia1300.png, Ottoman emirate in 1300, labeled 'Osman' File:Timurid Dynasty 821 - 873 (AH).png, Timurid Emirate under the leadership of

File:PalestineAndTransjordan.png, Transjordan

Europe

Caucasus

* The Emirate of Armenia,

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

637–884 * Emirate of Darband,

Dagestan Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...

869–1075 *

Emirate of Tbilisi The Emirate of Tbilisi ( ka, თბილისის საამირო ', ') was a Islam, Muslim emirate in Transcaucasia. The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today's eastern Georgia (country), Georgia from their base in the city ...

, modern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

736–1080, nominally to 1122 * North Caucasian Emirate,

Chechnya Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...

and

in the

1919–1920 *

Caucasus Emirate The Caucasus Emirate (, IK; ), also known as the Caucasian Emirate, Emirate of Caucasus, or Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, was a jihadist organisation active in rebel-held parts of Syria and previously in the North Caucasus region of Russia. It ...

2007–2017 (unrecognized) File:Shaddadid.gif, Darband, Azerbaijan File:81ArabAbbasidPeriod750-885.gif, Armenia

Iberia

Emirate of Córdoba An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...

, modern Spain and Portugal 756–929 (title changed to

caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

in 929) * Emirate of Badajoz, modern Portugal and western Spain 1009–1151 * Emirate of Almería, region of

Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...

and Cartagena in modern Spain off and on 1013–1091 * Emirate of Jerez, towns of

Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera () or simply Jerez, also cited in old English-language sources as , is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Sp ...

and

Arcos de la Frontera Arcos de la Frontera () is a town and municipality in the Sierra de Cádiz comarca, province of Cádiz (province), Cádiz, in Andalusia, Spain. Location Arcos de la Frontera is 64 km N-E of Cádiz and 35 km E-N-E of Jerez de la Front ...

in modern southern Spain 1145–1147 *

Emirate of Granada The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Emirate, Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western ...

, modern southern Spain 1228–1492 File:Coras del Emirato de Córdoba.png, Córdoba File:Location map Taifa of Badajoz.svg, Badajoz File:Reino de Granada.svg, Granada

Mediterranean region

Emirate of Crete The Emirate of Crete ( or , ; ) was an Arab Islamic state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to Siege of Chandax, the reconquest of the island by the Byzantine Empire in 961. Although the emirate recognized the ...

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

, modern Greece, 824 or 827/828 to 961 *

Emirate of Bari The Emirate of Bari () was a short-lived Islamic state in Apulia (in present-day Italy), ruled by Berbers.Bondioli, L. M. (2018). "Chapter 23 Islamic Bari between the Aghlabids and the Two Empires". In The Aghlabids and Their Neighbors. Leiden, Th ...

, city of

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

in southern Italy 847–871 * Emirate of Malta, 870–1091 *

Emirate of Sicily The island of SicilyIn Arabic, the island was known as (). was under Islam, Islamic rule from the late ninth to the late eleventh centuries. It became a prosperous and influential commercial power in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, with ...

965–1072 *

Emirate of Qatansáar An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalent ...

,city of

Catanzaro Catanzaro (; or ; ), also known as the "City of the two Seas" (), is an Italian city of 86,183 inhabitants (2020), the capital of the Calabria region and of its province and the second most populated comune of the region, behind Reggio Calabr ...

in southern Italy 903-1050 File:Periferia Kritis.png, Crete within modern Greece File:Italy 1000 AD.svg, Sicily (at bottom)

References

{{Authority control Feudalism Monarchy

Etymology

Types

Monarchies

Provinces

List of present emirates

List of former and integrated emirates

Africa

North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

=Ethiopia

=Ghana

=Niger

=Nigeria

Asia

Arabia

Central Asia

South Asia

Near East

Europe

Caucasus

Iberia

Mediterranean region

See also

References