As with many princely and administrative titles, viceroy is often used, generally unofficially, to render somewhat equivalent titles and offices in non-western cultures.
Africa In cultures all over the continent of Africa, the role of viceroy has been subsumed into a hereditary noble as opposed to strictly administrative position. In the Arabo-Berber north, for example, the title of
Khalifa is often used by individuals who derive their authority to rule from someone else in much the same way as a viceroy would. Elsewhere, subordinate
inkosis under the rule of a
paramount chief like the
King of the Zulu Nation of
Southern Africa or subordinate
baales in the realms of the reigning
obas of
West African
Yorubaland continue to occupy statutorily recognized positions in the contemporary countries of
South Africa and
Nigeria as the customary representatives of their respective principals in the various areas that are under their immediate control.
Indian empires Magadha Empire The viceroy in the
Magadha Empire was called
Uparaja (lit. vice king).
Mughal Empire The
Mughal Empire had a system of administration which involved both official governors appointed from the capital, and local feudal lords (
zamindars).
Subahdars were the former, and can be seen as equivalents of viceroys, governing the provinces (
subahs) by appointment from the capital.
Mansabdars were military governors who were also appointed to provincial government, but they were appointed for military rather than civilian government.
Ottoman Empire The
Khedive of Egypt, especially during the reign of
Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805–1848). This officer established an almost autonomous regime in Egypt, which officially still was under Ottoman rule. Although Mehemet Ali/Muhammad Ali used different symbols to mark his independence from the
Sublime Porte, he never openly declared himself independent. Adopting the title of viceroy was yet another way to walk the thin line between challenging the Sultan's power explicitly and respecting his jurisdiction. Muhammad Ali Pasha's grandson,
Ismail Pasha, subsequently received the title of
Khedive which was almost an equivalent to viceroy. Other titles, such as
Sharif (as in the
Sharifate of Mecca), or
Khan (as in the
Crimean Khanate or the
Khanate of Kazan), denoted hereditary rulers of Ottoman vassal states, under the Sultan's titles of
Caliph and
Great Khan, respectively. Titles such as
pasha,
beylerbey,
bey, and
agha denote officials who were, at least nominally, appointed to their positions by the
Sublime Porte rather than hereditary privilege.
Pashas and
beylerbeys were appointed to govern provinces called
eyalets, until the promulgation of the
Vilayet Law in 1867 ended the eyalet system, replacing it with more centrally-controlled
vilayets. The beylerbey of the
Rumelia Eyalet was the only provincial governor entitled to a seat in the
Imperial Council, but only when a matter fell within his jurisdiction.
Vietnamese Empire The post of Tổng Trấn (
governor of all military provinces) was a political post in the early period of the
Vietnamese
Nguyễn dynasty (1802–1830). From 1802, under the reign of emperor
Gia Long, there were two
Tổng Trấn who administered Vietnam's northern part named
Bắc thành with administrative center in
Hanoi and the southern part
Gia Định thành with administrative center in
Gia Định, while Nguyen emperors ruled only the central region
Kinh Kỳ from capital
Phú Xuân.
Tổng Trấn is sometimes translated to English as viceroy. In 1830, emperor
Minh Mạng abolished the post in order to increase the imperial direct ruling power in all over Vietnam.
Chinese empires During the
Han,
Ming and
Qing dynasties, there existed positions of viceroys having control over various provinces (e.g.,
Liangguang =
Guangdong and
Guangxi,
Huguang =
Hubei and
Hunan).
Siam In Siam before 1885, the title was used for the heir-apparent or heir presumptive (Thai: กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล). The title was abolished and replaced with that of the
Crown Prince of Siam. ==See also==