Suzerainty

Suzerainty (American accent: soo-zer-en-tee) happens when a country X has its own government but cannot act independently because of a more powerful country Y.^[1][2] This more powerful country Y is called the suzerain and can usually control the foreign relations of X (how X interacts with other countries).

It differs from sovereignty in that the tributary still has limited control of its own stuff and internal country affairs.

A suzerain can also mean a feudal lord.^[2] Vassals must pay tribute to the feudal lord.

1. ↑ "Definition of SUZERAINTY". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Home : Oxford English Dictionary". www.oed.com. Retrieved 2019-07-22.