Warlord
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A '''warlord''' is a person with power who has [[military dictatorship|military control]] over a subnational area due to [[armed forces]] loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that [[war]] is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in [[war]]. The word has a strong connotation that the person exercises far more power than his official title or rank (if any) legitimately permits him or her. Under [[feudalism]], in contrast, the local military leader may enjoy great autonomy and a personal army, but still derives legitimacy from formal fealty to a central authority.
'''Warlordism''' was coined to describe chaos at the end of the [[Qing Dynasty]] and the birth of the [[Republic of China]], especially after the death of [[Yuan Shikai]], as the [[warlord era]] of China. It can however be used to describe similar periods in other countries or epochs such as in Japan during the [[Sengoku]] period, or in [[China]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]], or in Somalia or other [[failed states]] today (2006).
The word "warlord" arose as a [[calque]] from the German word "Kriegsherr" with the same meaning. Today the Germans often use the English word, which has overtaken "Kriegsherr" in their language.
==Historical warlordism in Europe==
Warlordism in Europe is usually connected to various [[mercenary]] companies and their chieftains, which often were ''de facto'' powerholders in the areas in which they resided. Such free companies would arise in a situation when the recognized central power had collapsed, such as in the [[Great Interregnum]] in Germany (1254-1278) or in France during the [[Hundred Years' War]] after the [[Battle of Poitiers (1356)|Battle of Poitiers]].
Free company mercenary captains, such as Sir [[Leigh-Anne Hendrick]], [[Roger de Flor]] of [[Catalan Company]] or [[Hugh Calveley]] could be considered as warlords. Several [[condottieri]] in Italy can also be classified as warlords.
[[Ygo Gales Galama]] was a famous [[Frisian]] [[warlord]], and so was his descendant [[Lord Donia|Pier Gerlofs Donia]], who was also the leader of the legendary [[Arumer Black Heap]]. Donia's best known enemy and rival was a mercenary himself; the [[Count of Nychlenborch]], a Burgundian-vassal. All these legendary warriors can be considered warlords.
The Imperial commanders-in-chief during the reign of Emperor [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]] did hold the title ''[[Kriegsherr]]'' of which the direct translation was "warlord", but they were not warlords in sense of the word defined.
==Historical warlordism in Japan==
During most of the 16th century, before the [[Edo period|Tokugawa]] era, [[Japan]] was tormented by repeated wars among rival warlords (see [[Sengoku Era]]). Each warlord had several [[castle]]s, neighbouring land with [[peasant]]s and a private army of [[samurai]].
===Powerful Japanese warlords===
* [[Oda Nobunaga]]
* [[Uesugi Kenshin]]
* [[Takeda Shingen]]
* [[Hōjō Sōun]]
* [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]]
==Historical warlordism in China==
Warlords exercised widespread rule in [[China]] several times in Chinese history — notably in the period from the [[Xinhai Revolution]], when numerous provinces rebelled and declared their independence from the [[Qing Dynasty]] in 1911, and especially after [[Yuan Shikai]]'s death, until the [[Northern Expedition (1926–1927)|Northern Expedition]] in 1927. This was a period known as the [[Warlord era]], and was the time when the term "warlord" first appeared. Despite the superficial unification of China in 1927 under the rule of the [[Kuomintang]] under [[Chiang Kai-shek]], warlordism remained a problem until the victory of the [[Communist Party of China]] in 1949.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
The Chinese warlords are depicted in the [[computer game]] "[[Hearts of Iron]]" and its sequel "[[Hearts of Iron 2]]", which are both banned in mainland China. Another popular game with a similar plot is the "[[Dynasty Warriors]]" series. These feature many real historic warlords as [[general]]s in or leaders of their respective dynasties. Some main characters include prominent [[Three Kingdoms]] figures.
===Famous warlords during the Three Kingdoms (190-280)===
* [[Gongsun Zan]]
* [[Dong Zhuo]]
* [[Yuan Shao]]
* [[Yuan Shu]]
* [[Sun Jian]]
* [[Sun Ce]]
* [[Sun Quan]]
* [[Cao Cao]]
* [[Liu Bei]]
* [[Liu Biao]]
* [[Liu Zhang]]
* [[Lu Bu]]
* [[Ma Teng]]
===Powerful warlords during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234)===
* [[Puxian Wannu]]
===Powerful warlords during the Republic of China===
There were twelve warlords who served as Area Commanders officially:
* [[Zhang Zuolin]] (Chang Tso-lin) — "Old Marshal", "Rain Marshal" or "Mukden Tiger".
* [[Zhang Xueliang]] (Chang Hsüeh-liang) — "Young Marshal".
* [[Zhang Zongchang]] (Chang Tsung-ch'ang) — "The Dogmeat General".
* [[Feng Yuxiang]] (Feng Yü-hsiang) — "The Christian General".
* [[Bai Chongxi]] (Pai Ch'ung-hsi) — "The Muslim General".
* [[Yan Xishan]] (Yen Hsi-shan) — "The Model Governor".
* [[Wu Peifu]] — "The Jade Marshal".
==Historical Warlordism in Korea==
During the last years of the [[Silla|Kingdom of Silla]], also known as the [[Later Three Kingdoms]], various warlords rebelled against the government and were in [[de facto]] control of the [[Korean Peninsula]]. The warlordism in Korea plagued the nation until [[Goryeo Dynasty]] finally defeated and merged all the warlords and united the country once again.
===Powerful Korean warlords===
* [[Taejo of Goryeo|Wang Gun]]
* [[Gung Ye]]
* [[Gyeon Hwon]]
* [[Yang Gil]]
* [[Gi Hwon]]
* [[Ajagae]]
* [[Wang Sunsik]]
==Warlordism in the world today==
Warlordism appears in so-called [[failed states]]: states in which central government and nationwide authorities have collapsed or exist merely formally without actual control over the state territory. They are usually defined by a high level of [[clientelism]], low bureaucratic control and a high motivation in prolonging war for the maintenance of their economic system, mainly based on the extraction of natural resources.
Examples:
*[[Somalia]]: With the collapse of the central government, groups of rival warlords constitute the only form of authority in some parts of the country.
*Other countries and territories with warlords include [[Afghanistan]], [[Iraq]], [[Chechnya]], [[Burma]], [[Colombia]], the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Sri Lanka]] and [[Pakistan]].
== Further reading ==
* Sasha Lezhnev: ''Crafting Peace: Strategies to Deal with Warlords in Collapsing States.'' Plymouth 2005, ISBN 978-0-7391-1765-1.
==See also==
* [[Anarchy]]
* [[Plutocracy]]
* [[Despotism]]
* [[Strongman (politics)]]
* [[List of countries by Failed States Index]]
[[Category:Positions of authority]]
[[Category:Warlordism| ]]
[[br:Tiern a vrezel]]
[[de:Kriegsherr]]
[[es:Señor de la guerra]]
[[fa:جنگسالاری]]
[[fr:Seigneur de la guerre]]
[[ko:군벌]]
[[id:Raja perang]]
[[it:Signore della guerra]]
[[he:מצביא]]
[[nl:Krijgsheer]]
[[ja:軍閥]]
[[pt:Chefe militar]]
[[fi:Sotaherra]]
[[sv:Krigsherre]]
[[zh:军阀]]