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List of confederations

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This is an incomplete attempt at an exhaustive list of confederations.

Confederations of states

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Includes confederations of confederations.

Name Period Type Notes
Philistia 1450–604 BC Confederation of States A confederation of city states in the Gaza strip.
Assuwa 1400-14th century BC Confederation of States Confederation of 22 states in Anatolia formed to fight the Hittite Empire.
Xu (state) ? - 512 BC Confederation of States
Sea Peoples 1200 BC Hypothesised seafaring confederation that initiated the Late Bronze Age collapse in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East.
Three Crowned Kings 600 BC–300 AD Confederation of States Three Tamil dynasties which ruled in a triumvirate in Tamilakam, South Asia.
Etruscan dodecapolis 6th Cent. BC Confederation of cities one of many Etruscan Leagues that was a confederation of twelve towns
Jin (Korean state) 4th–2nd cent. BC Confederation of States
Ba (state) ? - 326 BC Confederation of Cheifdoms
Mahan confederacy 194 BC–?th cent. AD Confederation of States
Gaya Confederacy 42–532 AD Confederation of States A Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period.
Xianbei confederacy 93–234 AD Confederation of tribal confederations Nomadic empire in Eastern Asia.
Quda'a 4th cent.-12th cent. AD Confederations or tribes and tribal confederations Confederation of Arab tribes.
Toltec Empire 496–1122 AD Confederation of States Existed as a confederation between the Toltecs and the Chichimeca, simultaneously as an empire exerting control over places like Cholula.
First Turkic Khaganate 552–603 AD Confederation of tribal confederations Göktürk confederation in Eurasia (unsure if actually a confederation)
Oqun/Western Turkic Khaganate 603-657/742 AD Confederation of tribal confederations Split from the First Turkic Khaganate. Bore[clarification needed] the Nushibi confederation.
Papal States 756–1870 Confederation of States
Muisca Confederation c. 800-1540 AD Confederation of States A confederation of Muisca chiefdoms in South America.
Kimek–Kipchak confederation 880-1035 AD Confederation of tribal confederations Turkic state formed by seven peoples, including the Yemek and Kipchaks, in the area between the Ob and Irtysh rivers.
League of Mayapan 987–1461 AD Confederation of States Pre-Hispanic state in Yucatan.
Cuman-Kipchak Confederation 10th cent.–1241 AD Confederation of tribal confederations Confederation dominated by two Turkic nomadic tribes: the Cumans (also known as the Polovtsians or Folban) and the Kipchaks in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe.
Cinque Ports 11th cent.–present Confederation of Towns A confederation of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex, England that formerly existed for military and trade purposes but continues for ceremonial reasons.
Aymara kingdoms 1151–1477 Confederation of States Alliance of native polities in South America, later conquered by the Inca Empire.
Veronese League [it] 1164–1167 Defensive League was merged into the Lombard League
Lombard League 1167–1250 Defensive League
Tuscan League 1197–? Defensive League
Kingdom of Cusco 1200–1438 Confederation of Cheifdoms
Livonian Confederation 1207–1561 Confederation of States
First Rhenish League [de] 1254–1257 League of Cities
Old Swiss Confederacy 1291 – 1798 Confederation of States
Hanseatic League 13th Century - 1669 Trade Confederation
Jolof Empire 13th century–1549 Confederation of States Confederacy of Wolof and Serer kingdoms in modern-day Senegambia.
Thuringian Three-City League [de] 1304–1481 League of Cities
Confederation of Madya-as 13th cent.–1569 Confederal Monarchy A pre-Hispanic state that was located in the Philippines.
Chalco (altépetl) 13th cent.–1521 Confederation of States
Halberstadt Three-City League [de] 1326–1486 League of Cities
Swabian League of Cities 1331–1389 League of Cities
Confederacy of Tlaxcala 1348–1520 Confederation of States
Lusatian League 1346–1815 League
Décapole 1354–1679 Defensive League
League of God's House 1367–1799 Confederation of States
Confederation of Cologne 1367–1385 Military Confederation
Aq Qoyunlu 1378–1503 Confederation of States
Grey League 1395–1799 League
Lizard League (medieval) 1397–1411 League
Oirat Confederation 1399–1634 Confederation of tribal federations Confederation of four Oirat tribes
League of the Ten Jurisdictions 1436 – 1799 League
Prussian Confederation 1440–1466 Confederation of States
Nogai Horde 1440s–1634 Confederations of tribal federations Confederation formed by the Nogais in the Pontic-Caspian Steppe
League of Lezhë 1444–1468 League Albanian League of nobles revolting against the Ottoman empire
Aztec Empire 1428–1521 Confederation of States Alliance between three city states in Central America
Menceyatos Confederation pre-15th cent. Confederation of States Confederation on Tenerife prior to Spanish conquest of the Canary Islands. Taoro was primus inter pares.
Three Leagues 1471-1799 League
Swabian League 1488 - 1534 League
Kwararafa Confederacy 1500-1840 Confederation of States Multi-ethnic confederation in central Nigeria.
League of Cambrai 1508–1511 Military League a military coalition league against the Republic of Venice
League of Cognac 1526 - 1530 Military League
Confederation of Shan States 1527–1550s Confederation of States Confederation in Myanmar that conquered the Ava Kingdom.
Schmalkaldic League 1531–1550s League A league of Germanic Lutheran princes that sought to create a protestant replacement for the Holy Roman Empire
United Provinces of the Midi [fr] 1573–1589 Confederation of communities confederation of local communities in southern france during the French wars of religion
Catholic League (French) 1576–1595 Military League
Chaubisi Rajya 16th cent.–1810 Confederation of States A confederation of 24 states. One of these, Gorkha, later conquered the others to form the Kingdom of Nepal.
Baise Rajya ?–1810 Confederation of States A confederation of 22 states, later conquered by Gorkha in the unification of Nepal.
Seven Kingdoms of Kongo dia Nlaza 16th cent. Confederation of States Confederation of seven kingdoms that were conquered by the Kingdom of Kongo
Kingdom of Lunda 1600-1887 Confederation of States Confederation of states in the Upemba Depression in modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Protestant Union 1608–1621 Military League
Catholic League (German) 1609–1635 Military League
Confederate States of Lanao 1616–1904 Confederation of States Confederation on Mindanao, Philippines.
Bohemian Confederation [de] 1619–1620 Confederation of Estates
Heilbronn League 1633–1635 League
Confederate Ireland 1642–1652 Confederal Monarchy
New England New England Confederation 1643–1684 Confederation of States British colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven.
Maratha Confederacy 1671-1818 Confederation of States
League of Augsburg 1686 - ? Military League
Aro Confederacy 1690–1902 Confederation of States One of the two largest precolonial and colonial empires of the Igbo (Ibo) people of West Africa. (The other is the Kingdom of Nri.)
Dzików Confederation 1734–1736 Military Confederation
Sikh Confederacy 1748–1799 Confederation of States Confederation of 12 Sikh states.
Heshun Confederation 1776–1839 Confederation of States Confederation of Kongsi republics in Borneo.
United States of America 1781–1789 Confederation of States In its first steps, the United States was a confederation of thirteen states (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations) organized under the Articles of Confederation. Superseded by the new government under the U.S. Constitution.
United Belgian States 1790 Confederation of States
Ekiti Confederacy 1800s–1893/1914 Confederation of States Formed by the Ekiti people, a subset of Yoruba, in Nigeria.
Sokoto Caliphate 1804 – 1903 Confederation of Emirates
Confederation of the Rhine 1806–1813 Confederation of States Client state of the First French Empire. Dissolved after the Battle of Leipzig in the War of the Sixth Coalition.
 United Provinces of New Granada 1811–1816 Confederation of States Secessionist state in South America later reconquered by Spain
American Confederation of Venezuela 1811 - 1819 confederal republic
Sweden-Norway 1814–1905 Union of kingdoms Personal union between Sweden and Norway. Dissolved after the 1905 Norwegian plebiscite.
German Confederation 1815–1866 Confederation of States Created as loose confederation of German states by the Congress of Vienna to replace the Holy Roman Empire. Weakened by the Austro-Prussian rivalry and the German Revolutions of 1848 before its final dissolution after Prussia's victory in the Austro-Prussian War.
League of the Free Peoples 1815–1820 Confederation of States
Confederation of the Equator 1824
Argentine Confederation 1831–1861 Confederation of States First political organization of Argentina. Highly decentralized and without a head of state.
Peru-Bolivian Confederation 1836–1839 Union of States
Sonderbund 1845–1847 AD Confederation of States A rival confederation of cantons in Switzerland during the Sonderbund War
Granadine Confederation 1858–1863 Confederation of States
 Confederate States of America 1861–1865 Confederation of States Confederation[citation needed] established by several southern slave states that seceded from the Union. It comprised 11 states: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Kentucky and Missouri were both claimed by the Confederacy but never officially seceded. The Confederation was never officially recognized as a nation, although the United Kingdom and France recognized it as a belligerent power. Was reabsorbed by the United States after the American Civil War.
North German Confederation 1867–1871 Confederation of States Military alliance of 22 states of Germany with the Kingdom of Prussia formed by the Augustbündnis. Superseded by the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.
Fante Confederacy 1867–1873 Confederation of States Formed by the Fante people, a subset of Akan, in Ghana.
 Austria-Hungary 1867–1918 Union of Kingdoms Personal union between the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council (Austria) and the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (Hungary). Dissolved by the Treaties of Trianon and Saint-Germain-en-Laye after World War I.
Carlist States 1872–1876 Confederation of States Established by the Carlists in Basque provinces and Navarre during the war.
Confederated Republic of Altai 1918–1922 Confederal Republic Attempt at creating an independent Altai, but was annexed by the Soviet Union.
Republic of the Rif 1921–1926 Confederal Republic
 Soviet Union 1922–1936 Confederation of States Originally it was a confederation between four soviet socialist republics (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic and Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic). As a confederation of member states, Soviet constitutions formally defined each member republic as a sovereign state, whose membership was voluntary, and who could secede at any time. Soviet constitutions of 1936 onward defined the state as a federation. Dissolved in 1991.
Northwest Chinese Soviet Federation 1935–1936 Confederation of States included the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Geledesha [zh] and the Tibetan People's Republic.
Western Galla Confederation 1936 Confederation of Cheifdoms
Netherlands-Indonesia Union 1949–1956 Union of States
Ethiopian Empire 1952–1962 Union of States Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea, an attempt to merge Eritrea and Ethiopia. Dissolved after Emperor Haile Selassie I formally annexed Eritrea to Ethiopia.
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1953–1963 Union of States Also known as the Central African Federation, consisting of the then British colonies of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland (current Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi).
Arab Federation 1958 Union of States Ephemeral union of Jordan and Iraq. Dissolved after the overthrow of King Faisal II of Iraq in the July 14 Revolution.
 United Arab Republic 1958–1961 Union of States Union between Syria and Egypt. Dissolved after Syria's withdrawal following the 1961 Syrian coup d'état.
United Arab States 1958–1961 Union of States Confederation between the United Arab Republic and North Yemen. Dissolved due to the breakup of the United Arab Republic.
Union of African States 1958–1961 Union of States An attempt to merge Ghana, Guinea and Mali through the views of panafricanism. Dissolved due to rising tensions between the countries after the 1963 Togolese coup d'état.
Federation of Arab Republics 1972–1977 Union of States An attempt to merge Libya, Egypt and Syria. Dissolved despite public approval in each of the countries due to disagreements among the governments on the terms of the merger.
Arab Islamic Republic 1974 Union of States Short-lived proposed union of Libya and Tunisia.
Senegambia Confederation 1982–1989 Union of States Confederation that included the present-day countries of Senegal and Gambia.
Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus 1989–2000 Confederal militarized Quasi-State A militarized political organization in the Caucasus
 Serbia and Montenegro 2003–2006 Union of States Replaced the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Dissolved after the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum.
Novorossiya 2014–present Confederation of States A proposed and de facto confederation that emerged during the War in Donbas.

Greek city state leagues

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The Ancient Greeks formed many Leagues which often acted as confederations and alliances usually to combat a common enemy, These polities would often be known as symmachia and koinon.

Name Period Notes
Amphictyonic league
Ionian League 650 - 133 BC
Peloponnesian League 550 - 366 BC
Acarnanian League 5th cent. - 31 BC
Thessalian League
Delian League 478-404 BC Confederation of Greek city-states formed to fight the Achaemenid Empire.
Chalcidian League 430 - 348 BC
Italiote league 430 - 278 BC A confederation of Greek Colonies in Southern Italy
Epirote League
Aetolian League 4th cent. –188 BC
Euboean League 3rd cent. BC - 2nd cent. AD
Second Athenian League 378 - 355 BC A revival of the former Delian League
League of Corinth 338/337 – 322 BC
Arcadian League 370 - 2nd cent. BC
League of the Islanders 314 - 167 BC
Achaean League 280–146 BC
League of the Macedonians
Chrysaorian League
League of Free Laconians 21 BC - 297 AD

Tribal confederations

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Name Period Notes
Thinite Confederacy ?-3150 BC A speculated tribal confederation based in Thinis that constituted the Upper Egypt Kingdom.
Medjay pre 23rd cent.-11th cent. BC Confederation of nomadic peoples in Ancient Egypt
Israelites 1200-10th cent. BC Tribal grouping that would form the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
Thamud 8th cent. BC - 5th cent. AD Arab tribal confederation.
Donghu 7th cent.-150 BC Tribal confederation of Hu in Mongolia.
Dahae pre 4th cent. BC-? Ancient tribal confederation in Iran.
Sarmatians 3rd cent. BC-4th cent. AD Confederation in Iran.
Massylii 202 BC A Berber tribal confederation that formed Numidia.
Byeonhan confederacy 194 BC–42 AD
Jinhan confederacy 194 BC – 4th cent. AD
Belgae pre 1st cent. BC-? Confederation of tribes in northern Gaul.
Caledonian Confederacy pre 1st cent.-3rd cent. AD Confederation in Scotland during the Roman Empire.
Musulamii pre 1st century AD-? Berber tribal confederation that fought the Romans led by Tacfarinas.
Clan Chattan ?-present Confederation of clans in the Scottish Highlands.
Maeatae ?-3rd cent. AD Tribal confederation in Roman Britain.
Tanukhids 196-1100 AD A confederation of Arab tribes.
Alemanni 213 AD - ? A Confederation of Germanic Tribes that ruled the kingdom of Alamannia
Kabyle tribes [fr] 3rd cent. AD-?/present Includes the Aït Djennad [fr], Aït Ouaguenoun [fr], Aït Idjer [fr], Aït Betroun [fr], Aït Iraten [fr] and Aït Mengellat [fr] confederations of the Kabyle people. The last three make up the Igawawen.
Rouran Khaganate 330-555 AD Tribal confederation in east Asia which evolved into a state.
Nemencha pre 5th century-? Berber tribal confederation that formed a kingdom in the 5th century.
Tuareg Confederations 5th cent.-1905/1917/present AD 8 tribal confederations in the Sahara: Kel Ajjer, Kel Ahaggar, Kel Adagh, Kel Ataram, Kel Denneg, Kel Ayr, Kel Gres and Kel Owey.
Turkic tribal confederations 5th cent.-9th cent. AD Onogurs, Utigurs, Kutrigurs, Uyghurs and the Saragurs.
Toquz Oghuz 603-? AD Confederation of nine Turkic Tiele tribes.
Xueyantuo 628-723 AD Confederation of two tribes which split from Tiele.
Türgesh 699-766 AD Turkic tribal confederation.
Hawwara pre 7th cent.-present Berber-Arab tribal confederation in the Maghreb. In Ancient times, was part of Numidia.
Banu Hilal pre 7th cent. AD-?/present An Arab tribal confederation that migrated to the Maghreb in the Hilalian invasion of Ifriqiya with the support of the Fatimids.
Karluks 7th cent.-? AD Confederation of three tribes, unclear if they achieved independence at one point.
Zenata pre 8th cent. AD-?/present Grouping of tribal confederations that bore the Zayyanids, Marinids and Wattasids. Made up of Jarawa and Maghrawa.
Tatar confederation 8th cent.-1202 AD Tribal confederation in the Mongolian Plateau made up of 9 tribes.
Magyar tribes 830 AD-? Confederation of Hungarian tribes.
Danhāǧa pre 9th cent. AD-?/present Grouping of tribal confederations and component of the Sanhaja triad (1st type). Made up of Bavares, Igawawen and Quinquegentiani/Massylii. Bore the Zirids, Hammadids and Fatimids.
Aznag pre 9th cent. AD-?/present Grouping of tribal confederations and component of the Sanhaja triad (2nd type). Bore the Almoravids.
Sanhaja pre 9th cent. AD-?/present Grouping of tribal confederations and component of the Sanhaja triad (3rd type). Bore the Almohads and Hafsids.
Masmuda pre 9th cent.-? Grouping of tribal confederations in the Maghreb. Made up of Ghumara, Hintata and Barghawata.
Maqil pre 11th cent. AD-?/present A Bedouin nomadic tribal confederation which migrated to the Maghreb from South Arabia in the 11th cent..
Keraites 11th cent.-13th cent. AD Nestorian tribal confederation in the Altai-Sayan region.
Merkit 11th cent.-1200 AD Confederation of three tribes in the Mongolian Plateau.
Khamag Mongol 1130-1206 AD Considered by some to be the predecessor state to the Mongol Empire.
Ja'alin tribe pre 12th cent.-1820/present AD An Arab or Arabised Nubian tribal confederation located in Shendi, Sudan.
Baggara pre 14th cent.-?/present AD A nomadic tribal confederation in Chad which played a key role in the Mahdist War.
Iroquois Confederacy 1451 AD-present Five, later six, nations in the southern Great Lakes area. Initial members were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. The Tuscarora tribe joined in or around 1722
Al-Muntafiq Emirate 1530–1918 AD Arab Tribal Confederation in southern Iraq and Kuwait
Ait Atta Confederation 16th cent. AD-?/present Berber tribal confederation in south east Morocco.
Powhatan Confederacy late 16th cent. – 1677 AD Indian Confederation of Algonquian-speaking people in modern day Virginia.
Wabanaki Confederacy 1606–1862 AD, 1993 AD-present A group of Native American nations in Canada and the United States.
Neutral Confederacy 1615 - 1653
Iron Confederacy pre 1692 - 1885 AD
Sip Song Chau Tai pre 17th cent.-1954 AD Confederation of chiefdoms in mountainous north-west Vietnam. It came under French influence from 1889 to 1954, via Tonkin and then French Indochina.
Illinois Confederation 17th cent. - 1854 AD
Wabash Confederacy pre 1780s - ?
Northwestern Confederacy 1783–1795 AD Indian confederacy during the Northwest Indian War.
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians pre 1792 AD-present
Zilan pre 18th cent.-19th cent. AD Confederation of Kurdish tribes on the Ottoman-Qajar frontier.
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs pre 1800 AD-present Confederation of three Native American tribes.
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes pre 1805 AD-present Confederation of several Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai and Pend d'Oreilles tribes in the United States.
Tecumseh's confederacy 1805-1813 AD Indian Confederation formed by Tecumseh.
United Tribes of New Zealand 1835 - 1840 AD
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon pre 1854 AD-present Confederation of 27 Native American tribes.
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation pre 1855 AD-present Confederation of three Sahaptin-speaking Native American tribes.
Yakama Nation pre 1855 AD-present Confederation made up of Klikitat, Palus, Wallawalla, Wenatchi, Wishram, and Yakama peoples in the United States.
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians pre 1855 AD-present Confederation made up of 27 tribes and bands in the United States.
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation pre 1860 AD-present Confederation of the Upper and Lower Chehalis, Klallam, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, and Quinault peoples in the United States.
Khamseh 1861 AD-present Tribal confederation in Iran.
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation pre 1872 AD-present Confederation of 12 tribes in the United States.
Zayane Confederation 19th cent.-1920 AD Tribal confederation formed by Mouha ou Hammou Zayani in the face of the French conquest of Morocco culminating in the Zaian War.
Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation pre 1912 AD-present
Tekna ?-?/present Sahrawi tribal confederation.
Reguibat ?-?/present Sahrawi tribal confederation.
Blackfoot Confederacy ? - present

Supranational 'confederations'

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A supranational union is a supranational polity which lies somewhere between a confederation that is an association of sovereign states and a federation that is a single sovereign state.

Name Period Notes
Central American Integration System 1907-present Politico-economic union of states in Central America
Benelux 1944-present Politico-economic union of Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Arab League 1945-present Regional union of Arab states.
Organization of Ibero-American States 1949-present Cultural union of Iberophone states.
European Union 1951-present Continental union of European states with a range of powers from economic and political to security.
African Union 1963-present Continental union of African states with a range of powers from economic and political to security, emphasising pan-Africanism.
Group of 77 1964-present Coalition of developing countries designed to promote members economic interests within the UN.
ASEAN 1967-present Continental union of south-east Asian states with a range of powers from economic and political to security.
Caribbean Community 1973-present Politico-economic union of Caribbean states and territories.
Gulf Cooperation Council 1981-present Politico-economic union of states contiguous to the Persian Gulf.
Economic Cooperation Organization 1985-present Politico-economic union of states in Central Asia, including Turkiye and Iran.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation 1985-present Continental union of states in South Asia.
Commonwealth of Independent States 1991-present Union in Eurasia composed of post-Soviet states, with economic and security powers.
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation 1992-present Politico-economic union on the Black Sea.
Eurasian Economic Union 1994-present Economic union of post-Soviet states in Eurasia.
Union of South American Nations 2004-present Continental union of states in South America set up by Hugo Chavez aimed at countering American influence in the region.
Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations 2006-present Union of three breakaway states, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria.
Organization of Turkic States 2009-present Union of Turkic states aimed at fostering unity between Turkic peoples.
Pacific Alliance 2011-present Trade bloc of states in Latin America.
Confederation of Sahel States 2024-present Confederation of Sahel States between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

See also

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References

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