Legal Definitions - heptarchy

Definition: Heptarchy refers to a form of government where seven rulers govern a nation. It can also refer to a nation that is divided into seven governments. Specifically, it refers to the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Kent, Sussex, Essex, Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria that existed before the Norman Conquest.

Example: The heptarchy was a form of government that existed in England before the Norman Conquest. The seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were ruled by their own kings, but they often fought with each other for power and territory.

Explanation: The example illustrates the definition of heptarchy by showing how the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were each ruled by their own king, but they were still part of a larger nation that was divided into seven governments. The fact that these kingdoms often fought with each other also shows how the heptarchy was not a very stable form of government.