Legal Definitions - proprietary government

Definition:Proprietary government is a type of government that was granted by the Crown to an individual, giving them powers of legislation that were previously held by the owner of a county palatine. It was like a feudatory principality.

Example: An example of proprietary government is the Province of Maryland, which was granted to Lord Baltimore by King Charles I in 1632. Lord Baltimore had the power to make laws and govern the colony as he saw fit.

Explanation: The example illustrates how proprietary government worked in practice. Lord Baltimore was given the power to govern Maryland as he saw fit, without interference from the Crown. He was able to make laws and regulations that were specific to the needs of the colony, which was different from the laws that were in place in England at the time.