Also 5 suserente. [In sense 1, a. OF. suserenete; in sense 2, f. SUZERAIN + -TY, after mod.F. suzeraineté.]
† 1. ? Supremacy. Obs.
c. 1470. in Bagford Ballads (1880), I. 520*. Whyche cause gyueth cause to me & myne To serue yt hart of suserente.
2. The position, rank or power of a suzerain.
Appears first in Fr. or semi-Fr. form.
1823. Scott, Peveril, xxiii. The family of Peveril, who thereby chose to intimate their ancient suzerainté over the whole country.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVIII. 318/1. Albert’s successors continued to recognise the suzeraineté of Poland till the treaty of Velau (1657).
1870. Spectator, 19 Nov., 137. It would be far cheaper to buy from the Sultan the only right which forces us to his side—the suzerainté of Egypt.
1845. Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 381. He promised to renounce all his claims … on the suzerainty of Flanders.
1862. Hook, Lives Abps., II. ii. 124. He … sought to advance the Pope’s claim to a spiritual suzerainty.
1874. Green, Short Hist., iv. § 3. 182. The Scotch lords … formally admitted Edward’s direct suzerainty.
1874. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. i. 4. Its character of nominal suzerainty is exchanged for that of absolute sovereignty.
1881. Convention of Pretoria (in Times, 5 Aug., 3/4). Complete self-government, subject to the suzerainty of Her Majesty, her heirs, and successors, will be accorded to the inhabitants of the Transvaal territory.
1884. Earl Derby, Sp. Ho. Lords, 17 March. A certain controlling power is retained when the State which exercises this Suzerainty has a right to veto any negotiations into which the dependent Slate may enter with Foreign Powers.
