German Emperors bore the title of Warlord (German: Kriegsherr), sometimes as a formal label of honour, sometimes in grim earnest.

More recently the word warlord has become a general pejorative term that refers to a person who has de facto military control of a subnational area by virtue of military force which is personally obedient to that warlord.

As of 2004 much of Afghanistan remains under warlord control, despite the presence of American-led non-regional military forces there.

With the collapse of the Somali central government, groups of rival warlords constitute the only form of authority there.

Other countries with warlords include Chechnya, Moldova, Lebanon, Burma, Colombia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Historical warlordism in Japan

During most of the 16th century, before the Tokugawa era, Japan was tormented by repeated wars among rival warlords. Each warlord had several castles, neighbouring land with peasants, and a private army of samurais.

Among the most powerful were:

• Oda Nobunaga
• Uesugi Kenshin

Historical warlordism in China

Warlords exercised widespread rule in China several times in Chinese history, notably in the period from the overthrow of the empire in 1911 until the Northern Expedition in 1927.

Chinese warlords include:

• Chang Tso-lin -- "Old Marshall" or "Mukden Tiger".
• Chang Hsüeh-liang -- "Young Marshall".
• Feng Yü-hsiang -- "The Christian General".
• Gongsun Kang
• Gongsun Yuan
• Pai Ch'ung-hsi
• Puxian Wannu
• Sheng Shicai
• Sun Jian
• Yuan Shao
• Yen Hsi-shan -- "The Model Governor".
• Cao Cao

See also

• Warlord (comics)
• Warlords