What does “suzerainty” mean in feudal terms?

The story behind the answer

In feudalism, suzerainty meant an overlord’s superior right to command loyalty, military service, and counsel from subordinate rulers or landholders. Vassals governed their fiefs and managed local affairs, but they performed homage and swore fealty; the suzerain could demand service, confirm inheritances, and adjudicate disputes. Crucially, this relationship did not require the overlord to possess outright ownership of the vassal’s lands.

Historically, suzerainty differed from full sovereignty: vassals often retained internal autonomy while the suzerain controlled overarching obligations like war and diplomacy. Early Capetian kings in France stood as overlords to powerful dukes, and the Mongol khans claimed authority over Rus’ princes. The model endured beyond the Middle Ages, shaping arrangements such as the Ottoman relationship with Wallachia and Moldavia, and later the British position over certain Indian princely states.