Patriarchate

Origin

From Ancient Greek πατήρ

"father" + -archy, "rule".

Full definition of patriarchate

Noun

1. (Christianity) The term of office of a Christian patriarch.The patriarchate of Pope John Paul II as Patriarch of the West was more than 25 years.
2. The office or ecclesial jurisdiction of such a patriarch.The Patriarchate of Constantinople has primacy over the whole of the Orthodox world.
3. The office-space occupied by a patriarch and his staff.The Latin patriarchate in Jerusalem is, by modern standards, a very cramped space.

Usage notes

(political science, politics) This term would describe a kind of polity.