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A viceroy is somebody who governs a country or province as a substitute for the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and roi,
meaning king. A vicereine is a woman in a viceregal position, or a viceroy's wife.
For example when Spain controlled much of the New World, communications with the mother country could take months, so the King of Spain appointed Viceroys in
Mexico City to govern New
Spain and in Lima, Peru to govern western South America. One of the most famous and powerful viceregal offices in the world was that of the
Viceroy of India during the British Raj.
In imperial China, viceroy was the English translation of
the title "general supervisor-protector" (督護 or 總督) of Chinese officials heading some large
administrative divisions. For instance, there was a viceroy of Kwantung and
Kwangsi, a viceroy of Hukwang (the
combination of the provinces of Hubei and Hunan). Li Hongzhang was viceroy
of Hukwang from 1867 to 1870.
The adjective viceregal is used in some Commonwealth
Realms to refer to the function of the Governor-General.
List of viceroyalties
See also
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