1. the positions, ranks, or territories of thanes (Scottish feudal barons or Anglo-Saxon nobles)
Usage: historical; plural form

Examples

• The ancient thaneships were granted by the Scottish king to loyal nobles.
• Several thaneships changed hands after the Norman Conquest.
• The historian studied the boundaries of medieval thaneships in Scotland.
• These thaneships carried both privileges and military obligations.
• The decline of thaneships marked the end of the feudal system.
• Records show that some thaneships were hereditary while others were not.