herrschten

Herrschten is the simple past tense form of the German verb herrschen, meaning to rule, govern, or exercise power. It is used to describe past situations in which individuals or groups held authority over a territory, population, or domain. As a conjugated form, herrschten is not the dictionary entry; the headword is herrschen.

Grammatical notes: In Präteritum, herrschen is conjugated as: ich herrschte, du herrschtest, er herrschte, wir herrschten, ihr herrschtet, sie herrschten. Therefore, the form herrschten appears with plural subjects such as wir or sie. The related present tense forms are ich herrsche, du herrschst, er herrscht, wir herrschen, ihr herrscht, sie herrschen. The past tense form herrschten is commonly found in historical narratives and analytical writing about power.

Usage: The verb describes the exercise of political, military, or administrative authority. It is frequently used in historical contexts to recount periods when rulers, regimes, or governing bodies held control. For example: Während des Mittelalters herrschten mehrere Könige über das Gebiet. Nach der Revolution herrschten Unsicherheit und Instabilität. In scholarly writing, herrschen is used to frame discussions of governance, sovereignty, and state formation.

Etymology: The verb derives from the concept of lordship associated with the noun Herr (lord) and related notions of authority. Its meaning centers on the exercise of power and domination by a ruler or governing body, with the past tense form herrschten marking completed episodes of rule.