höganrikat

Höganrikat is a term that appears primarily in contemporary fantasy fiction and world-building discussions to describe a political unit composed of several high kingdoms. The word is formed from Swedish roots höga 'high' and riket 'realm' or riket with plural sense, and in usage it denotes a federation or confederation of powerful monarchies located in upland or mountainous regions. Because it is not a standardized historical term, its exact definition varies by author.

In fictional settings, höganrikat may function as a loose confederation with a central council or assembly, sometimes headed by a high king or an elected archon; its diplomacy centers on mutual defense, trade, and shared legal norms. Economies tend to rely on mining, metallurgy, and highland agriculture; culture emphasizes martial tradition, clan or noble house networks, and a ceremonial court culture.

Historically, there is no evidence that höganrikat existed in actual Scandinavian history; it is a construct used for world-building. Scholars of fantasy literature discuss it as an example of the high medieval political imagination or as a reinterpretation of feudal realities. In popular usage, some authors treat the term as a historical label for a once-dominant northern alliance; others treat it as a mythic idea about sovereignty among mountain realms.