Raj
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article deals with raj as a word. For the fictional cartoon character, see Raj (Camp Lazlo)
In many Indian languages, Raj literally means Prince or Royalty though is often used to mean something more like the English term of empire and as such is often used in reference to the Mughal Raj and the British Raj: the period of direct colonial rule of India by the British Empire.
[edit] Etymology
Raj (c.f. Rashtra, nation) is a particularly striking example of a word with a common Proto-Indo-European root with many words related to rulers or ruling in European languages. For example:
- Old High German: richi (Modern German: Reich)
- Old English: rice (Modern English: rich, regent)
- Proto-Indo-European: *reg
- Latin: regalis, regere, rex
- Old Prussian: reiks
- Old Norse: rike (as in medieval Norwegian Gårdarike, or Modern Swedish: Rike).
- Modern English: regal, royal, rule, rein, reign (Royal has more history with the French roi)
