List of pre-modern states
This article lists the many extinct states, countries, nations, empires or territories from Ancient History to just before the Early Modern period, grouped geographically. For the purposes of this list, the Early Modern period begins at the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. For earlier civilizations, see prehistory. Europe, North Africa and the Near East. Ancient. There were also numerous Celtic, Germanic, and Slavic Tribes. Medieval. England. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Romano-British territories became increasingly fragmented. This was a result of the traditional system of Celtic inheritance: the realm was split  amongst all sons upon a king's death. This situation was made worse after c. 449 when Jutes and Anglo-Saxons began colonising the south-eastern seaboards. As Jutes and Anglo-Saxons drove further inland, remaining Celts fled to the far corners of the island. Eventually the Romano-Britons (now known to the Anglo-Saxons as "Welsh") were assimilated or driven into the highlands of Cambria (Wales) or Caledonia (Scotland). Sub-Roman Brythonic kingdoms in England Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England Kingdom of England Wales. Sub-Roman and Medieval Brythonic kingdoms in Wales Wales experienced a similar history during this  time, although the Welsh population successfully resisted the influx of Anglo-Saxon settlers into the British Isles. The country was home to a number of princedoms until England's ultimate conquest of the region in the later medieval period. Scotland. Sub-Roman Cumbric kingdoms in Scotland Pictish kingdoms in Scotland Gaelic kingdoms in Scotland Other Ireland. Extinct kingdoms in Ireland Ireland during the early medieval period consisted of some two hundred "tuathas" or minor kingdoms, which were in turn vassals of the rulers of an over-kingdom, called a "cóiced" (usually translated as a portion, a fifth, or a province ). The most prominent of these kingdoms were Between the 8th and 12th centuries, various Ard Rí attempted unsuccessfully to impose their rule over all the kingdoms in Ireland. Among those whose efforts almost made this a reality were Flann Sinna, reigned 877-916); Niall Glúndub mac Áedo (916-919); Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig (1002–1014); Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain (1055–1086; and Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair (1119–1156). The last of these kingdoms ceased to exist in the early 17th century. Further Irish kingdoms included: For further information see Irish kings. Asia. China. The many Chinese states had an influence on surrounding regions; from the  Song Dynasty period alone, this includes: A number of now-extinct states formed under Chinese influence along the Silk Road in the Tarim Basin, including: Unsorted: Korea. The early history of Korea was as complex as that of neighbouring China. A number of Korean states existed on the peninsula and reached up into Manchuria before the formation of the modern state of Korea. These included: Vietnam. The country of Vietnam in the past was very different from the present. The first Vietnamese kingdom occupied only present-day northern Vietnam. In the 10th century, Vietnam began to push to the south  for the next 1000 years, which was called Nam Tiến (southward expansion) in Vietnamese. It conquered other kingdoms and was split by civil war. All the kingdoms that united to form Vietnam are: Pre-Columbian America. The Americas have historically been home to a number of indigenous states, civilizations and societies of great complexity. Those indigenous states that still existed by the time of the first permanent European colonizations, from the late 15th century onwards, were soon substantively destroyed and/or absorbed. The list below includes both those that ceased to exist before this European arrival, and those that ceased to  independently function because of this impact. In addition, there were a wide variety of pre-Inca cultures, few of which developed into organised states. " See List of Indigenous Australian group names " for a list of territories that have ceased to exist as political entities, grouped geographically and by constitutional nature. " See List of iwi " for a similar list of New Zealand Māori tribal divisions.