Moffdom

Moffdom was a colloquial term for an Imperial territory administrated by a moff, who were appointed officials that governed the affairs of civilian government and local Imperial Army elements, often in cooperation with an admiral of the Imperial Navy and (in the case of contested areas) generals of the Army and Stormtrooper Corps. These moffs essentually ruled as puppet kings, and only answered to the Grand Moffs and the Emperor himself; the Empire's leadership being focused on larger matters meant that moffs of remote or irrelevant areas frequently abused their authority

The average "moffdom" spanned one sector, though some could span many as two sectors or as little as a single star system, typically depending on the moff's notoriety and social status. Moffs of contested sectors also often had a military rank and the right to enact martial law in their sector, effectively turning these territories into military dictatorships (where they had control, that is).

Following the Emperor's death in 4 ABY, many moffs continued governing their designated territories as Imperial splinter states as the term moffdom became less of a colloquialism and more of a legitimate title used by dozens of governments across the galaxy. Some moffs adopted other titles such as governor, king, viceroy, prince, premier, and lord. Though retaining their autonomy and Imperial identity, many moffs were forced to make cuts in their military forces by the New Republic as per the Galactic Concordance of 5 ABY, although some kept fighting, such as the moffs that were part of the Imperial League, while others went into hiding and later reemerged as part of the First Order. Some moffdoms - mostly isolated and neutral - were still active during the Resistance's war with the First Order.