Fief vs Duchy - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between fief and duchy

is that fief is an estate held of a superior on condition of military service while duchy is a dominion or region ruled by a duke or duchess.

(en noun)

An estate held of a superior on condition of military service.

Something over which one has rights or exercises control.

(metaphor) An area of dominion, especially in a corporate or governmental bureaucracy.

* manor

* fiefdom * in fief

* ----

(wikipedia duchy) (duchies)

A dominion or region ruled by a duke or duchess.

* A Grand Duchy may be a self-governing state.

* A simple duchy tends to be a part of a larger kingdom or empire.