[ad. Gr. τοπάρχης ruler of a small district, f. τόπ-ος place + -αρχης ruler. Cf. mod.F. toparque.] The ruler or prince of a small district, city, or petty state; a petty ‘king.’
1640. Fuller, Joseph’s Coat, 11. By those many Kings mentioned in the old Testament, thirty and one in the little land of Canaan,… is meant onely Toparchs, not great Kings, but Lords of a little Dition, and Dominion.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VII. viii. 353. Toparks, Kings of Cities or narrow territories, such as were the Kings of Sodome and Gomorrah, the Kings of Jericho and Ai.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., XI. iii. § 2. The toparchs of India and Ethiopia.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos (1877), I. xxii. 162. The top-arch, Turlogh O’Connor, was the friend of O’Rourke.
So Toparchical a. [-ICAL], of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a toparch or toparchy.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. xiv. 302. Communicating it to the Sons and Nephews of Toparchicall Princes.
