HOSPODAR, a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" (Russ. gospodar). It is a derivative of gospod, "lord," and is akin to gosudar, which primarily means "sovereign." In Little Russian the title hospodar is specially applied to the master of a house or the head of a family. The rulers of Walachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars from the 15th century to 1866. At the end of this period, as the title had been held by many vassals of Turkey, its retention was considered inconsistent with the growth of Rumanian independence. It was therefore dis carded in favour of domn (dominus, "lord"), which continued to be the official princely title up to the proclamation of a Rumanian kingdom in 1881.