Kshatrapati

"Kshatrapati" was a title used by the rulers of the Western Kshatrapa dynasty in ancient India, roughly from the 1st century CE to the 4th century CE. These rulers governed parts of western India, including present-day Gujarat and Maharashtra, and were of Indo-Scythian origin. The term "Kshatrapa" is derived from the Persian word "khshathrapā," meaning "protector of the realm" or "lord of the realm." They were semi-autonomous regional governors or kings who managed their territories with independence but acknowledged the suzerainty of larger empires at times.