What is "misl"

n. Any of the twelve sovereign states in the (w: Sikh Confederacy) that rose during the eighteenth century in the Punjab.

Misl generally refers to the sovereign states of the Sikh Confederacy that rose during the 18th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent.

The misls formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic".

Although the misls were unequal in strength, and each misl attempted to expand its territory and access to resources at the expense of others, they acted in unison in relation to other states.

The misls held biannual meetings of their legislature, the Sarbat Khalsa in Amritsar.