Eidgenossenschaft is a
German word meaning
confederation. The term literally translates as "
oath fellowship". An
Eidgenossenschaft is a confederacy of equal partners, which can be individuals or groups such as states, formed by a pact sealed by a solemn oath. Such an alliance could be either time-limited or unlimited (or "eternal"). An important characteristic is that the partners were always considered equal, in contrast to the
oath of fealty in
feudal societies with their strict
hierarchies.