legation

legation: see diplomatic service; extraterritoriality.

A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. The distinction between a legation and embassy was dropped following the Second World War, as all diplomatic representative offices were now designated as embassies, or high commissions.

A permanent diplomatic mission headed by a chief officer.

See also

Papal Legations — certain administrative regions of the erstwhile Papal States: specifically the "Legations" of Ferrara, Bologna, and Romagna.