state of SW Germany: formerly (1918-33) a republic and, before
that, a duchy, an electorate, & a kingdom with varying
boundaries: 27,241 sq mi (70,554 sq km); pop. 10,903,000; cap.
Munich See Bavaria in American Heritage Dictionary 4 A region
and former duchy of southern Germany. Conquered by the Romans in
15 B.C., the region became one of the five preeminent duchies of
medieval Germany but was later overrun and ruled by numerous
factions and powers.