1659 T. Palmer 49 Hoshea subjected to him, and paid him tribute as a sub-King.
1823 ‘G. Smith’ 46 The Sub-king of the Jews, Agrippa.
1848 E. Bulwer-Lytton I. iii. iii. 185 The lesser sub-kings of Wales.
2004 20 Aug. 3/2 A number of heavy chains made of pairs of solid silver links are perhaps best seen as regalia for the many regional sub-kings who owed allegiance to the high king.