ruled
v.v. to have official power over a country or a group of people. It can also mean that a judge or a leader makes an official decision about a problem.
v. to exercise ultimate power or authority over an area and its inhabitants; to deliver an official legal decision. Often used in the past tense to describe historical periods or judicial outcomes.
The king ruled the country for fifty years.
The high court ruled that the new law was unconstitutional and must be changed immediately.
Although the dynasty ruled for centuries, their influence began to wane as local governors seized control of the distant provinces.
The verb is transitive when referring to governing a territory, but often functions as an intransitive verb followed by a 'that' clause in legal contexts.