The term 'OLD DYNASTS' can be broken down into two crossword solutions: TSARS (5 letters) and DYNASTS (7 letters). Tsars were the rulers of Russia from the 16th century until the Russian Revolution in 1917. They were absolute monarchs who held all the power in the country. DYNASTS were families that held power in a particular area for a long period of time. This could be a monarchy, an oligarchy, or any other form of government. The term 'OLD DYNASTS' refers to families that have held power for a long time, such as the Romanovs in Russia or the Habsburgs in Austria.