spoliation

noun7

1. •
   The action of destroying or ruining; destruction, ruin.
2. •
   The intentional destruction of, or tampering with, a document so as to impair its evidentiary value.
3. •
   (historical) A lawsuit brought or writ issued by an incumbent against another, claiming that the latter has wrongfully taken the emoluments of a benefice.

   • [W]here one saith to the Patron, that his Clerk is dead, whereupon he presents another: there the first Incumbent, who was supposed to be dead, may have a Spoliation against the other. — 1667
4. •
   The action of spoliating, or forcibly seizing property; pillage, plunder; also, the state of having property forcibly seized; (countable) an instance of this; a robbery, a seizure.
5. •
   The systematic forcible seizure of property during a crisis or state of unrest such as that caused by war, now regarded as a crime; looting, pillage, plunder; (countable) an instance of this.

   • Spoliation of Jewish property by Nazi authorities occurred on a large scale during World War II.
6. •
   (historical) The action of an incumbent (“holder of an ecclesiastical benefice”) wrongfully depriving another of the emoluments of a benefice.

   • A Benefice is said to be vacant de Facto, and not de Jure, vvhen the Possession thereof is lost by Spoliation or Intrusion, and the like: […] — 1726
7. •
   (historical) The government-sanctioned action or practice of plundering neutral ships at sea; (countable) an instance of this.