Part of the Politics series on Monarchism Varieties Absolute · Constitutional · Diarchy Elective · Non-Sovereign · Regency Central concepts Monarch Monarchy Divine right of kings Mandate of Heaven History Magna Carta Foundation of the Ottoman Empire Glorious Revolution French Revolution First Spanish Civil War First French Empire Second French Empire Fall of Qing Dynasty Russian Revolution of 1917 Siamese Revolution of 1932 Second Spanish Civil War Birth of the Italian Republic Iranian Revolution Modern Cambodia Nepalese Civil War Related topics Aristocracy Autocracy Thomas Hobbes Oligarchy Right-wing politics Royalist Toryism   Politics portal v · d · e A monarchy is a form of government in which all political power is passed down to an individual (usually hereditary) known as a monarch ("single ruler"), or king (male), queen (female). As a political entity, the monarch is the head of state, generally until their death or abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state."1 Historically, the notion of monarchy may emerge under different circumstances. It may grow out of tribal kingship, and the office of monarch (kings) becoming typically hereditary, resulting in successive dynasties or "houses", especially when the leader is wise and able enough to lead the tribals. It may also be a consequent emergence after an act of violence is committed upon local communities by an invading group, which usurps the communities' rights over their resources and then gradually releases such rights under controlled conditions. The leader of the usurping group often establishes himself as a monarch. A state of monarchy is said to result that reveals the relationships between resources, communities, monarch and his office. Even in antiquity, the strict hereditary succession could be tempered by systems of elective monarchy, where an assembly elects a new monarch out of a pool of eligible candidates. The concept has also been modernized, and constitutional monarchies where the title of monarch remains mostly ceremonial, without, or with very limited political power. Currently, 44 nations in the world have monarchs as heads of state, 16 of which are Commonwealth realms that recognize Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state. The historical form of absolute monarchy is retained only in Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and Vatican City.   Absolute monarchy   Semi-constitutional monarchy   Constitutional monarchy   Commonwealth realms (consitutional monarchies in personal union)   Subnational monarchies (traditional) This article is part of the Politics series Forms of government List of government types Anarchy Aristocracy Communist state Confederation Corporatism Corporatocracy Consociationalism Demarchy Democracy Direct Representative Consensus Despotism Dictatorship Autocracy Military/Military junta Right-wing Authoritarianism Totalitarianism Ethnic democracy Ethnocracy Fascism Federation Feudalism Gerontocracy Kratocracy Kritocracy/Kritarchy Kyriarchy Logocracy Matriarchy including gynocracy Meritocracy Minarchism/Night Watchman Monarchy Absolute Constitutional/Limited Diarchy/Co-Kingship Elective Noocracy Ochlocracy/Mobocracy Oligarchy Panarchism Parliamentary Patriarchy Plutocracy Presidential Puppet state Republic Crowned Capitalist Constitutional Single Party Federal Parliamentary Federal Socialist state Sociocracy Sultanism Supranational union Technocracy Thalassocracy Theocracy Islamic state Theodemocracy Timocracy Tribal Chiefdom Tyranny Unitary state Politics portal v · d · e Contents 1 Etymology 2 Definition 3 History 4 Characteristics and role 5 Succession 6 See also 7 Notes and references 8 External links // Etymology

The word monarch (Latin: monarcha) comes from the Greek μονάρχης (from μόνος, "one/singular," and ἄρχων, "leader/ruler/chief") which referred to a single, at least nominally absolute ruler. With time, the word has been succeeded in this meaning by others, such as autocrat or dictator. In modern use the word monarchy generally is used when referring to a traditional system of hereditary rule, with elective monarchies often considered as exceptions. Definition There is no clear definition of monarchy. Holding unlimited political power in the state is not the defining characteristic, as many constitutional monarchies such as the United Kingdom and Thailand are considered monarchies, while other states which concentrate political power in the office of a single head of state are known as Presidential republics. Hereditary rule is often a common characteristic, but elective monarchies are also considered monarchies (the Pope, sovereign of the Vatican City State and the head of the Catholic Church, is elected by the College of Cardinals) and some states have hereditary rulers, but are considered republics (such as the stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, or the Great Council of Chiefs in Fiji).1 A 1914 edition of Bouvier's Law Dictionary states that "Monarchy is contradistinguished from republic," and gives this definition: 'I cannot find any better definition of monarchy than what this is: a monarchy is the government which is ruled by one person, who is wholly set apart from all other members of the state's (called his subjects); while we call republic that government in which not only there exists an organism by which the opinion of the people, or of a portion of the people (as in aristocracies), passes over into public will, that is, law, but in which also the supreme power, or the executive power, returns, either periodically or at stated times (where the chief magistracy is for life), to the people, or a portion of the people, to be given anew to another person; or else, that government in which the hereditary portion (if there be any) is not the chief and leading portion of the government, as was the case in the Netherlands.'1 History Tribal kingship is often connected to sacral functions, so that the king acts as a priest, or is considered of divine ancestry. The sacral function of kingship was transformed into the notion of "divine right of kings" in the Christian Middle Ages, while the Chinese, Japanese and Nepalese monarchs continued to be considered living gods into the modern period. The system of monarchy since antiquity has contrasted with forms of parliamentarianism, where executive power is wielded by assemblies of free citizens. In antiquity, monarchies were abolished in favour of such assemblies in Ancient Rome (Roman Republic, 509 BC), Ancient Athens (Athenian democracy, 500 BC).

In Germanic antiquity, kingship was primarily a sacral function, and the king was elected from among eligible members of royal families by the thing. Such ancient "parliamentarism" declined during the European Middle Ages, but it survived in forms of regional assemblies, such as the Icelandic Commonwealth, the Swiss Landsgemeinde and later Tagsatzung, and the High Medieval communal movement linked to the rise of medieval town privileges. The modern resurgence of parliamentarism and anti-monarchism begins with the overthrow of the English monarchy by the Parliament of England in 1649, followed by American Revolution of 1776 and the French Revolution of 1792. Much of 19th century politics was characterized by the division between anti-monarchist Radicalism and monarchist Conservativism. Many monarchies were abolished in the 20th century, especially in the wake of either World War I or World War II. Characteristics and role A 19th century portrayal of Emperor Jinmu, the first Emperor of Japan. Today, the extent of a monarch's powers varies: In an absolute monarchy, the monarch rules as an autocrat, with absolute power over the state and government—for example, the right to rule by decree, promulgate laws, and impose punishments. Absolute monarchies are not necessarily authoritarian; the enlightened absolutists of the Age of Enlightenment were monarchs who allowed various freedoms. In a constitutional monarchy (Pacte), the monarch is largely a ceremonial figurehead subject to a constitution. Sovereignty rests formally with and is carried out in name of The Crown, but politically rests with the people (electorate), as represented by the parliament or other legislature. Constitutional monarchs have limited political power, and are constituted by tradition and precedent, popular opinion, or by legal codes or statutes. They serve as symbols of continuity for the state and carry out largely ceremonial functions. Still, many constitutional monarchs retain certain privileges (inviolability, sovereign immunity, an official residence) and powers (to grant pardons, to appoint titles of nobility). Additionally, some monarchs retain reserve powers, such as to dismiss a prime minister, refuse to dissolve parliament, or withhold Royal Assent to legislation, effectively vetoing it. Most states only have a single monarch at any given time, although two monarchs have ruled simultaneously in some countries (diarchy), as in the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta or 17-th century Russia, and there are examples of joint sovereignty of spouses or relatives (such as William and Mary in the Kingdoms of England and Scotland).2

A regent may rule when the monarch is a minor, absent, or debilitated. Monarchy, especially absolute monarchy, sometimes is linked to religious aspects; many monarchs once claimed the right to rule by the will of a deity (Divine Right of Kings, Mandate of Heaven), a special connection to a deity (sacred king) or even purported to be divine kings, or incarnations of deities themselves (imperial cult). In Islam, a caliph is a head of state who is both a temporal leader (of the caliphate, Islamic state) and a religious one (leader of the Ummah, community of believers). Many monarchs have been styled Fidei defensor (Defender of the Faith); some hold official positions relating to the state religion or established church. Monarchs have various titles, including king or queen, prince or princess (Sovereign Prince of Monaco), emperor or empress (Emperor of Japan, Emperor of India), or even duke or grand duke (Grand Duke of Luxembourg) or duchess. Many monarchs also are distinguished by styles, such as "Majesty", "Royal Highness" or "By the Grace of God". Monarchs often take part in certain ceremonies, such as a coronation. Monarchies are associated with political or sociocultural hereditary rule, in which monarchs rule for life (although some monarchs do not hold lifetime positions, such as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, who serves a five-year term) and pass the responsibilities and power of the position to their children or family when they die. Most monarchs, both historically and in the modern day, have been born and brought up within a royal family, the center of the royal household and court. Growing up in a royal family (when present for several generations it may be called a dynasty), and future monarchs were often trained for the responsibilities of expected future rule. Different systems of succession have been used, such as proximity of blood, primogeniture, and agnatic seniority (Salic law). While traditionally most modern monarchs have been male, many female monarchs also have ruled in history; the term queen regnant may refer to a ruling monarch, while a queen consort may refer to the wife of a reigning king. Form of governments may be hereditary without being considered monarchies, such as that of family dictatorships.3 or political families in many democracies.4 Some monarchies are non-hereditary. In an elective monarchy, the monarch is elected, but otherwise serves as any other monarch. Historical examples of elective monarchy include the Holy Roman Emperors (chosen by prince-electors, but often coming from the same dynasty), and the free election of kings of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Modern examples include the pope of the Roman Catholic Church (who rules as Sovereign of the Vatican City State and is elected to a life term by the College of Cardinals) and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

Monarchies have existed throughout the world, although in recent centuries many states have abolished the monarchy and become republics. Advocacy of republics is called republicanism, while advocacy of monarchies is called monarchism. The principal advantage of hereditary monarchy is the immediate continuity of leadership, usually with a short interregnum (as seen in the classic phrase "The King is dead. Long live the King!"). In some cases monarchs are dependent on other powers (see vassals, suzerainty, puppet state, hegemony). In the British colonial era indirect rule under a paramount power existed, such as the princely states under the British Raj. In other cases the monarch's power is limited, not due to constitutional restraints, but to effective military rule. In the late Roman Empire, the Praetorian Guard several times deposed Roman Emperors and installed new emperors. The Hellenistic kings of Macedon and of Epirus were elected by the army, which was similar in composition to the ecclesia of democracies, the council of all free citizens; military service often was linked with citizenship among the male members of the royal house. Military domination of the monarch has occurred in modern Thailand and in medieval Japan (where a hereditary military chief, the shogun was the de facto ruler, although the Japanese emperor nominally ruled). In Fascist Italy the Savoy monarchy under King Victor Emmanuel III coexisted with the Fascist single-party rule of Benito Mussolini; Romania under the Iron Guard and Greece during the first months of the Colonels' regime were much the same way. Spain under Francisco Franco was officially a monarchy, although there was no monarch on the throne. Upon his death, Franco was succeeded as head of state by the Bourbon heir, Juan Carlos I, who proceeded to make Spain a democracy with himself as a figurehead constitutional monarch. A self-proclaimed monarchy is established when a human claims the monarchy without any historical ties to a previous dynasty. Napoleon I of France declared himself Emperor of the French and ruled the First French Empire after previously calling himself First Consul following his seizure of power in the coup of 18 Brumaire. Jean-Bédel Bokassa of the Central African Empire declared himself "Emperor." Yuan Shikai crowned himself Emperor of the short-lived "Empire of China" a few years after the Republic of China was founded. In a personal union, the same person serves as monarch of separate independent states. Sometimes titles are used to express claims to territories that are not held in fact (for example, English claims to the French throne) or titles not recognized (antipopes). A pretender is a claimant to an abolished throne or to a throne already occupied by somebody else. Abdication is when a monarch resigns.

Unique or unusual situations exist in several countries: In Malaysia, the federal king, called the Yang di-Pertuan Agong ("Paramount Ruler") is elected for a five-year term from and by the hereditary rulers (mostly sultans) of nine of the federation's constitutive states, all on the Malay peninsula. Andorra currently is the world's sole co-principality. Located in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, it has two co-princes: the Bishop of Urgell (a prince-bishop) in Spain and the President of France. It is the only situation in which an independent country's monarch is democratically elected by the citizens of another country. In Botswana, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda, the ancient kingdoms and chiefdoms that were met by the colonialists when they first arrived on the continent are now constitutionally protected as regional and/or sectional entities. Furthermore, in Nigeria, though the hundreds of traditional states that exist there are not provided for in the current constitution, they are nevertheless legally recognised aspects of the structure of governance that operates in the nation. In addition to these five countries, peculiar monarchies of varied sizes and complexities exist in various other parts of Africa. Succession The rules for selection of monarchs varies from country to country. In constitutional monarchies the rule of succession generally is embodied in a law passed by a representative body, such as a parliament. In an elective monarchy, monarchs are elected or appointed by some body (an electoral college) for life. For example, Pepin the Short (father of Charlemagne) was elected King of the Franks by an assembly of Frankish leading men; Stanisław August Poniatowski of Poland was an elected king, as was Frederick I of Denmark. Germanic peoples had elective monarchies, and the Holy Roman Emperors were elected by prince-electors, although this often was merely a formalization of what was, in reality, hereditary rule. Three elective monarchies exist today, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates are twentieth-century creations, while one (the papacy) is ancient. In a hereditary monarchy, the position of monarch is inherited by one's relatives according to a statutory or customary order of succession, usually within one royal family tracing its origin back to a historical dynasty or bloodline. The order of succession is always affected by rules on gender. Matrilineality determined the royal lineage in Ancient Egypt for over three thousand years, but many more males reigned than females. Agnatic succession bars females. In some systems a female may rule as monarch only when the male line dating back to a common ancestor is exhausted.

In 1980, Sweden became the first European monarchy to declare equal (full cognatic) primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, whether female or male, ascends to the throne.5 Other kingdoms (such as the Netherlands in 1983, Norway in 1990, and Belgium in 1991) have since followed suit. Sometimes religion is affected; under the Act of Settlement 1701 all Roman Catholics and all persons who have married Roman Catholics are ineligible to be the British monarch and are skipped in the order of succession. Primogeniture, in which the eldest child of the monarch is first in line to become monarch, is the most common system. In the case of the absence of children, the next most senior member of the collateral line (for example, a younger sibling) becomes monarch. Other systems include tanistry, which is semi-elective and gives weight to merit and Salic law. In complex cases, especially in the Middle Ages, the system of primogeniture competed with the sometimes conflicting principle of proximity of blood, and outcomes were idiosyncratic. In some monarchies, such as Saudi Arabia, succession to the throne usually first passes to the monarch's next eldest brother, and only after that to the monarch's children (agnatic seniority). Appointment by the current monarch is another system, used in Jordan. In this system, the monarch chooses the successor, who is always his relative. See also: jure uxoris See also Abolished monarchy Archontology Family as a model for the state Federal monarchy King of Kings Maharaja Personal union Family dictatorship List of current monarchs List of living former sovereign monarchs List of monarchies List of monarchs by nickname List of subnational monarchs List of usurpers Notes and references ^ a b c "Bouvier, John, and Francis Rawle. Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia. 1914. 2237-2238. ^ Other examples of joint sovereignty include Tsars Peter I and Ivan V of Russia and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Joanna of Castile of the Crown of Castile. A current example of constitutional diarchy is Andorra. ^ Examples include Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il in North Korea, the Somoza family in Nicaragua, François Duvalier and Jean-Claude Duvalier in Haiti, Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell in the Commonwealth of England. ^ For example, the Kennedy family in the United States and the Nehru-Gandhi family in India. See list of political families. ^ SOU 1977:5 Kvinnlig tronföljd, p.16. External links International Monarchist League Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Monarchy Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.  Links to related articles v · d · eMonarchies List of current sovereign monarchs · List of current constituent monarchs By continent Africa · Americas · Asia · Europe · Oceania By country Antigua and Barbuda · Australia · Andorra · The Bahamas · Bahrain · Barbados · Belize · Belgium · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · Canada · Denmark · Grenada · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kuwait · Liechtenstein · Lesotho · Luxembourg · Malaysia · Monaco · Morocco · Netherlands · New Zealand · Norway · Oman · Papua New Guinea · Qatar · Spain · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Saudi Arabia · Solomon Islands · Swaziland · Sweden · Thailand · Tonga · Tuvalu · United Arab Emirates · United Kingdom · Vatican City By type Absolute · Constitutional · Elective · Hereditary · Diarchy · Federal Italics indicate Commonwealth realms, which each share the same person as head of state. v · d · eCrowns English, Scottish, Welsh and British crowns (by chronology) Crown of Scotland · St Edward's Crown · Crown of Mary of Modena · State Crown of George I · Coronet of Frederick, Prince of Wales · Coronation Crown of George IV · Crown of Queen Adelaide · Imperial State Crown · Small diamond crown of Queen Victoria · Crown of Queen Alexandra · Coronet of George, Prince of Wales · Crown of Queen Mary · Imperial Crown of India · Crown of Queen Elizabeth · Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales Holy Roman Empire, German, Austrian, Bohemian and Italian crowns Iron Crown of Lombardy · Reliquary Crown of Otto II · Crown of Otto III · Reliquary Crown of Empress Cunigunde · Reliquary Crown of Henry II · Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire · Salian Funeral Crowns of Spires · Kamelaukion of Frederick II or Constance of Sicily · Reliquary Crown of Charlemagne (14th century) · Crown of St. Wenceslas (Bohemian lands) · Crown of Blanche of Valois (Bohemian lands) · Electoral Hat of Saxony · Archducal Hat of Rudolph IV · Ducal Hat of Styria · Archducal Hat (17th century, Klosterneuburg)  · Archducal Hat of Tyrol · Archducal Coronet of Joseph II · Crown of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany · Imperial Crown of Austria · Crown of Frederick I (Prussia) · Crown of Charlotte (Prussia) · Imperial Crowns of Charles VII · Napoleonic Crown of Italy · Royal Crown of Bavaria · Royal Crown of Württemberg · Royal Crown of Hanover · Grand Ducal Crown of Baden · Crown of Empress Elizabeth (Austria) Crown of Wilhelm I (Prussia) · German State Crown · Crown of Wilhelm II (Prussia) Polish crowns Crown of Bolesław I the Brave · Swedish Crown · Muscovy Crown · Hungarian Crown · Homagial Crown · Funeral Crown · Queens Crown · Crown of Augustus II · Crown of Augustus III · Crown of Maria Josepha · Płock Diadem Russian crowns "Cap of Monomakh" · Crown of Kazan Tzardom · Crown of Tsar Michael Fyodorovich · Cap of Monomakh of the second set · Diamond crown of Tsar Peter I · Diamond crown of Tsar Ivan V · Altabas crown of the third set · Crown of Empress Catherine I · Crown of Empress Anna Ivanovna · Great Imperial Crown · Maltese Crown · Small Imperial Crown French crowns Crown of Charlemagne · Sainte Couronne · Crown of Louis XV · Crown of Napoleon I · Crown of Charles X · Crown of Napoleon III · Crown of Empress Eugenie Other European crowns Crown of Crown Prince Carl (Norway) · Crown of Christian IV (Denmark) · Crown of Christian V (Denmark) · Crown of Zvonimir (Croatia) · Crown of Eric XIV (Sweden) · Crown of William I (Netherlands) · Crown of William II (Netherlands) · Crown of Norway · Crown of Portugal · Crown of the Queen of Norway · Crown of Elisabeta (Romania) · Crown of Maria (Romania) · Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungary) · Royal Crown of Serbia · Crown of Martin of Aragon · Royal Crown of Spain · Crown of Greece · Papal Tiara · Crown of Rus (Ukraine) · Steel Crown of Romania Non-European crowns Crown of Faustin I (Haiti) · Empress Crown (Iran/Persia) · Great Crown of Victory (Siam/Thailand) · Kiani Crown (Iran/Persia) · Imperial Crown of Brazil · Imperial Crown of Mexico · Crown of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Sri Lanka · Pahlavi Crown (Iran/Persia) · Crown of Silla (Korea) · Crown of Hawaii · Silver crown of Emperor Tewodros (Ethiopia) See also Coronation · Crown Jewels · Heir Apparent · Heir Presumptive · King · Monarchy · Queen · Regalia · Royal Family