Absolute monarchy

     Absolute monarchies      Semi-constitutional monarchies      Parliamentary constitutional monarchies      Commonwealth realms (parliamentary monarchies in personal union)

Absolute Monarchy Media

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  Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor

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  King Frederick II of Prussia, "the Great"

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  Zar Alexander II.jpg (cropped)

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  Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien*Taken at His Majesty's 78th Birthday Celebration on 15 July 2024.

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  London Book Fair Simon Master Chairman's Award - son Altesse Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, winner 2017 - London Book Fair 2017 (cropped)

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  King Mswati III of Eswatini at the Office of the President of Taiwan in 2024.

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  Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (15-02-2021) (cropped)

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  Ilham Aliyev attends Summit of NAM Contact Group on fight against COVID-19 63 (cropped)

     Subnational monarchies

Louis XIV of France, popularly known as the Sun king on a portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud, done around 1700. The French king is shown with all the signs of power, which show that his reign is legitimated by the grace of God. This portrait was used as a blueprint for other similar portraits of European monarchs of the time.

An absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy where one person, usually called a monarch (king, queen, emperor or empress) holds absolute power. It is in contrast to constitutional monarchy, which is restrained or controlled by other groups of people. Controllers may be an entity such as clergy, lawmakers, social elites or a written constitution.

One nation though, The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, had the absolute rule of the monarch written in a constitution named "The King's Law" (Kongeloven).

A significant number of monarchs were previously absolute rulers within their kingdom, but after the French Revolution (end-18th century) it became ever more common for monarchs to be limited by a constitution.

Nowadays, there are a few absolute monarchies that have been preserved. Some of these remaining absolute monarchies can be found among Arab countries.

Related pages

• Autocracy