Monarch
A monarch is the ruler of a country which is a monarchy. Monarchs usually get their power by inheritance from one of their parents. When a monarch dies, a child or the nearest relative takes over. A male monarch is usually called a king or emperor. A female monarch is usually called a queen or empress.
Monarchs were very common in history until the 20th century. Most European countries had monarchs in past centuries, but most no longer have them. Some countries that still have monarchs have other leaders with the actual power. Most monarchies are hereditary monarchies. Some countries, however, elect their monarch, instead of using inheritance, like the Holy Roman Empire[1] and Malaysia.[2] Some republics, such as the Dutch Republic or North Korea, had or have a hereditary ruler but do not call him a "monarch".
Monarchs can also have monarchs of lower honour below them. For example, an empire could include several kingdoms, and a kingdom could have several duchies or principalities. Nations would rarely include all titles and usually go from duchy to kingdom instead of duchy to principality to kingdom. "Prince" and " princess" are words that mean "ruler of a principality" and/or "son of a king/queen." Some languages have separate words for them.
Monarchs by rank
Monarch Media
Contemporary European monarchies by type of succession Absolute primogeniture* Male-preference cognatic primogeniture Agnatic primogeniture* Elective/appointed
The Nine Sovereigns at Windsor for the funeral of King Edward VII, photographed on 20 May 1910. Standing, from left to right: King Haakon VII of Norway, Tsar (King) Ferdinand of the Bulgarians, King Manuel II of Portugal and the Algarve, Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II of Germany, King George I of the Hellenes and King Albert I of the Belgians.
Postcard from 1908 showing nineteen of the world's reigning monarchs: (left to right)King Rama V/Chulalongkorn of Siam (modern Thailand), King George I of Greece, King Peter I of Serbia, King Carol I of Romania, Emperor and King Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Tzar (King) Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, Padishah (Emperor) Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire, King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Emperor Nicholas II of the Russia, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, King Gustav V of Sweden, King Haakon VII of Norway, King Frederick VIII of Denmark, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, Guangxu Emperor of China, Meiji Emperor of Japan, King Manuel II of Portugal and King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
Ramesses II (r. 1279–1213 BC), the third Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt
Mohamoud Ali Shire, the 26th Sultan of the Somali Warsangali Sultanate
A map of Europe exhibiting the continent's monarchies (red) and republics (blue)
Elizabeth II was the monarch of independent countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.
From left to right, Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Crown Prince Akihito, Crown Princess Michiko and Empress Nagako, 1959
King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia
Related pages
References
- ↑ "the Holy Roman Empire". www.heraldica.org. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
- ↑ "Explained: Malaysia is the world's only monarchy of its kind. Here's why". The Indian Express. 2019-08-03. Retrieved 2021-04-23.