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A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy), to fully autocratic (absolute monarchy), and can span across executive, legislative, and judicial domains.[1]
The succession of monarchs has mostly been hereditary, often building dynasties. However, elective and self-proclaimed monarchies have also often occurred throughout history.[2] Aristocrats, though not inherent to monarchies, often serve as the pool of persons from which the monarch is chosen, and to fill the constituting institutions (e.g. diet and court), giving many monarchies oligarchic elements.
Monarchs can carry various titles such as emperor, empress, king, and queen. Monarchies can form federations, personal unions and realms with vassals through personal association with the monarch, which is a common reason for monarchs carrying several titles.
Monarchies were the most common form of government until the 20th century, by which time republics had replaced many monarchies. Today forty-three sovereign nations in the world have a monarch, including fifteen Commonwealth realms that share King Charles III as their head of state. Other than that, there is a range of sub-national monarchical entities. Most of the modern monarchies are constitutional monarchies, retaining under a constitution unique legal and ceremonial roles for the monarch, exercising limited or no political power, similar to heads of state in a parliamentary republic.
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority...
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises...
The Habsburg monarchy (German: Habsburgermonarchie, pronounced [ˈhaːpsbʊʁɡɐmonaʁˌçiː] ), also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (German: Habsburgerreich...
Absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means...
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign...
An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by a monarch who is elected, in contrast to a hereditary monarchy in which the office is automatically passed...
July Monarchy (French: Monarchie de Juillet), officially the Kingdom of France (French: Royaume de France), was a liberal constitutional monarchy in France...
The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian...
The abolition of monarchy is a legislative or revolutionary movement to abolish monarchical elements in government, usually hereditary. Abolition of absolutist...
Popular monarchy is a term used by Kingsley Martin (1936) for monarchical titles referring to a people rather than a territory. This was the norm in classical...
This is a list of current monarchies. As of 2024, there are 43 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as head of state. There are 13 in Asia, 12...
A federal monarchy, in the strict sense, is a federation of states with a single monarch as overall head of the federation, but retaining different monarchs...
The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden, by law a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system...
An Islamic monarchy is a monarchy which adheres to Islam as its state religion and is an Islamic state fully governed by Sharia. Historically came under...
Monarchy of Greece (Greek: Μοναρχία της Ελλάδας, romanized: Monarchía tis Elládas) or Greek monarchy (Greek: Ελληνική Μοναρχία, romanized: Ellinikí Monarchía)...
A hereditary monarchy is a form of government and succession of power in which the throne passes from one member of a ruling family to another member of...
The monarchy of Thailand is the constitutional form of government of the Thailand (formerly Siam). The king of Thailand (Thai: พระมหากษัตริย์ไทย, historically...
In the European history, monarchy was the prevalent form of government throughout the Middle Ages, only occasionally competing with communalism, notably...
The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy (Spanish: Monarquía Española) is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a hereditary...
Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald...
The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous...
A universal monarchy is a concept and political situation where one monarchy is deemed to have either sole rule over everywhere (or at least the predominant...
China was a monarchy from prehistoric times up to 1912, when a republic was established. The succession of legendary monarchs of China were non-hereditary...
Capetians and their cadet lines under the Valois and Bourbon until the monarchy was abolished in 1792 during the French Revolution. The Kingdom of France...
with it possible that the monarchy in each of the states is a separate institution, equal in status to each other. The monarchy is therefore no longer an...
Monarchy was the prevalent form of government in the history of Africa, where self-governing states, territories, or nations existed in which supreme power...
Bicycle monarchy (or bicycling monarchy) is a British term for the more informal and modest personal styles of the royal families of countries in Scandinavia...