In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the title may refer totribal kingship. Germanic kingship is cognate withIndo-European traditions of tribal rulership (cf. Indicrājan, Gothicreiks, and Old Irishrí, etc.).
In the context of classical antiquity, king may translate in Latin asrex and in Greek asarchon orbasileus.
In classical Europeanfeudalism, the title ofking as the ruler of akingdom is understood to be the highest rank in the feudal order, potentially subject, at least nominally, only to anemperor (harking back to theclient kings of theRoman Republic andRoman Empire).[1]
In a modern context, the title may refer to the ruler of one of a number of modern monarchies (either absolute or constitutional). The title ofking is used alongside other titles for monarchs: in the West,emperor,grand prince,prince,archduke,duke orgrand duke, and in the Islamic world,malik,sultan,emir orhakim, etc.[2]
The termking may also refer to aking consort, a title that is sometimes given to the husband of aqueen regnant, but the title ofprince consort is more common.
The English termking is derived from theAnglo-Saxoncyning, which in turn is derived from theCommon Germanic *kuningaz. The Common Germanic term was borrowed into Estonian and Finnish at an early time, surviving in these languages askuningas. It is a derivation from the term*kunjom "kin" (Old Englishcynn) by the-inga- suffix. The literal meaning is that of a "scion of the [noble] kin", or perhaps "son or descendant of one of noble birth" (OED).
The English term translates, and is considered equivalent to, Latinrēx and its equivalents in the variousEuropean languages. The Germanic term is notably different from the word for "King" in other Indo-European languages (*rēks "ruler";Latinrēx,Sanskritrājan andIrishrí; however, see Gothicreiks and, e.g., modern GermanReich and modern Dutchrijk).
In the course of the European Middle Ages, theEuropean kingdoms underwent a general trend of centralisation of power, so that by theLate Middle Ages there were a number of large and powerful kingdoms in Europe, which would develop into thegreat powers of Europe in theEarly Modern period.
Most famously, inWestern Europe, the western part of theCarolingian Empire becameFrancia Occidentalis (West Francia) and developed into theKingdom of France covering at its height all the lands between the Atlantic and the Rhine. Its fragmented several times into almost independent states, but was several times the preeminent military and cultural power in Europe. Its monarch evolved from "Francorum Rex Occidentalis" (king of the Western Franks) to "Franciae Rex" ("King of France") and in French "Roi de France" (seeStyle of the French sovereign). Under theFrench Empire this wasEmperor of the French and under the constitutional monarchyKing of the French.
By the end of the Middle Ages, the kings of these kingdoms would start to place arches with an orb and cross on top as anImperial crown, which only theHoly Roman Emperor had had before. This symbolized them holding theimperium and beingemperors in their own realm not subject even theoretically anymore to the Holy Roman Emperor.
Currently (as of 2023[update]), eighteen kings are recognized as the heads of state ofsovereign states (i.e. monarchs whose native titles are officially or commonly rendered in English asking).
^History Crunch Writers."Aztec Emperors (Huey Tlatoani)".History Crunch - History Articles, Summaries, Biographies, Resources and More. Retrieved18 April 2021.
^see e.g. M. Mitterauer,Why Europe?: The Medieval Origins of Its Special Path, University of Chicago Press (2010),p. 28.
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