There are and have been throughout recorded history a great manymonarchies in the world.Tribal kingship andChiefdoms have been the most widespread form of social organisation from theNeolithic , and the predominance of monarchies has declined only with the rise ofRepublicanism in the modern era.
A monarchical form of government can be combined with many different kinds of political and economic systems, fromabsolute monarchy toconstitutional monarchy and from amarket economy to aplanned economy . Some examples for certain forms of monarchy are:
Extant monarchies are listed inbold type .
Middle Ages and Renaissance [ edit ] Enlightenment and later [ edit ] Dates of the latest abolitions of monarchies inEurope and the territories nearby. A green rectangle indicates that the monarchy was restored afterwards and is currently functioning. If a country has no date, it means that either it has never had a monarchical government (e.g.Switzerland ) or it has been functioning throughout the country's modern history (e.g.Sweden ,Denmark andNorway ). Note that the dates do not necessarily mark the end of the national independent monarchy but the territory it covered (e.g.Ukraine ). Constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Aconstitutional monarchy is a form ofmonarchical government established under aconstitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditarymonarch ashead of state .
Unitary constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Unitary constitutional monarchies areunitary states which are governed constitutionally as one single unit, with a single constitutionally created legislature.
Kingdom of England (1660–1707; merged withKingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain)Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918)Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800, became United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland)Kingdom of France (1791–1792 ), monarchy overthrown during theFrench Revolution ; (1814–1815 ), monarchy deposed at the beginning of theHundred Days ; (1815–1830 ), monarchy overthrown during theJuly Revolution ; (1830–1848 ), monarchy overthrown during theFrench Revolution of 1848 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1800–1921; becameUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland )Kingdom of Bohemia (1806–1918; dissolved afterWorld War I )Kingdom of Hungary (1867–1918; part ofAustro-Hungarian Empire )Kingdom of Spain First Spanish Republic , 1873–1874;Restoration , 1874–1931;Second Spanish Republic , 1931–1939;Spanish Civil War , 1936–1939;dictatorship and regency under Franco , 1939–1975;Spanish transition to democracy 1975–1978, constitutional monarchy restored 1978–present)Kingdom of Norway Swedish Sovereign as King 1814–1905, independent in 1905)Kingdom of the Netherlands French Empire (1815 during theHundred Days )First Mexican Empire (1821–1823); ended by forced abdicationKingdom of Portugal (1822–1910; ended by coup)Empire of Brazil (1822–1889; ended by coup)Kingdom of Belgium federal constitutionalmonarchy )Kingdom of Hawaii (1840–1894; ended by coup)Kingdom of Greece (1843–1924; republican interregnum; 1935–1974; ended by referendum)Kingdom of Denmark French Empire (1852–1870; became republic)Imperial State of Iran (1935–1979; ended by revolution)Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946; ended by referendum)Principality of Liechtenstein Kingdom of Sweden Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Japan Principality of Romania (1859–1881; transformed into a Kingdom)Second Mexican Empire (1864–1867); ended by executionKingdom of Romania (1881–1947; ended by forced abdication)Principality of Serbia (1817–1882; transformed into a Kingdom)Kingdom of Serbia (1882–1918; merged into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes)Principality of Frickgau (1802–1803; 364 Days under French, merged with Switzerland)Newfoundland (1907–1949)New Zealand Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946; ended by referendum)Union of South Africa (1910–1961; ended by referendum)Princedom of Montenegro (1852–1910); transformed into a KingdomKingdom of Montenegro (1910–1918; merged into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes)Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918–1929, transformed into Yugoslavia)Kingdom of Finland (1918; ended by parliamentary vote after The Apparent abdicated willingly before entering on the throne)United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Kingdom of Jordan Irish Free State (1922–1937)Kingdom of Egypt (1922–1953; ended by military coup)Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929–1941; transformed into a Communist state in 1945)Kingdom of Iraq (1932–1958;Ended by coup )Kingdom of Thailand Ceylon (1948–1972)Kingdom of Laos (1949–1975, became socialist republic after theLaotian Civil War )Kingdom of Libya (1951–1969; become socialist republic)Kingdom of Cambodia Khmer Republic , 1970–1975;Democratic Kampuchea , 1975–1979;People's Republic of Kampuchea , 1979–1989;State of Cambodia , 1989–1993; constitutional monarchy restored 1993–present)Kingdom of Tunisia (1956–1957; became republic)Ghana (1957–1960)Nigeria (1960–1963)Tanganyika (1961–1962)Sierra Leone (1961–1971)Trinidad and Tobago (1962–1976)Uganda (1962–1963)Kingdom of Morocco Jamaica Kenya (1963–1964)Malawi (1964–1966)Malta (1964–1974)The Gambia (1965–1970)Rhodesia (1965–1970)Guyana (1966–1970)Barbados (1966–2021)Kingdom of Lesotho Mauritius (1968–1992)Fiji (1970–1987)The Bahamas Kingdom of Bahrain Grenada Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands Tuvalu Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Antigua and Barbuda Belize Saint Kitts and Nevis Kingdom of Nepal (1990–2008; transformed into a republic)Principality of Andorra Kingdom of Bhutan Federal constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Federal constitutional monarchies arefederal states in which a number offederated entities are unified under afederal government and a single monarch, who acts as ceremonialhead of state .
Elective constitutional monarchies [ edit ] Absolute monarchies [ edit ] Anabsolute monarchy is amonarchical form of government where the ruler has the power to rule his or her land orcountry and its citizens freely, with nolaws or legally-organized direct opposition in force.
Unitary absolute monarchies [ edit ] Unitary absolute monarchies areunitary states which are governed as one single unit by a single hereditary or elected leader. Some had or have a single legislature, which may or may not be constitutionally created.
Subnational monarchies [ edit ] A subnational monarchy is a territory governed by a hereditary leader, but which is subordinate to a higher national government, either monarchical or republican in form.
Sultanate of Kelantan Funan ,Khmer Empire ,Srivijaya ,Siam ,British Empire ,Federation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Sultanate of Kedah Malacca ,Siam ,British Empire ,Federation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Sultanate of Pahang Srivijaya ,Siam ,Sultanate of Malacca ,Aceh ,Johor , theBritish Empire , theFederated Malay States , theFederation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Principality of Perlis Kedah ,Siam , theBritish Empire , theMalayan Union , andMalaysia )Kingdom of Bohemia (c. 9th century – 1806; withinHoly Roman Empire ; became constitutional monarchy)Kingdom of Germany (c. 11th century – 1806; withinHoly Roman Empire ; became Austrian Empire)Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire ,Bohemia , theNetherlands ,Austria ,France andBelgium ; became constitutional monarchy)Kingdom of Pattani (c. 11th century – 1909; withinSrivijaya ,Kingdom of Ayutthaya ,Siam , dissolved betweenThailand andMalaysia )Murcia (1243–1304; within theKingdom of Castile ,Kingdom of Aragon ; absorbed intoCastile )Vaduz (1342 – 1806; within theHoly Roman Empire ; became absolute monarchy ofLiechtenstein )Sultanate of Selangor Netherlands , theBritish Empire ,Federated Malay States , theFederation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Sultanate of Yogyakarta Netherlands Indies ,Japanese Empire ,United States of Indonesia (1945–1951), andRepublic of Indonesia Sultanate of Terengganu Malacca ,Siam , theBritish Empire ,Federation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Sultanate of Maguindanao Philippines )Sultanate of Sulu Philippines )Grand Duchy of Finland (1809–1918; withinRussian Empire ; ended when The Grand Princely Throne became vacant at the Russian Revolution; became constitutional monarchy,Kingdom of Finland )Barotseland Zambia Māori Kingship Dominion of New Zealand )Kingdom of Lesotho British Empire ; became an independent constitutional monarchy)Machame Machame ,Tanzania )Afro-Bolivian Kingdom Bolivia Kingdom of Bavaria (1871–1918); held a privileged status (Reservatrechte ) within theGerman Empire Kingdom of Saxony (1871–1918); held a privileged status (Reservatrechte ) within theGerman Empire Kingdom of Württemberg (1871–1918); held a privileged status (Reservatrechte ) within theGerman Empire Negeri Sembilan British Empire , theFederation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Sultanates of Lanao Philippines )Sultanate of Perak British Empire ,Federated Malay States ,Federation of Malaya , andMalaysia )Principality of Bulgaria (1879–1908; within theOttoman Empire ; became constitutional monarchy)Wogodogo Monarchy France andBurkina Faso )Bunyoro British Empire , andUganda ; abolished; 1993–present; withinUganda )Ashanti Ghana )Ankole Uganda )Kingdom of Egypt (1917–1922; within theBritish Empire , became constitutional monarchy)Sultanate of Johor Malayan Union , theFederation of Malaya ,Malaysia )Buganda Uganda )Busoga Uganda )Emirate of Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Ajmān United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Dubai United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Fujairah United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Sharjah United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Umm al-Quwain United Arab Emirates )Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah United Arab Emirates )A monarch may reign over multiple kingdoms,dominions orrealms in various forms ofpolitical ,dynastic ,personal union or association.
Between 925 and 1035 theKingdom of Aragon shared a monarchy with theKingdom of Navarre . From 1150 to 1319, theKingdom of Aragon and theCounty of Barcelona (actually thePrincipality of Catalonia ) formed a dynastical union namedCrown of Aragon ; from 1319 to 1479, the Crown was a federation of these two countries and theKingdom of Valencia . The Kingdoms ofLeón andCastile were united three times under the same monarch, first between 1037 and 1078, again from 1072 to 1157, and finally between 1230 and sometime in the 16th century. Between 1072 and 1095 León, Castile, and Galicia were united under a common monarch, whereafter Portugal separated under a different dynasty, and the others were absorbed bySpain . TheKalmar Union was a period between 1397 and 1536 in whichDenmark ,Norway andSweden shared the same monarch as three independent countries.Norway andDenmark continued to share a monarchy from 1536 to 1814.Norway was then united under a common monarchy with Sweden from 1814 to 1905. From 1490 to c. 1740Hungary andBohemia (part of theHoly Roman Empire ) shared a monarchy. These kingdoms shared a monarch from theHabsburgs who were Archdukes of Austria and Holy Roman Emperors. BrieflyNaples andSardinia in 1707, andSicily in 1714 to their departure in 1735, 1720 and 1734, respectively. TheHabsburgs declared themselves Emperors of Austria in 1804. The three countries remained in this situation until the union was ended in the aftermath ofWorld War I , in 1918. TheAustro-Hungarian Empire was the union of theAustrian Empire and theKingdom of Hungary between 1867 and 1918 under a new constitution, theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 , or Ausgleich. From 1541,King Henry VIII of England was declared King ofIreland , after being excommunicated by the pope and losing the title ofLord of Ireland .England and Ireland were joined in a personal union until 1603, when theJames VI of Scotland became king of England and Ireland. All three crowns remained in personal union until 1707 when England and Scotland were united by theActs of Union 1707 to become theKingdom of Great Britain . The two crowns remained under personal union until theActs of Union 1800 when the kingdoms became theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . This union lasted untilIrish Independence in 1921 when with the departure of the 26 southern counties of Ireland, the UK officially became theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . From 1580 to 1640,Portugal was under a united monarchy withSpain , in the period known as theIberian Union . Between 1867 and 1890Luxembourg and theNetherlands shared the same monarch. Charles III currently reigns as king over 15 sovereignCommonwealth realms , as well as the 14British Overseas Territories and the threeCrown Dependencies ; in the crown dependency of theIsle of Mann , Charles III is formally known as theLord of Mann , and in theChannel Islands is formally known as the "King in right" and informally referred to as theDuke of Normandy .The King of France was also the co-prince of Andorra. After the abolition of the French monarchy the co-prince is now the president of the French Republic. 
