Amonarch (/ˈmɒnərk/) is ahead of state[1][2]for life or untilabdication, and therefore the head of state of amonarchy. A monarch usually exercises the highest authority and power in thestate.[3] Usually, a monarch either personallyinherits the lawful right to exercise the state's sovereign rights (often referred to asthethrone orthe crown) or isselected by an established process from a family or cohort eligible to provide the nation's monarch.[4] Alternatively, an individual mayproclaim oneself monarch, or evenusurp power, as manyAncient Greek tyrants did.[5] If a young child is crowned the monarch, then aregent is often appointed to govern until the monarch reaches the requisite adult age to rule.[6]
Monarchy is political or sociocultural in nature, and is generally (but not always) associated withhereditary rule. Most monarchs, both historically and in the present day, have been born and brought up within aroyal family (whose rule over a period of time is referred to as adynasty) and trained for future duties. Different systems ofsuccession have been used, such asproximity of blood (male preference or absolute),primogeniture,agnatic seniority,Salic law, etc. While traditionally most monarchs have been male, female monarchs have also ruled, and the termqueen regnant refers to a ruling monarch, as distinct from aqueen consort, the wife of a reigning king.[7][8][9][10]
In recent centuries, many states have abolished the monarchy and becomerepublics. Advocacy of government by a republic is calledrepublicanism, while advocacy of monarchy is calledmonarchism. A principal advantage of hereditary monarchy is the immediate continuity of national leadership,[13] as illustrated in the classic phrase "The [old] King is dead. Long live the [new] King!". In cases where the monarch serves mostly as a ceremonial figure (e.g., most modern constitutional monarchies), real leadership does not depend on the monarch.
Hereditary succession within onepatrilineal family has been most common (but see theRain Queen), with a preference for children over siblings, and sons over daughters. In Europe, some people practiced equal division of land and regalian rights among sons or brothers, as in the Germanic states of the Holy Roman Empire, until after themedieval era and sometimes (e.g.,Ernestine duchies) into the 19th century. Other European realms practiced one or another form ofprimogeniture, in which alord was succeeded by his eldest son or, if he had none, by his brother, his daughters or sons of daughters.
The system oftanistry practiced among Celtic tribes was semi-elective and gave weight also to ability and merit.[14][15]
TheSalic law, practiced in France and in the Italian territories of theHouse of Savoy, stipulated that only men could inherit the crown. In mostfiefs, in the event of the demise of all legitimate male members of thepatrilineage, a female of the family could succeed (semi-Salic law). In most realms, daughters and sisters were eligible to succeed a ruling kinsman before more distant male relatives (male-preference primogeniture), but sometimes the husband of the heiress became the ruler, and most often also received the title,jure uxoris. Spain today continues this model of succession law, in the form ofcognatic primogeniture. In more complex medieval cases, the sometimes conflicting principles ofproximity andprimogeniture battled, and outcomes were often idiosyncratic.
As the average life span increased, the eldest son was more likely to reach majority age before the death of his father, and primogeniture became increasingly favored over proximity, tanistry, seniority, and election.
In 1980,Sweden became the first monarchy to declareequal primogeniture,absolute primogeniture orfull cognatic primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, whether female or male, ascends to the throne.[16] Other nations have since adopted this practice:Netherlands in 1983,Norway in 1990,Belgium in 1991,Denmark in 2009, andLuxembourg in 2011.[17][18] TheUnited Kingdom adopted absolute (equal) primogeniture on April 25, 2013, followingagreement by the prime ministers of the sixteen Commonwealth Realms at the 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.[19]
In some monarchies, such asSaudi Arabia, succession to the throne usually first passes to the monarch's next eldest brother and so on through his other brothers, and only after them to the monarch's children (agnatic seniority). In some other monarchies (e.g.,Jordan), the monarch chooses who will be his successor within the royal family, who need not necessarily be his eldest son.
Lastly, some monarchies areelective (UAE,Malaysia,Holy See andCambodia), meaning that the monarch is elected instead of assuming office due to direct inheritance. Rules and laws regarding election vary country to country.[20]
Whatever the rules of succession, there have been many cases of a monarch being overthrown and replaced by a usurper who would often install his own family on the throne.
As part of theScramble for Africa, seven European countries invaded and colonized most of the African continent.[21]
The concept of monarchy existed in the Americas long before the arrival of European colonialists.[22][23] When the Europeans arrived they referred to these tracts of land within territories of different aboriginal groups to be kingdoms, and the leaders of these groups were often referred to by the Europeans as Kings, particularly hereditary leaders.[24]
The first local monarch to emerge in North America after colonization wasJean-Jacques Dessalines, who declared himselfEmperor of Haiti on September 22, 1804.[25] Haiti again had an emperor,Faustin I from 1849 to 1859. In South America, Brazil[26] had a royal house ruling as emperor between 1822 and 1889, under emperorsPedro I andPedro II.
^L Gomes. 1889: como um imperador cansado, um marechal vaidoso e um professor injustiçado contribuíram para a o fim da monarquia e programação da republica no Brasil. Globo Livros. 2013.
Sources
Girard, Philippe R. (2011).The Slaves Who Defeated Napoleon: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian War of Independence 1801–1804. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama Press.ISBN978-0-8173-1732-4.
Schutt-Ainé, Patricia (1994).Haiti: A Basic Reference Book. Miami, Florida: Librairie Au Service de la Culture. pp. 33–35, 60.ISBN978-0-9638599-0-7.
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