Monarchies

Monarchy is a form of government where the head of state, a monarch, is appointed for life, usually through heredity. In an absolute monarchy the monarch has uninhibited power. Most monarchies today are constitutional monarchies where the monarch's role is mostly ceremonial. In some contexts and languages a constitutional monarchy is a separate term - where the monarch is limited by a constitution, but still has certain powers - from a parliamentary monarchy where all power resides with parliament in practice if not theory. The narrow meaning of constitutional monarchy was a common transitional form in the 19th century but has mostly died out with very few exceptions.

Understand
"Lordship for many is no good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king."

- Homer

Monarchies have a complex history over a very long range of time. Evidence of kingdoms has been found throughout Eurasia, Africa and the Americas for millennia.

Evidence suggests that the role of priest and monarch were often combined and some traditions considered their rulers living gods. In monotheistic countries the "divine right to rule" or being "chosen by God" have often been cited as the basis of monarchical power and these societies have been closely related to theocracies.

In some cases societies are understood in anthropological terms of being matriarchal or patriarchal. In many cases societies or nation states have regarded a central male leader as the norm.

Where nation states have always required a leader and have had serious problems where a leader fails to eventuate, regime change has occurred where usurpers have taken over what had appeared to be inherited roles. Historical Byzantium, and current United Kingdom have had houses where particular families have had claim to the throne. The cycle of dynasties and their being overtaken by rival claimants is central to Chinese philosophy and has been enshrined in the concept "mandate of heaven". In essence this concept means that a good ruler inspires loyalty and his country prospers as long as he has the mandate of heaven. Once the mandate is gone, the country fails and the loyalty falters, sweeping new dynasties and rulers to power.

Intermarriage between monarchies was complex and consistent through all countries of Europe well into the 19th century. As a result, all the European royal families that are still ruling today are related to each other. At the outbreak of the First World War, one of the favourite grandsons of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (the firstborn, actually), Wilhelm II of Germany, found himself unable to use his good relationship with his cousins George V and Nikolai II to avoid war. And that's only mentioning three of the ruling houses claiming to rule over empires at the time. Marriage (through which the Habsburgs expanded enormously and famously), selling territories and wars also led to incredibly complex arrangements of territory. House Liechtenstein (the ruling house of — you guessed it — Liechtenstein) used to hold large territories in Bohemia which were only expropriated after World War II. In fact, no member of the house resided in what is now Liechtenstein until 1938. House Hohenzollern, on the other hand, held some territory in what is now Baden Württemberg even before their first member got anywhere near Brandenburg. Branch lines of the Hohenzollern at some time ruled in Bayreuth, Nuremberg and other places. The threat of one Hohenzollern, distantly related to the ones ruling in Berlin, becoming king of Spain was a large contributing factor in the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870/71, the relationship — through adoption — of that Hohenzollern to the House of Bonaparte ruling in France notwithstanding.

Before the advent of secularism, it was a lot more common for members of the clergy to serve as monarchs. For instance Salzburg was ruled by a Prince-Archbishop during the time of Mozart, and the Tibetan Empire was ruled by the Dalai Lama, who is also the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism. However, with the introduction of secularism by Napoleon's conquests, this has been rare in Europe, with a notable surviving example being the Pope in the Vatican City. However, some monarchs, such as the British and Scandinavian monarchs, while not members of the clergy, remain the ceremonial heads of their respective national churches. In most Muslim monarchies, the monarch still serves as the head of Islam in their respective countries, while Buddhist Thailand and Cambodia have royal temples in their royal palace grounds that are patronised by the monarch, and are important pilgrimage sites for their respective countries' citizens.

Historically, monarchs have been formally installed in elaborate coronation or enthronement ceremonies, the main difference between the two being that the former involves the placement of a crown on the monarch's head, while the latter does not. As monarchs have traditionally claimed to have been bestowed their right to rule by the gods, coronation and enthronement ceremonies are generally also religious ceremonies in which the monarch is formally invested by a senior member of the clergy. In modern times, virtually all European monarchies have eschewed elaborate coronation ceremonies in favour of much simpler inauguration ceremonies, with the United Kingdom being the only one to retain a full coronation ceremony with all the regalia. However, full coronation or enthronement ceremonies continue to be performed in most non-European monarchies such as Thailand, Japan, Morocco and Tonga. In Malaysia, where the national monarchy rotates every five years among the monarchs of the nine royal states, an installation ceremony is held whenever a new king takes office following the expiry of the term of the previous king.

The devolution of monarchies to different governance in some countries was as early as pre first world war, while a significant number changed as a result of the First and Second World Wars.

Size of kingdoms/monarchies has ranged from very localized rulers in Europe, to the height of European imperial monarchies of the 17th to 19th century where empires stretched to all corners of the globe; such as the British Empire, Russian Empire, and Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Ceremonial guards
Royal guards or ceremonial guards are soldiers or law enforcement officers assigned to serve and protect the royal family and their property. While they typically wear traditional uniforms, some countries let them use force to prevent crime and disorderly behaviour on site. In some countries, such as Sweden, they are not a specific unit; instead the assignment is shared between different branches of the military. Some units, such as the Yeomen Warders (also known as Beefeaters) are also assigned as tourist guides.

See
"The whole world is in revolt. Soon there will be only five Kings left — the King of England, the King of Spades, the King of Clubs, the King of Hearts, and the King of Diamonds."

- King Farouk of Egypt, overthrown in 1952

In most monarchies, there are some palaces and royal properties which are, to some extent, open to the public, see also Castles and Grand houses. Royal paraphernalia may be on display in palaces and museums, one example being the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. In some countries, such as Thailand and Spain, the official residence of the monarch is mainly used for ceremonial purposes and not the monarch's actual residence, so visitors may be able to explore parts of the palace.

Palaces and other royal buildings tend to have great collections of visual arts. When it comes to European art until the 19th century, the Royals tend to have collections of portraits, some of them iconic illustrations of celebrities from before the era of photography.

Royal families make occasional public appearances.

Africa

 * . Constitutional monarchy in with the king as head of state, and the prime minister as head of government. Surrounded by South Africa.
 * . A constitutional monarchy in the narrow sense of the term with the king holding a number of powers but not unlimited power. The ruling house claims descent from the prophet Muhammad, a not too uncommon claim in the Muslim world.
 * . Formerly known as Swaziland, Eswatini is an absolute monarchy, where the King, titled Ngwenyama rules together with a Queen Mother, the Ndlovukati, who resides in Lobamba.
 * Although South Africa is a republic, it also recognises a Zulu King, who is based in the city of Nongoma.
 * Nigeria is a republic at the national level, though many ethnic groups continue to be governed by a traditional monarch. Benin City was the capital of the Kingdom of Benin, and continues to house the Oba of Benin, who is still regarded as the symbolic head of the Edo people.
 * Ghana is a republic at the national level, but still has traditional monarchs governing some of their ethnic groups. The city of Kumasi was the capital of the Ashanti Empire, and continues to be home to the Asantehene, who is the leader of the Ashanti people.
 * was a monarchy, under a dynasty claiming descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, until 1974. Various palaces and monuments can still be seen.

Asia

 * . Absolute monarchy, but nevertheless one of the more progressive Islamic countries in the Gulf, being home to the Gulf's sole surviving synagogue, and the only indigenous Christian community in the Gulf. Although the majority of Bahrain's population is made up of Shia Muslims, the royal family is Sunni Muslim.
 * . Constitutional monarchy with broad powers for the king, who remains head of government, albeit with a democratically elected legislature. Unlike many other countries, Bhutan does not prioritise economic growth, and instead uses a unique "Gross National Happiness" model to guide its development.
 * . An absolute monarchy ruled by a sultan, who is one of the richest monarchs in the world due to considerable oil wealth. While by law Brunei is a constitutional monarchy, the Sultan has wielded uninhibited power through an endless loop of states of emergency since 1962.
 * . Constitutional monarchy with the prime minister as head of government. It was overthrown by the Khmer Rouge in 1970 in the midst of the Cambodian Civil War, and restored in 1993. Visitors may tour a small part of the Royal Palace compound in Phnom Penh, including the main throne hall when not in use for ceremonial purposes. In addition, tourists may also visit the Silver Pagoda, Cambodia's royal temple, which is located within the palace compound, and an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists from all over the country.
 * Although modern Indonesia is a republic, it is also home to many regional monarchies, the most notable ones being based out of the cities of and . They are retained after the two sultanates' support towards Indonesian independence.
 * . Headed by an emperor ("Tennō") rather than a king, the Japanese monarchy can be traced back more than 1500 years. The role of the emperor changed in many directions over the long course of history, sometimes acting just as a figurehead and sometimes also revered as a deity. Japan is now a constitutional monarchy, with executive power being vested in the Prime Minister. However, unlike other countries, the Japanese emperor is explicitly given no powers by the constitution that he or she exercises independent of elected politicians.
 * . The Jordanian king holds broad but not unlimited power. Jordanian kings have been seen as comparatively moderate and Western-aligned even before the signing of the 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
 * . Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy ruled by an emir. The level of democracy is slightly higher than most Middle Eastern monarchies.
 * . Constitutional monarchy; most of the day-to-day affairs of state are handled by the Prime Minister. The king (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is the Head of State, and the position rotates among the sultans of the 9 royal states every 5 years. The king's former palace, the former Istana Negara at Jalan Istana, is open to the public for visits. Most Malaysian states also have a sultan, whose palace normally can be viewed from outside the compound but not entered by the public. Some states, such as Negeri Sembilan, have an old palace (Istana Lama) that is no longer used by the ruler and can be visited (in the case of Negeri Sembilan, it is in Seri Menanti).
 * . Absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan.
 * . Absolute monarchy ruled by the Emir, who is also one of the world's richest people due to considerable oil and natural gas wealth.
 * . King Bhumibol Adulyadej was the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history until his death in 2016. Although a constitutional monarchy, with the Prime Minister wielding the most authority in government, Thailand is also notable for very strict laws against insulting the monarchy or royal family. Even banknotes are protected from disrespectful treatment as they bear the image of the king. King Bhumibol was deeply loved and revered by his subjects, and had often intervened in the case of military coups or the organizers of coups have claimed to act on his behalf. However, his son and successor has not been able to command the same level of respect, as anti-government protesters have increasingly called for the monarchy to be abolished. Bangkok's Grand Palace is the king's official residence, though the king does not actually live there and uses it only for ceremonial purposes. Visitors may purchase tickets to walk through the grounds of the Grand Palace, but may not enter the buildings. The Grand Palace is also home to Thailand's royal temple, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which is the most important pilgrimage site for Thai Buddhists from all over the country.
 * . In contrast to most of the world's de facto dictatorships, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of few countries that does not even claim to be democratic. The enormous oil reserves and custodianship over Islam's two holiest sites arguably make the House of Saud the richest and most powerful royal dynasty in the world. Their rules of succession are also somewhat uncommon, as the last few royal successions have seen power handed down from older to younger brother and not father to son as is customary in most other monarchies. This is not for lack of sons either, as most of the recent kings were well into old age (and had many sons) when they got onto the throne. Under the arrangement made during the reign of King Salman the crown-prince (as of 2020, his son, Muhammad bin Salman or "MbS") has taken over many of the roles of day-to-day governance and is seen as the "face" of the Saudi regime.
 * . An oil-rich federal monarchy consisting of seven emirates, each of which is an absolute monarchy with its own king (or Sheikh). The king of Abu Dhabi is the president of the UAE, and the king of Dubai is the prime minister of the UAE. Both of them are among the richest royals in the world due to considerable oil wealth.

Europe
All European microstates except San Marino are monarchies.
 * . Ruled by two princes, always the incumbents in the roles of Bishop of Urgell and President of France. The French role of co-prince used to be held by the Count of Foix, then later by the House of Navarre, which came to be the ruling house of France. Every French head of state since, whether monarch or president, has also been co-prince.


 * . The Belgian monarchy is a unifying entity in a divided country. One Belgian king — Leopold II — ruled Congo as his private property in extremely brutal fashion before it was put under the control of the Belgian parliament. The ruling house of Belgium was chosen almost at random from minor German nobility upon the independence of Belgium in 1830 but it has managed to hold onto the throne while other seemingly more prestigious dynasties faltered and fell.
 * . The Kingdom of Denmark is a personal union of Denmark proper, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, and one of the world's oldest continuous monarchies, with roots in the Viking Age. See Nordic monarchies and Danish Empire.
 * . Liechtenstein is a constitutional monarchy with broad powers for the prince, but also the unique possibility of forced abdication through plebiscite.
 * . The Grand Duke of Luxembourg used to be to the King of the Netherlands, however in 1890 Luxembourg passed under the rule of a cadet branch because the rules on female inheritance of the throne were different from those of the Netherlands.
 * . Originally a minor noble house from Genoa, the Grimaldis managed to conquer Monaco in the Middle Ages and have reigned over it since with only a short interruption during the Napoleonic wars. Even though Monaco is on good terms with the European Union and neighbouring France (using the euro and being part of the Schengen agreement), the relatively broad powers of the prince as guaranteed by the constitution have been criticised by the EU and Council of Europe as undemocratic.
 * . Despite being one of the longest lived republics in early modern Europe, the Netherlands cemented their monarchical tendencies after the Napoleonic Wars with the person who would have under normal circumstances become Stadtholder of the United Provinces instead ascending to the newly-created Dutch throne (then including what is now Belgium) after experiments with a Bonapartist "Kingdom of Holland" and an earlier "Batavian Republic" were swept aside.
 * . Norway has been independent since 1905, though the monarchy can be traced back to the Viking Age. Main attractions are the Royal Palace in central Oslo, and Oscarshall on Bygdøy. See Nordic monarchies.
 * . After experimenting with short-lived republican systems and being a monarchy in name only during Francisco Franco's last years, Spain became a constitutional monarchy under Juan Carlos of the House of Bourbon. The constitution grants an unusually large amount of reserve powers to the monarch and Juan Carlos has exercised his formal role as commander in chief of the armed forces during a coup attempt in the 1980s. His son, Felipe VI, has also deviated from the practice of monarchs like the UK's Elizabeth II of not commenting on day-to-day political issues in public. Unlike Elizabeth II, who professed no public opinion on Scottish independence (despite the monarchical leanings of even many separatists), Felipe VI professed firm opposition to Catalan independence, perhaps in part due to the largely republican leanings of the separatists. The Palacio Real in Madrid is the king's official residence, though the king does not live there, and it is open to the public when not in use for ceremonial purposes.
 * . Sweden has been a hereditary monarchy since the 16th century, with the throne since 1814 being held by the House of Bernadotte, which descends from Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of France under Napoleon. King Carl XVI Gustaf has reigned since 1973, the longest of any known Swedish king. Ten Royal Palaces are, to some extent, open to the public. Most of them are located in or around Stockholm, such as Stockholm Palace and Drottningholm. See also Swedish Empire and Nordic monarchies.
 * . In addition to the United Kingdom, the British monarch is also head of state of numerous Commonwealth nations, such as Australia, Canada or New Zealand. Buckingham Palace in Westminster is open to the public in August and September. Other residences include Sandringham House, Windsor Castle, Holyrood Palace and Balmoral Castle. These other residences are generally easier to visit (open more days and fewer queues), and also of interest is the former Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh where Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom can be seen. While the role of the monarch is mostly seen as ceremonial, all prime ministers since Winston Churchill have met with the monarch for regular consultation and that mere fact may give him/her a lot of "soft power" over what government officials think and do. The monarch also in theory retains the power to veto any bills that have been passed by Parliament, though this right has not been exercised since Queen Anne did so in 1707. See Monarchy of the United Kingdom for all destinations related to the Crown.
 * . The Pope is an elected monarch as Bishop of Rome and as the ruler of the world's smallest country. Tourists can visit the Basilica of St. Peter and the Vatican Museum.

Oceania

 * . Constitutional monarchy ruled by a king, with the prime minister as head of government. The only indigenous monarchy in the Pacific that managed to survive colonial rule.
 * The Queen of the United Kingdom is the Head of State in many former British colonies including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and some smaller island countries. An appointed Governor-General represents the Queen in each of these countries, with a Governor representing her in each Australian state.

Americas
Canada and several smaller countries in the Americas were part of the British Empire and are still part of the Commonwealth. In Canada, Belize and several Caribbean nations such as Jamaica, Grenada and the Bahamas, the British monarch is the Head of State, but Parliament runs the country. The crown is represented by a Governor General in each country, and a Lieutenant-Governor in each Canadian province.
 * , the Governor General's official Ottawa residence, with 88 acres of surrounding grounds, is a designated National Historic Site of Canada and is open to the public for guided tours.


 * Some events at Rideau Hall &mdash; like cricket matches on the grounds, various awards ceremonies, or the annual Governor General's Garden Party &mdash; are also open to the public, though many require booking in advance.


 * Quarters are also reserved for the Governor General at the historic Citadel in Quebec City.

Historical monarchies
Many monarchies have only survived through buildings, written records, and archaeological remnants. In some cases, traces on the ground might be all that is left, and museums or interpretative materials are the only understanding a tourist might gain. There may not even be known survivors or descendants over time, and it is left to archaeologists and historians to piece together the evidence.

In monarchies abolished in the 20th century, such as Austria, Bulgaria and Greece, the royal dynasty usually has survivors, of variable social status. In some countries pretenders (claimants to a deposed or abolished throne or heirs to dynasties that are out of power) and former monarchs have been or still are important political figures. Napoleon III of France started out as a common citizen who just "happened to be" nephew and heir apparent to Napoleon I when running for President, before he became emperor in name as well as fact. Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia/Germany had no such luck, as his father — the deposed Wilhelm II — was still alive and explicitly forbade him from running for President even though the political right in the Weimar Republic asked him to in the 1920s. Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria managed to be elected head of government after he had "reigned" over his country as a toddler during World War II. Otto von Habsburg, the last crown-prince of Austria-Hungary, was forbidden by Austrian law to return to Austria until he officially renounced all claims to the throne in 1961, but he ran for the European Parliament from Germany where he had a long political career. He was buried with full honors in Vienna, marking something of a reconciliation between the Second Austrian Republic and the Habsburg family.

The UK had a civil war in the 1640s and 50s, Parliament versus Royalists. Many of the battlefields can be visited.

The UK saw another civil war in the 1740s, the ruling Protestant House of Hanover versus the Jacobites, followers of the exiled Catholic Stuarts who attempted to return. The fighting took place mainly in Scotland and many of the battlefields can be visited, including the site of a Jacobite victory at Prestonpans near Tranent and that of the crushing Jacobite defeat at Culloden that ended the rebellion.

In British India, under both the Company and the Raj, there were many princely states ruled by local Maharajas with varying degrees of British influence. Today many of their palaces are tourist attractions and a few are now luxury hotels.

Ancient empires
Wikivoyage has many articles on historical empires, most of which were monarchies and many of which have left monuments or ruins that are tourist attractions today.
 * Indus Valley Civilisation - circa 3300-1300 BCE
 * Ancient Mesopotamia - circa 3100 BCE to the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 BCE
 * Ancient Egypt - circa 3000-31 BCE
 * Imperial China - circa 2000 BCE to 1911 CE
 * Hittites - Anatolia, circa 1700-1200 BCE
 * Trojan War - 13th or 12th century BCE, with monarchies on both sides
 * Ancient Greece - from 12th century BCE
 * Roman Empire - circa 750 BCE-500 CE
 * Persian Empire - 550 BCE-1979 CE with some interruptions
 * Alexander the Great - from 336 BCE
 * Maurya Empire - India, 322-185 BCE
 * Byzantine Empire - split from Rome in 286 CE, fell to Ottoman Turks in 1453
 * Mongol Empire - conquered most of Asia in the 13th century
 * Ottoman Empire - 14th century to early 20th
 * Mughal Empire - India, 1526-1857
 * Ancient African nations
 * Tibetan Empire
 * Western Xia or Tangut Empire - 1028-1227, in what is now China
 * Pre-modern Japan
 * Pre-modern Korea

Respect
In most monarchies, the royal family is revered by many citizens, and negative statements might be taboo. In more authoritarian countries such as Thailand, insults against the royal family are criminalized and subject to a heavy fine, prison term, or both.