Definition
Monarchy is a system of rule in which supreme authority rests with a single individual, usually inheriting the position through a hereditary line. The monarch may be called a king, queen, emperor, pharaoh, sultan, or similar title.
Monarchy has been the most common form of government across recorded history, ranging from absolute monarchies, where the ruler holds unchecked power, to constitutional monarchies, where the ruler is bound by law and shares power with elected institutions.
Why it matters
How it works
A monarchy concentrates legitimacy in a person and a bloodline. Succession rules, often favoring the eldest son, aim to make the transfer of power predictable. Many monarchies justified themselves through religion, claiming the ruler governed by divine right or as a representative of the gods. Over time, nobles, parliaments, and revolutions constrained royal power. Many surviving monarchies are now constitutional, with the monarch serving a ceremonial role while elected bodies govern.