Absolute monarchy

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Absolute monarchy^[1][2] is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power.^[3] Often such monarchies are hereditary and sometimes are elective.

The absolutist system of government saw its high point during the late 16th and the 17th century, associated with a more autocratic form of rule under figures such as Louis XIV of France and Philip II of Spain. Attempting to establish an absolutist government along European lines, Charles I of England viewed Parliament as unnecessary, which would ultimately lead to the English Civil War (1642–51) and his execution. Absolutism declined substantially, first following the French Revolution, and later after World War I, both of which led to the popularization of theories of government based on the notion of popular sovereignty. It did however provide a foundation for the newer political theories and movements that emerged to oppose liberal-democracy, such as Legitimism and Carlism in the early 19th century, or "integral nationalism" in the early 20th century.

Absolute monarchies include

Salman bin Abdulaziz and Haitham bin Tariq are the absolute monarchs of Saudi Arabia and Oman, respectively.

Outside Europe

In the

Throughout much of European history, the divine right of kings was the theological justification for absolute monarchy. Many European monarchs claimed supreme autocratic power by divine right, and that their subjects had no rights to limit their power.

Throughout the Age of Enlightenment, the concept of the divine right to power and democratic ideals were given serious merit.

The

Absolutism was underpinned by a written constitution for the first time in Europe in 1665 Kongeloven, '

The House of Habsburg is currently extinct in its male line, due to the death of the childless

The first member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to rule over the

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France

The king of France concentrated legislative, executive, and judicial powers in his person. He was the supreme judicial authority. He could condemn people to death without the right of appeal. It was both his duty to punish offenses and stop them from being committed. From his judicial authority followed his power both to make laws and to annul them.[17]

Prussia

In

Frederick I was the first King in Prussia, beginning his reign on 18 January 1701.^[19] King Frederick the Great adopted the title King of Prussia in 1772, the same year he annexed most of Royal Prussia in the First Partition of Poland, and practiced enlightened absolutism until his death in 1786. He introduced a general civil code, abolished torture and established the principle that the Crown would not interfere in matters of justice.^[20] He also promoted an advanced secondary education, the forerunner of today's German gymnasium (grammar school) system, which prepares the brightest pupils for university studies. The Prussian education system was emulated in various countries, including the United States.

Russia

Until 1905, the

The form of government instituted in

After the death of Charles XII in 1718, the system of absolute rule was largely blamed for the ruination of the realm in the

Many nations formerly with absolute monarchies, such as Jordan, Kuwait, and Morocco, have moved towards constitutional monarchy. However, in these cases the monarch still retains tremendous power, even to the extent that by some measures, parliament's influence on political life is viewed as negligible.^[a][23][24]

In Bhutan, the government moved from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy following planned parliamentary elections to the Tshogdu in 2003, and the election of a National Assembly in 2008.

Nepal had several swings between constitutional rule and direct rule related to the Nepalese Civil War, the Maoist insurgency, and the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre, with the Nepalese monarchy being abolished on 28 May 2008.^[25]

In

Vatican City continues to be an absolute monarchy, but is sui generis because it is also a microstate, ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and elective monarchy. As of 2023, Vatican City has a population of 764 residents (regardless of citizenship). It is the smallest state in the world both by area and by population. The Pope is the absolute monarch of Vatican City, and is elected by a papal conclave with a two-thirds supermajority.^[28][29]

As governed by the Holy See, Vatican City State is an

Current absolute monarchies

  Denotes subnational monarchy

Realm	Image	Monarch	Born	Age	Reign Since	Reign Length	Succession	Ref(s)
Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace		Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah	(1946-07-15)15 July 1946	77 years, 279 days	4 October 1967	56 years, 198 days	Hereditary	[32]
Emirate of Sharjah		Ruler Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi	(1939-07-02)2 July 1939	84 years, 292 days	25 January 1972	52 years, 85 days	Hereditary	[33]
Emirate of Fujairah		Ruler Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi	(1949-02-22)22 February 1949	75 years, 57 days	18 September 1974	49 years, 214 days	Hereditary	[33]
Emirate of Ajman		Ruler Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III	1931 (1931)	92–93 years	6 September 1981	42 years, 226 days	Hereditary	[33]
Kingdom of Eswatini		Ngwenyama Mswati III	(1968-04-19)19 April 1968	56 years, 0 days	25 April 1986	37 years, 360 days	Hereditary and elective	[34]
Emirate of Dubai		Ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum	(1949-07-15)15 July 1949	74 years, 279 days	4 January 2006	18 years, 106 days	Hereditary	[33]
Emirate of Umm al-Quwain		Ruler Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla	(1952-10-01)1 October 1952	71 years, 201 days	2 January 2009	15 years, 108 days	Hereditary	[33]
Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah		Ruler Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi	(1956-02-10)10 February 1956	68 years, 69 days	27 October 2010	13 years, 175 days	Hereditary	[33]
Vatican City State		Supreme Pontiff Francis	(1936-12-17)17 December 1936	87 years, 124 days	13 March 2013	11 years, 37 days	Elective	[35]
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia		King Salman bin Abdul‘aziz	(1935-12-31)31 December 1935	88 years, 110 days	23 January 2015	9 years, 87 days	Hereditary and elective	[36]
Sultanate of Oman		Haitham bin Tariq Al Said	(1954-10-11)11 October 1954	69 years, 191 days	11 January 2020	4 years, 99 days	Hereditary	[37][38]
Emirate of Abu Dhabi		Ruler Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan	(1961-03-11)11 March 1961	63 years, 39 days	13 May 2022	1 year, 342 days	Hereditary	[33]

Saudi Arabia