Monarchy of Liechtenstein

Prince of Liechtenstein
Prince of Liechtenstein
Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein (German)
	Arms of His Serene Highness the Prince of Liechtenstein
Incumbent
	Hans-Adam II; since 13 November 1989
Details
Style	His Serene Highness
Heir apparent	Alois
First monarch	Karl I
Formation	20 December 1608
Residence	Vaduz Castle

The monarchy of Liechtenstein is the

agnatic primogeniture

.

History

Through the centuries, the dynasty acquired vast swathes of land, predominantly in Moravia, Lower Austria, Silesia, and Styria, though in all cases, these territories were held in fief under other more senior feudal lords, particularly under various lines of the Habsburg family, to whom several Liechtenstein princes served as close advisors.^{[citation needed]}

Without any territory held

Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. By purchase in 1699 and 1712 from the counts of Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems of, respectively, the small lordship of Schellenberg and the county of Vaduz, the Liechtensteins acquired immediate lands within the Holy Roman Empire which made them eligible for elevation to the Imperial Diet. Thereby, on 23 January 1719, Emperor Charles VI decreed Vaduz and Schellenberg were henceforth united and raised to the status of a Fürstentum (principality) under the name "Liechtenstein" for "[his] true servant, Anton Florian of Liechtenstein

".

Although the family continued to own larger territories in various parts of central and eastern Europe, it was in right of Liechtenstein's status as an

dissolution of both the Holy Roman Empire and Austria-Hungary

.

Powers

The prince of Liechtenstein has broad powers, which include the appointment of judges, the dismissal of ministers or government,

secede

was simultaneously recognised.

Prince Hans-Adam II had warned that he and his family would move to Austria if the referendum were rejected. Despite opposition from Mario Frick, a former Liechtenstein prime minister, the referendum was approved by the electorate in 2003. Opponents accused Hans-Adam of engaging in emotional blackmail to achieve his goal and constitutional experts from the Council of Europe branded the event as a retrograde move.^[3] A proposal to revoke the prince's new veto powers was rejected by 76% of voters in a 2012 referendum.^[4] On 15 August 2004 Prince Hans-Adam II formally delegated most of his sovereign authority (regency) to his son and heir-apparent, the Hereditary Prince Alois, as a way of transitioning to a new generation. Formally, Hans-Adam remains head of state.^[5]