Philosophers
110-635: The Asantehene is the title for the monarch of the historical Ashanti Empire as well as the ceremonial ruler of the Ashanti people today. The Ashanti royal house traces its line to the Oyoko (an Abusua , or "clan") Abohyen Dynasty of Nana Twum and the Oyoko Dynasty of Osei Tutu Opemsoo , who formed the Empire of Ashanti in 1701 and was crowned Asantehene (King of all Asante). Osei Tutu held
220-434: A constitutional crisis . Most constitutional monarchies employ a system that includes the principle of responsible government . In such an order, the reserve powers are thought to be the means by which the monarch and his or her viceregal representatives can legitimately exist as "constitutional guardians" or "umpires", tasked with guaranteeing that Cabinet and parliament adhere to the fundamental constitutional principles of
330-475: A personal union relationship under a shared monarch. Therefore, though today there are legally ten American monarchs, one person occupies each distinct position. In addition to these sovereign states, there are also a number of sub-national ones. In Bolivia , for example, the Afro-Bolivian king claims descent from an African dynasty that was taken from its homeland and sold into slavery. Though largely
440-532: A ceremonial title today, the position of king of the Afro-Bolivians is officially recognized by the government of Bolivia. Polynesian societies were ruled by an ariki from ancient times. The title is variously translated as "supreme chief", "paramount chief" or "king". The Kingdom of Tahiti was founded in 1788. Sovereignty was ceded to France in 1880 although descendants of the Pōmare dynasty claim
550-659: A crucial by-election , which gave the Opposition a majority of one in Parliament. The Opposition immediately called for the government to reconvene Parliament, so that a motion of no confidence could be introduced, and a new government formed. Prime Minister Telavi responded that, under the Constitution, he was only required to convene Parliament once a year (for a vote on the budget), and was thus under no obligation to summon it until December. The Opposition turned to
660-510: A defeated prime minister refuses to do either of these two things, the governor-general could use the reserve powers to either dismiss the prime minister (see above), or dissolve Parliament without the prime minister's advice. Likewise, if the prime minister tenders their resignation, the governor-general could theoretically refuse to accept it, and dissolve Parliament against the Prime Minister's advice. A governor-general can also refuse
770-500: A dissolution in those circumstances. A governor-general could also legally refuse a request for a snap election from a prime minister in whom the House has confidence, but such a refusal would be extremely unlikely. The power to withhold royal assent to Bills is controversial. Many constitutional commentators believe that the governor-general (or the sovereign ) no longer has the power to refuse royal assent to any bill properly passed by
880-527: A king or queen. As of 2022 , in Europe there are twelve monarchies: seven kingdoms ( Belgium , Denmark , Netherlands , Norway , Spain , Sweden and the United Kingdom ), one grand duchy ( Luxembourg ), one papacy ( Vatican City ), and two principalities ( Liechtenstein and Monaco ), as well as one diarchy principality ( Andorra ). In China, before the abolition of the monarchy in 1912,
990-604: A monarch and is superior to all other titles. Nepal abolished their monarchy in 2008. Sri Lanka had a complex system of monarchies from 543 BC to 1815. Between 47–42 BC, Anula of Sri Lanka became the country's first female head of state as well as Asia's first head of state. In Malaysia 's constitutional monarchy, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the Supreme Lord of the Federation) is de facto rotated every five years among
1100-415: A period when Queensland had a "Premier who is not leader" and the governing party had a "Leader who is not Premier", there was speculation on the potential exercise of vice-regal reserve power by Campbell, in dismissing the premier in the absence of a parliamentary motion of no confidence . Ultimately, Campbell was praised for his handling of the undesirable situation. These are among several exercises of
1210-463: A prime minister loses the confidence of Parliament and resigns instead of advising a dissolution of Parliament; the last such occasion was in 1911 . Finally, it may happen if a Prime Minister is maneuvered out of their position by their own party, retires or resigns for personal reasons, or dies in office. Though the power of appointment is listed among the reserve powers, in fact the governor-general abides by strict conventions, and has always appointed
SECTION 10
#17327652487711320-479: A prime minister died, became incapacitated, or resigned unexpectedly, a governor-general might be able to choose a temporary prime minister from among several senior ministers, while the governing party decided on a new leader who would then be duly appointed prime minister. Today, however, the practice of appointing – on prime-ministerial advice – a permanent deputy prime minister, who becomes acting prime minister when needed, has largely removed even this discretion from
1430-476: A prime minister's request to dissolve Parliament and hold elections. If a prime minister has been defeated by a vote of no confidence, a refusal by the governor-general to dissolve Parliament would, in effect, force the prime minister to resign and make way for a successor. See the Lascelles Principles for factors which might guide the governor-general in making a decision on whether or not to grant
1540-492: A usurper who would often install his own family on the throne. A series of pharaohs ruled Ancient Egypt over the course of three millennia ( c. 3150 BC to 31 BC) until it was conquered by the Roman Empire . In the same time period several kingdoms flourished in the nearby Nubia region, with at least one of them, that of the so-called A-Group culture, apparently influencing the customs of Egypt itself. From
1650-425: A variety of titles – king or queen , prince or princess (e.g., Sovereign Prince of Monaco ), emperor or empress (e.g., Emperor of China , Emperor of Ethiopia , Emperor of Japan , Emperor of India ), archduke , duke or grand duke (e.g., Grand Duke of Luxembourg ), emir (e.g., Emir of Qatar ), sultan (e.g., Sultan of Oman ), or pharaoh . Monarchy is political or sociocultural in nature, and
1760-456: A written constitution. Others, such as Herbert Evatt , believe or believed that reserve powers are vestigial and potentially open to abuse. Evatt felt that the reserve powers could be codified and still serve their intended function in a responsible government system, as they do in Ireland, Japan, and Sweden. In Belgium a constitutional provision explicitly states that no act of the monarch
1870-606: Is considered a monarch despite only holding the position for five years at a time. Hereditary succession within one patrilineal family has been most common (but see the Rain Queen ), with a preference for children over siblings, and sons over daughters. In Europe, some peoples practiced equal division of land and regalian rights among sons or brothers, as in the Germanic states of the Holy Roman Empire, until after
1980-524: Is generally (but not always) associated with hereditary rule . Most monarchs, both historically and in the present day, have been born and brought up within a royal family (whose rule over a period of time is referred to as a dynasty ) and trained for future duties. Different systems of succession have been used, such as proximity 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
2090-419: Is generally constrained by the cabinet or the legislature in a parliamentary system, and most reserve powers are usable only in certain exceptional circumstances. In monarchies with either an uncodified or partly unwritten constitution (such as the United Kingdom or Canada ) or a wholly written constitution that consists of a text augmented by additional conventions, traditions, letters patent , etc.,
2200-683: Is incumbent upon the King : Once a General Election has been announced by the monarch, political parties nominate their candidates to stand for the presidency of the government. Following the General Election of the Cortes Generales ( Cortes ), and other circumstances provided for in the Constitution, the monarch meets with and interviews the political party leaders represented in the Congress of Deputies, and then consults with
2310-651: Is that the King should stay away from anything which could reasonably be interpreted as partisan politics or criticism of the Government in office . Reserve powers can also be written into a republican constitution that separates the offices of head of state and head of government . This was the case in Germany under the Weimar Republic and is still the case in the French Fifth Republic ,
SECTION 20
#17327652487712420-505: Is the ability to refuse to make Orders and regulations advised by the Government or by individual Ministers. There have been a handful of occasions when reserve powers were used, or at least considered. In the 1890s, Premier John Ballance advised the Governor to make several new appointments to the (since abolished) Legislative Council . Two successive Governors, the Earl of Onslow and
2530-430: Is valid without the signature of a member or members of the government, which thereby becomes solely responsible, hence excluding any reserve power for the crown. In legal terminology, a competence vested in 'the King' thus very often means the government, as opposed to formal laws which require a (sometimes qualified) parliamentary majority. Constitutional precedence has even established the unwritten but binding rule that
2640-592: The Dangun as a collection of nationalistic legends. The monarchs of Goguryeo and some monarchs of Silla used the title Taewang , meaning "Greatest King". The early monarchs of Silla used the titles of Geoseogan , Chachaung , Isageum , and finally Maripgan until 503. The title Gun (prince) can refer to the dethroned rulers of the Joseon dynasty as well. Under the Korean Empire (1897–1910),
2750-568: The Deji , has to be chosen by an electoral college of nobles from amongst a finite collection of royal princes of the realm upon the death or removal of an incumbent. Within the Holy Roman Empire different titles were used by nobles exercising various degrees of sovereignty within their borders (see below). Such titles were granted or recognized by the emperor or pope. Adoption of a new title to indicate sovereign or semi-sovereign status
2860-586: The 1974 Instrument of Government , the supreme executive authority is the Government (composed of the Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers), which is responsible to the Riksdag . The King, however, is not subordinate to the Government and thus could play an independent role as moral authority, but the prevailing convention, expressed in the preparatory works of the 1974 Instrument of Government,
2970-592: The 1987 Constitution . Bhutan has been an independent kingdom since 1907. The first Druk Gyalpo ( Dragon King ) was elected and thereafter became a hereditary absolute monarchy. It became a constitutional monarchy in 2008. Tibet was a monarchy since the Tibetan Empire in the 6th century. It was ruled by the Yuan dynasty following the Mongol invasion in the 13th century and became an effective diarchy with
3080-718: The Achaemenid dynasty . Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus. From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. Thailand and Bhutan are like
3190-519: The Ashanti Region . The Ashanti Empire comprised parts of present-day southern Ghana and portions of present-day eastern Côte d'Ivoire between the 17th and 20th centuries. The current Asantehene is Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II , born Nana Kwaku Dua, who ascended as the 16th Asante king in April 1999. Osei Tutu II was one of seven descendants who were eligible to the heir presumptive . During
3300-769: The Christianised nobility called the Principalía . After the Spanish–American War , the country was ceded to the United States of America and made into a territory and eventually a Commonwealth , thus ending monarchism. While the Philippines is currently a republic, the Sultan of Sulu and Sultan of Maguindanao retain their titles only for ceremonial purposes but are considered ordinary citizens by
3410-651: The Dalai Lama as co-ruler. It came under the rule of the Chinese Qing dynasty from 1724 until 1912 when it gained de facto independence. The Dalai Lama became an absolute temporal monarch until the annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China in 1951. Nepal was a monarchy for most of its history until becoming a federal republic in 2008. The concept of monarchy existed in the Americas long before
List of rulers of Asante - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-530: The Italian republic, and the Republic of Ireland . Reserve powers may include, for instance, the right to issue emergency legislation or regulation bypassing the normal processes. In most states, the head of state's ability to exercise reserve powers is explicitly defined and regulated by the text of the constitution. The President of Bangladesh must consult with the Prime Minister for all decisions except
3630-643: The Pahlavi dynasty that used the title of "Shahanshah" (or "King of Kings"). The last Iranian Shahanshah was King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , who was forced to abdicate the throne as a result of a revolution in Iran. In fact the Persian (Iranian) kingdom goes back to about 2,700 BC (see list of Kings of Persia ), but reached its ultimate height and glory when King Cyrus the Great (known as "The Great Kourosh" in Iran) started
3740-535: The Prime Minister , whom he has no power to dismiss. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 does not specifically grant emergency powers to the government, though does state in Article 56 that the monarch "arbitrates and moderates the regular functioning of the institutions", and invests the monarch with the responsibility of overseeing that the forms of the constitution are observed. It is through this constitutional language that wider "reserve powers" are granted to
3850-665: The Speaker of the Congress of Deputies (officially, Presidente de Congreso de los Diputados de España , who, in this instance, represents the whole Cortes Generales) before nominating his candidate for the presidency, according to Section 99 of Title IV. Often minor parties form part of a larger major party, and through that membership it can be said that the monarch fulfills the constitutional mandate of consulting with party representatives with Congressional representation. Title IV Government and Administration Section 99(1) & (2) The Spanish Constitution of 1978 explicitly says that
3960-582: The emperor of China was traditionally regarded as the ruler of " All under heaven ". "King" is the usual translation for the term wang ( 王 ), the sovereign before the Qin dynasty and during the Ten Kingdoms period. During the early Han dynasty , China had a number of kingdoms, each about the size of a province and subordinate to the Emperor. In Korea, Daewang (great king), or Wang (king),
4070-791: The free election of kings of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Modern examples include the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (lit. "He Who is Made Lord') of Malaysia , who is appointed by the Conference of Rulers every five years or after the king's death, and the pope of the Roman Catholic Church , who serves as sovereign of the Vatican City State and is elected to a life term by the College of Cardinals . In recent centuries, many states have abolished
4180-496: The medieval era and sometimes (e.g., Ernestine duchies ) into the 19th century. Other European realms practiced one or another form of primogeniture , in which a lord was succeeded by his eldest son or, if he had none, by his brother, his daughters or sons of daughters. The system of tanistry practiced among Celtic tribes was semi-elective and gave weight also to ability and merit. The Salic law , practiced in France and in
4290-402: The prime minister to resign on two occasions: The first took place in 1896, when the Prime Minister, Sir Charles Tupper , refused to step down after his party did not win a majority in the House of Commons during that year's election , leading Governor General the Earl of Aberdeen to no longer recognize Tupper as prime minister and disapprove of several appointments Tupper had recommended. On
4400-402: The rule of law and responsible government itself. Some constitutional scholars, such as George Winterton , have stated that reserve powers are a good thing in that they allow for a head of state to handle an unforeseen crisis and that the use of convention to limit the use of reserve powers allows for more gradual and subtle constitutional evolution than is possible through formal amendment of
4510-597: The 1920s, most reserve powers were exercised by a governor-general on the advice of either the local or the British government , though the latter took precedence. After the Balfour Declaration was produced by the 1926 Imperial Conference , formally establishing the autonomy and equal status of Commonwealth governments, governors-general ceased to be advised in any way by the British government. For example,
List of rulers of Asante - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-593: The 6th to 19th centuries, Egypt was variously part of the Byzantine Empire , Islamic Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Ottoman Empire and British Empire with a distant monarch. The Sultanate of Egypt was a short-lived protectorate of the United Kingdom from 1914 until 1922 when it became the Kingdom of Egypt and Sultan Fuad I changed his title to King. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 ,
4730-638: The Belgian law legalising abortion . The King gave his royal assent to Law 13/2005 on 1 July 2005; the law was gazetted in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 2 July, and came into effect on 3 July 2005. Much like the Emperor of Japan, the King of Sweden does not have any constitutional responsibility for the governance of the Realm, with strictly ceremonial and representative functions remaining. Under
4840-531: The Earl of Glasgow , refused to make the appointments, until the Colonial Office intervened in Ballance's favour. This incident markedly reduced the discretionary powers of the Governor. Though these remained the same in law for the time being, later Governors and governments considered that there would be far fewer scenarios in which their use would be appropriate. Almost a century later, in 1984, there
4950-462: The Government as a whole remains in office as long as it keeps the confidence of the House. The governor-general can also dissolve Parliament and call elections without prime-ministerial advice. Dissolving Parliament and calling for elections is part of the governor-general's normal duties; every parliamentary dissolution and subsequent general election in New Zealand's history has been called by
5060-631: The Governor-General. On 3 July, Italeli exercised his reserve powers in ordering Parliament to convene, against the Prime Minister's wishes, on 30 July. In the end, the Governor-General dismissed the Prime Minister from office. In the UK, the monarch has numerous theoretical personal prerogatives , but beyond the appointment of a prime minister, there are in practice few circumstances in modern British government where these prerogatives could be justifiably exercised; they have rarely been exercised in
5170-622: The House of Commons, the Queen would grant a dissolution, which she agreed to. Unlike most other constitutional monarchs, the Emperor of Japan has no reserve powers. Following Japan 's defeat in World War II , the Emperor's role is defined in Chapter I of the 1947 Constitution of Japan , as decided by the foreign powers that had defeated the country. It states that sovereignty rests with
5280-419: The House of Representatives – former law professor and Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Professor Matthew Palmer argue any refusal of royal assent would lead to a constitutional crisis. Others, such as Professor Philip Joseph, believe the Governor-General does retain the power to refuse royal assent to Bills in exceptional circumstances - such as the abolition of democracy. A similar controversial power
5390-642: The Irish Parliament in 1933, the Irish governor-general was formally advised exclusively by the Irish government. While the reserve power to dismiss a government has not been used in the United Kingdom since 1834, this power has been exercised more recently in Australia, on two occasions: In both cases an election was held very soon afterwards and, again in both cases, the dismissed government
5500-413: The Italian territories of the House of Savoy , stipulated that only men could inherit the crown. In most fiefs , in the event of the demise of all legitimate male members of the patrilineage , 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
5610-421: The Japanese citizenry, not the Emperor who is merely the symbol of the State and the unity of the people. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the elected supreme federal ruler, commonly glossed as “King”) has no reserve powers. Article 40 of the Malaysian constitution specifies only three powers of the Agong: to reject a request to dissolve Parliament , to convene a meeting of the Conference of Rulers ; and to appoint
SECTION 50
#17327652487715720-437: The Monarch must give assent to any parliamentary decision, regardless of any other considerations (which can only be advanced in private audience with government members, not imposed), as soon as the government presents it for royal signature and thus assumes full political responsibility. In 1990, when a law liberalising Belgium 's abortion laws was approved by parliament, King Baudouin refused to give his royal assent, only
5830-442: The Prime Minister [...] except where he is required to act (c) in accordance with the advice of any other person or authority [...] or (e) in his own deliberate judgment (in which case he shall exercise an independent discretion)". In 2013, Governor-General Sir Iakoba Italeli was requested by the Opposition to act without (and indeed against) the Prime Minister's advice. On 28 June, Prime Minister Willy Telavi 's government had lost
5940-426: The United Kingdom in that they are constitutional monarchies ruled by a king. Jordan and many other Middle Eastern monarchies are ruled by a Malik and parts of the United Arab Emirates , such as Dubai , are still ruled by monarchs. Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab state in Western Asia by land area and the second-largest in the Arab world (after Algeria). It was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud in 1932, although
6050-409: The ability to veto legislation directly, however no provision forbids the denial of royal assent – effectively a veto. When the media asked King Juan Carlos if he would endorse the bill legalizing gay marriages , he answered " Soy el Rey de España y no el de Bélgica " ("I am the King of Spain, and not that of Belgium") – a reference to King Baudouin I of Belgium who had refused to sign
6160-412: The advice of their ministers. As New Zealand's political system matured, the Colonial Office increasingly instructed the governors to follow the advice of local ministers, and the powers of the office have continually shrunk. Important remnants of these early powers remain. The governor-general has a number of reserve powers, which may be used on behalf of King Charles III . Sir Kenneth Keith describes
6270-410: The appointment of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice. However, the President has the authority to dissolve the government or parliament, grant pardon to criminals, block bills/budgets by the legislature or declare an emergency. During the regime of the caretaker government , the President's power expanded dramatically; effectively (s)he is no longer a ceremonial head of state. Article 16 of
6380-405: The arrival of European colonialists. 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. Pre-colonial titles that were used included: The first local monarch to emerge in North America after colonization
6490-407: The bill was unconstitutional, and would soon be struck down by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court . The situation was resolved when Queen Elizabeth II, at the request of Simmonds, terminated Inniss's commission as governor. The Constitution of Tuvalu provides, in article 52, that the Governor-General exercises his powers "only in accordance with the advice of (a) the Cabinet; or (b)
6600-409: The conquests which eventually led to the creation of the Kingdom began in 1902 when he captured Riyadh , the ancestral home of his family, the House of Saud ; succession to the throne was limited to sons of Ibn Saud until 2015, when a grandson was elevated to Crown Prince. The Saudi Arabian government has been an absolute monarchy since its inception, and designates itself as Islamic . The King bears
6710-420: The continent. Places like St. Helena , Ceuta , Melilla and the Canary Islands are ruled by the king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or the king of Spain . So-called "sub-national monarchies" of varying sizes can be found all over the rest of the continent, e.g., the Yoruba city-state of Akure in south-western Nigeria is something of an elective monarchy: its reigning Oba ,
SECTION 60
#17327652487716820-485: The country, such as the Xhosa and the Tswana , have also had and continue to have a series of kings and chiefs (namely the Inkosis and the Kgosis ) whose local precedence is recognised, but who exercise no legal authority. As part of the Scramble for Africa , seven European countries invaded and colonized most of the African continent. Currently, the African nations of Morocco , Lesotho , and Eswatini are sovereign monarchies under dynasties that are native to
6930-401: The first Governor-General of the Irish Free State , Tim Healy , was instructed by the British Dominions Office in 1922 to withhold the royal assent on any bill passed by the two houses of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament) that attempted to change or abolish the Oath of Allegiance . However, no such bill was introduced during Healy's period in office. By the time the oath was abolished by
7040-427: The governor or governor-general. However, all elections since responsible government was introduced, including snap elections, have been requested by the incumbent premier or prime minister, and are accordingly not examples of use of the reserve powers. A prime minister who has lost the confidence of the House will conventionally either advise a dissolution of Parliament and new elections, or tender their resignation. If
7150-460: The governor-general. The governor-general has a number of other legal powers. They may dismiss an incumbent prime minister and Cabinet , an individual minister , or any other official who holds office "during the King's pleasure " or "during the Governor-General's pleasure". Conventionally, the governor-general follows the advice of the prime minister or another appropriate minister in matters of appointment and dismissal. Likewise, by convention,
7260-409: The head of state of a monarchy . A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in the state , or others may wield that power on behalf of the monarch. Usually a monarch either personally inherits the lawful right to exercise the state's sovereign rights (often referred to as the throne or the crown ) or is selected by an established process from a family or cohort eligible to provide
7370-407: The hung parliament in 1974, the serving Prime Minister, Edward Heath , attempted to remain in power but was unable to form a working majority . The Queen then asked Harold Wilson , leader of the Labour Party, which had the largest number of seats in the Commons but not an overall majority, to attempt to form a government. Subsequently, Wilson asked that if the government were defeated on the floor of
7480-399: 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 of cognatic primogeniture . In more complex medieval cases, the sometimes conflicting principles of proximity and primogeniture battled, and outcomes were often idiosyncratic. As the average life span increased, the eldest son
7590-440: The king as a largely symbolic figurehead. In the Philippines , the pre-Colonial Filipino nobility, variously titled the harì (today meaning "king"), Lakan , Raja and Datu belonged to the caste called Uring Maharlika (Noble Class). When the islands were annexed to the Spanish Empire in the late 16th century, the Spanish monarch became the sovereign while local rulers often retained their prestige as part of
7700-414: The last Emperor of Ethiopia, was deposed in a communist coup . Various Somali Sultanates also existed, including the Adal Sultanate (led by the Walashma dynasty of the Ifat Sultanate ), Sultanate of Mogadishu , Ajuran Sultanate , Warsangali Sultanate, Geledi Sultanate , Majeerteen Sultanate and Sultanate of Hobyo . Central and Southern Africa were largely isolated from other regions until
7810-424: The last century. In October 2003 the Government made public the following prerogatives but it said at the time that a comprehensive catalogue of prerogative powers could not be supplied: These powers could be exercised in an emergency such as a constitutional crisis (such as surrounded the People's Budget of 1909) or in wartime. They would also be very relevant in the event of a hung parliament . For example, in
7920-497: The leader of the dominant faction in the House of Representatives . The governor-general retains the theoretical power to appoint as prime minister a member of the House of Representatives who clearly does not have the support of a majority of MPs, but no governor-general has sought to use this power since New Zealand gained responsible government , though some cabinets in the 19th century proved extremely short-lived. In earlier times, if
8030-467: The method by which bills are passed. According to Article 91, within fifteen days that a bill has been passed by the Cortes Generales, the monarch shall give assent and publish the new law. Article 92 invests the monarch with the right to call for a referendum on the advice of the president and the previous authorization of Congress. No provision within the Constitution invests the monarch with
8140-456: The modern era, but they did later feature kingdoms like the Kingdom of Kongo (1400–1914). The Zulu people formed a powerful Zulu Kingdom in 1816, one that was subsequently absorbed into the Colony of Natal in 1897. The Zulu king continues to hold a hereditary title and an influential cultural position in contemporary South Africa, although he has no direct political power. Other tribes in
8250-659: The monarch generally possesses reserve powers. Typically these powers are: to grant pardon ; to dismiss a prime minister; to refuse to dissolve parliament ; and to refuse or delay royal assent to legislation (to withhold royal assent amounts to a veto of a bill, while to reserve royal assent, in effect, amounts to a decision to neither grant nor refuse assent, but to delay taking a decision for an undetermined period). There are usually strict constitutional conventions concerning when these powers may be used, and these conventions are enforced by public pressure. Using these powers in contravention of tradition would generally provoke
8360-493: The monarch is not subject to any responsibility but for his acts to be valid must be endorsed by the Government and will not be valid without such an endorsement. The only exception is that the monarch is free to appoint and remove the members of private and military advisors ( Casa Real ). Title IV of the Constitution invests the monarch with sanction ( Royal Assent ) and promulgation (publication) of laws, while Title III The Cortes Generals , Chapter 2 Drafting of Bills outlines
8470-413: The monarch's role in the country's independent judiciary . However, by constitutional convention established by Juan Carlos I, the monarch exercises prerogatives after having solicited government advice, while remaining politically non-partisan and independent. Receiving government advice does not necessarily bind the monarch into executing said advice, except where prescribed by the Constitution. It
8580-489: The monarch. A form of government may, in fact, be hereditary without being considered a monarchy, such as a family dictatorship. Monarchies take a wide variety of forms, such as the two co-princes of Andorra , positions held simultaneously by the Roman Catholic bishop of Urgel (Spain) and the elected president of France (although strictly Andorra is a diarchy ). Similarly, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
8690-591: The monarch. It is through this clause and his position as commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces that King Juan Carlos I undermined the attempted 23-F military coup in 1981. Title II, Articles 56 The King is Head of State, the symbol of its unity and permanence. He arbitrates and moderates the regular functioning of the institutions, assumes the highest representation of the Spanish State in international relations, especially with
8800-487: The monarchy and become republics . Advocacy of government by a republic is called republicanism , while advocacy of monarchy is called monarchism . A principal advantage of hereditary monarchy is the immediate continuity of national leadership, 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
8910-636: The monarchy was dissolved and Egypt became a republic. West Africa hosted the Kanem Empire (700–1376) and its successor, the Bornu principality which survives to the present day as one of the traditional states of Nigeria . In the Horn of Africa , the Kingdom of Aksum and later the Zagwe dynasty , Ethiopian Empire (1270–1974), and Aussa Sultanate were ruled by a series of monarchs. Haile Selassie ,
9020-515: The nation's monarch. Alternatively, an individual may proclaim oneself monarch, which may be backed and legitimated through acclamation , right of conquest or a combination of means. If a young child is crowned the monarch, then a regent is often appointed to govern until the monarch reaches the requisite adult age to rule. Monarchs' actual powers vary from one monarchy to another and in different eras; on one extreme, they may be autocrats ( absolute monarchy ) wielding genuine sovereignty ; on
9130-420: The nations of its historical community, and exercises the functions expressly conferred on him by the Constitution and the laws . The Spanish Constitution of 1978, Title II The Crown , Article 62, delineates the powers of the monarch, while Title IV Government and Administration , Article 99, defines the monarch's role in government. Title VI Judicial Power , Article 117, Articles 122 through 124, outlines
9240-447: The new premier. No modern governor general has disallowed a bill, though provincial lieutenant governors have. Peter Hogg , a constitutional scholar, has opined that "a system of responsible government cannot work without a formal head of state who is possessed of certain reserve powers." Further, Eugene Forsey stated "the reserve power is indeed, under our Constitution, an absolutely essential safeguard of democracy. It takes
9350-507: The nine Rulers of the Malay states of Malaysia (those nine of the thirteen states of Malaysia that have hereditary royal rulers), elected by Majlis Raja-Raja ( Conference of Rulers ). Under Brunei 's 1959 constitution, the Sultan of Brunei is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers, since 1962. The Prime Minister of Brunei is a title held by the Sultan. As
9460-429: The other they may be ceremonial heads of state who exercise little or no direct power or only reserve powers , with actual authority vested in a parliament or other body ( constitutional monarchy ). A monarch can reign in multiple monarchies simultaneously. For example, the 15 Commonwealth realms are all separate sovereign states, but share the same monarch through personal union . Monarchs, as such, bear
9570-606: The period between the death of an Asantehene and the election of a successor, the Mamponghene, the Asantehene's deputy, acts as a regent . This policy was only changed during a time of civil war in the late 19th century, when the Kwasafomanhyiamu or governing council itself ruled as regent. The succession is decided by a series of councils of Asante nobles and other royal family members. The Ashanti Confederacy
9680-518: The place of the legal and judicial safeguards provided in the United States by written Constitutions, enforceable in the courts." New Zealand's early governors, the predecessors of today's governors-general , exercised considerable power, with exclusive authority over some matters such as foreign and Māori affairs. They also had a real choice in selecting premiers – parliaments of the period being composed of independent members who formed loose and shifting factions – and were not always obliged to act on
9790-480: The prime minister, the Sultan presides over the cabinet. Cambodia has been a kingdom since the 1st century. The power of the absolute monarchy was reduced when it became the French Protectorate of Cambodia from 1863 to 1953. It returned to an absolute monarchy from 1953 until the establishment of a republic following the 1970 coup . The monarchy was restored as a constitutional monarchy in 1993 with
9900-442: The prime ministers of the sixteen Commonwealth Realms at the 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. In some monarchies, such as Saudi 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
10010-401: The request of Premier Christy Clark to dissolve the legislature and call a new election only 51 days after the recent provincial election. Clark had advised Guichon to dissolve the legislature as, in her view, the appointment of a Speaker would have resulted in frequent tie votes and an untenable position. Guichon refused this advice and instead asked John Horgan to form a government, becoming
10120-705: The reserve powers in Australia in the 20th century at state and federal levels. The reserve powers in Canada fall within the royal prerogative and belong specifically to the monarch , as the Constitution Act, 1867 , vests all executive power in the country's sovereign. King George VI in 1947 issued Letters Patent permitting the governor general "to exercise all powers and authorities lawfully belonging to Us [the monarch] in respect of Canada." The reserve power of dismissal has never been used in Canada, although other reserve powers have been employed to force
10230-409: The royal family, who need not necessarily be his eldest son. Lastly, some monarchies are elective ( UAE , Malaysia , Holy See and Cambodia ), meaning that the monarch is elected instead of assuming office due to direct inheritance. Rules and laws regarding election vary country to country. Whatever the rules of succession, there have been many cases of a monarch being overthrown and replaced by
10340-474: The rulers of Korea were given the title of Hwangje , meaning the "Emperor". Today, Members of the Korean Imperial family continue to participate in numerous traditional ceremonies, and groups exist to preserve Korea's imperial heritage. The Japanese monarchy is now the only monarchy to still use the title of emperor. In modern history, between 1925 and 1979, Iran was ruled by two emperors from
10450-627: The second occasion, which took place in 1925 and came to be known as the King–Byng affair , Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King , facing a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons, advised the Governor General, the Viscount Byng of Vimy , to dissolve the new parliament, but Byng refused. At the provincial level, on 29 June 2017 Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Judith Guichon used her reserve powers to deny
10560-532: The second time in Belgium's history the monarch elected to do so. Instead, he requested that the cabinet declare him unable to reign for a day, which it did, thereby assuming the king's constitutional powers. All members of the government then signed the bill, passing it into law. The bicameral legislature approved a proposition that Baudouin was capable of reigning again the next day. Within the Dominions , until
10670-470: The term queen regnant refers to a ruling monarch, as distinct from a queen consort , the wife of a reigning king. Some monarchies are non-hereditary. In an elective monarchy , the monarch is elected but otherwise serves as any other monarch. Historical examples of elective monarchy include the Holy Roman Emperors (chosen by prince-electors , but often coming from the same dynasty) and
10780-574: The throne until his death in battle in 1717, and was the sixth king in Ashanti royal history. The Asantehene is the ruler of the Ashanti people. The Asantehene is traditionally enthroned on a golden stool known as the Sika 'dwa , and the office is sometimes referred to by this name. The Asantehene is also the titular ruler of Kumasi , which served as the capital of the Ashanti Empire and today,
10890-762: The title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to the two holiest places in Islam: Masjid al-Haram in Mecca , and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina . Oman is led by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said . The Kingdom of Jordan is one of the Middle East 's more modern monarchies is also ruled by a Malik . In Arab and Arabized countries, Malik (absolute King) is the absolute word to render
11000-419: The title of King of Tahiti. Reserve power In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government , a reserve power , also known as discretionary power , is a power that may be exercised by the head of state (or their representative) without the approval of another branch or part of the government. Unlike in a presidential system of government, the head of state (or their representative)
11110-450: The use of these powers as based on the principle that "The Queen reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives". The most visible reserve powers are the power to appoint a prime minister and the related power to accept a prime minister's resignation. This power is exercised every time a general election results in a change of government, most recently in 2023 . It may also be exercised if
11220-406: Was Jean-Jacques Dessalines , who declared himself Emperor of Haiti on September 22, 1804. Haiti again had an emperor, Faustin I from 1849 to 1859. In South America, Brazil had a royal house ruling as emperor between 1822 and 1889, under emperors Pedro I and Pedro II . Between 1931 and 1983, nine other previous British colonies attained independence as kingdoms. All, including Canada, are in
11330-441: Was a Chinese royal style used in many states rising from the dissolution of Gojoseon , Buyeo , Goguryeo , Baekje , Silla , Balhae , Goryeo , and Joseon . The legendary Dangun Wanggeom founded the first kingdom, Gojoseon. Some scholars maintain that the term Dangun also refers to a title used by all rulers of Gojoseon and that Wanggeom is the proper name of the founder. Gyuwon Sahwa (1675) describes The Annals of
11440-491: Was a brief constitutional crisis . The outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Rob Muldoon , had just lost an election, but refused to advise the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie , to make urgent regulations desired not only by the incoming Prime Minister, David Lange , but also by many in Muldoon's own party and cabinet. At the time, the option of Beattie dismissing Muldoon and replacing him, without waiting for Muldoon's resignation,
11550-518: Was made a British protectorate in 1902, and the office of Asantehene was discontinued. In 1926, the British permitted the repatriation of Prempeh I – whom they had exiled to the Seychelles in 1896 – and allowed him to adopt the title Kumasehene, but not Asantehene. However, in 1935, the British finally granted the Ashanti moderated self-rule as the Kingdom of Ashanti, and the title of Asantehene
11660-545: Was massively defeated by popular vote . In Queensland in 1987, during a tense period of leadership succession, the Governor of Queensland , Sir Walter Campbell , exercised reserve power in declining to follow the advice of the Premier , Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen . Campbell initially refused to redistribute ministerial portfolios on the sole advice of the premier, who lacked the confidence of his cabinet. Subsequently, during
11770-657: 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 declare equal primogeniture , absolute primogeniture or full cognatic primogeniture , meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, whether female or male, ascends to the throne. Other nations have since adopted this practice: Netherlands in 1983, Norway in 1990, Belgium in 1991, Denmark in 2009, and Luxembourg in 2011. The United Kingdom adopted absolute (equal) primogeniture on April 25, 2013, following agreement by
11880-412: Was not always recognized by other governments or nations, sometimes causing diplomatic problems. During the nineteenth century, many small monarchies in Europe merged with other territories to form larger entities, and following World War I and World War II , many monarchies were abolished , but of those remaining, all except Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Vatican City, and Monaco were headed by
11990-467: Was reportedly discussed. Muldoon eventually relented under pressure from his own cabinet, making the use of Beattie's reserve powers unnecessary. A constitutional crisis occurred in Saint Kitts and Nevis in 1981, when the governor , Sir Probyn Inniss , used his reserve powers to refuse assent to a bill passed by the government of Sir Kennedy Simmonds , the country's premier . Inniss believed that
12100-495: Was revived. All rulers in the lists below were members of the Oyoko Abohyen Dynasty. All regents were members of the Oyoko Dynasty who were and still are the holders of the title Mamponghene. Upon the death of the Asantehene, it is the task of the Mamponghene to act as the regent, or Awisiahene . Monarch Works A monarch is a head of state for life or until abdication , and therefore
#770229