Editing Power behind the throne (section)

==Historical examples==
Historical examples of a "power behind the throne" include:
* Europe
** The Roman Empire – Earlier examples include the ''[[Magister militum|magistri militum]]'' of the later decades of the [[Western Roman Empire]]. Examples of such are
*** [[Livia Drusilla]], as the wife of [[Augustus]] and mother of [[Tiberius]] she wields significant influence over their politics. She was depicted as a subtle manipulator who exerts tremendous control on both her husband and son, especially the latter.  
*** [[Agrippina the Younger]], responsible for the rise of her son [[Nero]] to the position of emperor. She hold sway over [[Claudius]] as his wife, rumored to be dominating him and ruling in his stead. 
*** [[Stilicho]],  general and advisor to Emperor [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]],
*** [[Flavius Aetius|Aetius]], the power behind the throne of Honorius' nephew [[Valentinian III]],
*** [[Ricimer]] the puppet master of Emperors [[Avitus]], [[Majorian]], [[Libius Severus]], [[Anthemius|Procopius Anthemius]], and [[Olybrius]],
*** and then finally [[Orestes (father of Romulus Augustulus)|Flavius Orestes]], the father of the usurper emperor [[Romulus Augustulus]], and the [[Heruli|Germanic]] chieftain [[Odoacer]], who were the masters in the West during the reigns of Emperor [[Julius Nepos]] and then Orestes' son, the aforementioned Romulus. Odoacer then deposed [[Romulus Augustulus|the figurehead Roman ruler]], captured and executed Orestes, and established his own Italian kingdom as the ''[[King of Italy|Dux Italiae]]'', only to be overthrown by the [[Ostrogoths|Ostrogothic]] chieftain [[Theodoric the Great|Theodoric]] on the behest of the Eastern Emperor [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]].
** The [[Mayor of the Palace]] under the [[Merovingian]] kings in [[Francia]] (among the earliest recorded examples of such powerful advisors).
** [[Chancellor of Germany]] and [[Minister President of Prussia]] [[Otto von Bismarck]], with [[German Emperor]] and [[King of Prussia]] [[William I of Germany|William I]] as a de facto [[figurehead]].
** [[Cardinal Richelieu]] and his successor [[Cardinal Mazarin]], ''de facto'' rulers of France during the reign of King [[Louis XIII of France|Louis XIII]] and the early years of that of [[Louis XIV]].
** [[Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal|Marquis of Pombal]], a Portuguese statesman and diplomat who effectively ruled [[the Portuguese Empire]] from 1750 to 1777 as chief minister to King [[Joseph I of Portugal|Joseph I]].
* West Asia
** [[Köprülü family]] in the [[Köprülü era]], [[grand vizier]]s of the [[Ottoman Empire]].
** The [[Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia|Crown Prince]] and [[Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia|Prime Minister]] of Saudi Arabia, [[Mohammed bin Salman]], who effectively rules the country for his {{age|1935|12|31}}-year old father [[King Salman]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-40354415|title = Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, power behind the throne|work = BBC News|date = 6 October 2020}}</ref>
** [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan]] of [[Emirate of Abu Dhabi|Abu Dhabi]], who acted on behalf of Emir and President of the UAE [[Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan]] after he suffered a stroke in 2014, was often considered the de facto president of the UAE until Khalifa's death in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-leader-returns-home-after-lengthy-unexplained-absence-1631506189|title=UAE leader returns after lengthy unexplained absence |work=Middle East Eye|access-date=27 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/magazine/united-arab-emirates-mohammed-bin-zayed.html|title=Mohammed bin Zayed's Dark Vision of the Middle East's Future|last=Worth|first=Robert F.|date=9 January 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=12 January 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
** In [[Qatar]], [[Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani]] was often called the power behind the throne of [[Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/qatars-succession-drama|title = Qatar's Succession Drama|newspaper = The Daily Beast|date = 25 June 2013|last1 = Dickey|first1 = Christopher}}</ref>
* South Asia
** India
*** An example was [[Chanakya]], the teacher and advisor of [[Chandragupta Maurya]], founder of the [[Maurya Empire]]. A modern example is [[Sonia Gandhi]], in her capacity of head of the [[National Advisory Council (India)|National Advisory Council]], acting as the real power behind the erstwhile [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Manmohan Singh]]. 
*** [[Peshwa]] of the [[Maratha Confederacy]], under the [[Bhat family]], they became the ''de facto'' leaders of the Maratha Confederacy, with the [[Chhatrapati]] becoming a nominal ruler.
*** [[Sarvadhikari]], [[chief minister]] of the [[Kingdom of Mysore]].
** In the [[Kingdom of Nepal]], from 1846 to [[1951 Nepalese revolution|1951]], the [[Rana dynasty]] reduced the [[King of Nepal|Nepalese kings]] to the status of figurehead, with the post of [[Prime Minister of Nepal|Prime Minister]] being transmitted hereditarily.
* East Asia
** [[Nogai Khan]], [[Mamai]], and [[Edigu]] in the [[Golden Horde]];
** [[Yeon Gaesomun]], [[Yeon Namsaeng]], and [[Yeon Nam-geon]], Dae Magniji of the Kingdom of [[Goguryeo]];
** [[Goryeo military regime]] in the Kingdom of [[Goryeo]];
** [[Fujiwara clan]] of [[Heian period]] of [[classical Japan]]
** [[Shogun]] of [[feudal Japan]]. Additionally during the [[Kamakura period]], the Shogun was effectively a figurehead as well, with real power in hands of the [[Hōjō clan]].
** The [[Genrō]] had this role in [[Meiji period]] of Japan.
** The [[Qianlong Emperor]] held ''de facto'' power as the retired emperor during the first three years of his son—the [[Jiaqing Emperor]]'s reign.
**The [[Empress Dowager Cixi]] held total power of the [[Qing dynasty]] during the reign of three emperors.
** Another modern example was [[Deng Xiaoping]] in China, who was recognized as China's [[paramount leader]] between 1978 and 1989 without holding the position of either [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of China|General Secretary]], [[President of the People's Republic of China|head of state]] or [[Premier of the People's Republic of China|head of government]].
* Southeast Asia
** [[Trịnh lords]] of the later [[Lê dynasty]], [[Đại Việt]].
** Another example is the rule of [[Pol Pot]] in [[Democratic Kampuchea]] from 1975 to 1979, who led the [[Khmer Rouge]] to victory following a devastating civil war.
** King [[Norodom Sihanouk]] served as figurehead until his withdrawal in 1976. He returned to reign over [[Cambodia]] in 1993, but without executive power.
* Africa 
** [[Rainiharo]], [[Rainivoninahitriniony]], and [[Rainilaiarivony]], Commander-in-Chief of the military and the prime minister of the [[Merina Kingdom]].
* Oceania
** In [[Tonga]], Australian missionary [[Rodger Page]] emerged as the most influential adviser of [[Sālote Tupou III|Queen Sālote]], serving as royal chaplain to her for over 20 years.<ref>{{cite book|first=Sione|last=Lātūkefu|chapter=Tonga at Independence and Now|title=Lines Across the Sea: Colonial Inheritance in the Post Colonial Pacific|publisher=Pacific History Association|url=https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/133560/1/PHA_Lines_Across_the_Sea.pdf|year=1995|editor-first1=Brij|editor-last1=Lal|editor-first2=Hank|editor-last2=Nelson|isbn=0646246402|page=67|access-date=5 July 2023|archive-date=9 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209225933/https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/133560/1/PHA_Lines_Across_the_Sea.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Americas
** In the United States, [[Edith Wilson]]—second wife and [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] of President [[Woodrow Wilson]]—took over many of the routine duties and details of the government after her husband was incapacitated by a [[stroke]].
** In Mexico, Joseph-Marie Córdoba Montoya, a naturalized Mexican of French origin, was chief of staff during the term of President [[Carlos Salinas de Gortari]] (1988–1994), and was considered the second-most powerful person in Mexico at the time.<ref>Jane Bussey, "Joseph Marie Córdoba Montoya" in ''Encyclopedia of Mexico'' vol. 1. p. 344. Chicago: Fitzroy and Dearborn 1997.</ref>
** General [[Manuel Noriega]] ruled Panama as a military dictator from 1983 to 1989, governing through successive [[puppet president]]s.
** [[Diego Portales]] of [[Chile]], who had significant influence in the political life of his country in early 1830s, reflected in the [[Chilean Constitution of 1833|Constitution of 1833]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Reseñas Biográficas – Diego Portales Palazuelos|url=https://www.bcn.cl/historiapolitica/resenas_parlamentarias/wiki/Diego_Portales_Palazuelos|access-date=February 21, 2019|publisher=[[Library of Congress of Chile]]|location=Valparaíso and Santiago|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Diego Portales|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diego-Portales|access-date=February 21, 2019|publisher=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]]|quote=When the Conservative Party entered office in 1830, he was, as chief minister, the real power in the land. Disdainful of political freedoms, he imprisoned his pipiolo (liberal) opponents, silenced the opposition press, and subdued the army. Portales ruled through the constitution of 1833, a document that created a centralized state dominated by the conservative oligarchy.}}</ref>