Editing Monarchy (section)

==Succession==
===Hereditary monarchies===
[[File:European monarchies by succession.svg|thumb|alt=Political Map of Europe with Monarchical states colour-coded |Current European monarchies by succession method:
{{legend|#018571|[[Absolute primogeniture]]|size=94%}}
{{legend|#dfc27d|[[Male-preference cognatic primogeniture]], to be changed to absolute primogeniture|size=94%}}
{{legend|#a6611a|[[Male-preference cognatic primogeniture]]|size=94%}}
{{legend|#000000|[[Agnatic primogeniture]]|size=94%}}
{{legend|#f5f5f5|[[Elective monarchy|Elective]]|size=94%}}]]
In a [[hereditary monarchy]], the position of monarch is inherited according to a statutory or customary [[order of succession]], usually within one [[royal family]] tracing its origin through a historical [[dynasty]] or bloodline. This usually means that the heir to the throne is known well in advance of becoming monarch to ensure a smooth succession.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kurrild-Klitgaard|first=Peter|date=2000|title=The constitutional economics of autocratic succession|journal=Public Choice|volume=103|issue=1/2|pages=63–84|doi=10.1023/A:1005078532251|s2cid=154097838|issn=0048-5829}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Kurrild-Klitgaard|first=Peter|title=The Encyclopedia of Public Choice |chapter=Autocratic Succession |date=2004|volume=103|pages=358–362|doi=10.1007/978-0-306-47828-4_39|isbn=978-0-306-47828-4}}</ref>

[[Primogeniture]], in which the eldest child of the monarch is first in line to become monarch, is the most common system in hereditary monarchy. The order of succession is usually affected by rules on gender. Historically "agnatic primogeniture" or "patrilineal primogeniture" was favoured, that is inheritance according to seniority of birth among the sons of a monarch or [[Pater familias|head of family]], with sons and their male issue inheriting before brothers and their male issue, to the total exclusion of females and descendants through females from succession.<ref name="NF T">[https://runeberg.org/nfcj/0023.html Tronföljd], ''[[Nordisk familjebok]]'', vol. 30 (1920)</ref> This complete exclusion of females from dynastic succession is commonly referred to as application of the [[Salic law]]. Another variation on agnatic primogeniture was the so-called semi-Salic law, or "agnatic-cognatic primogeniture", which allowed women to succeed only at the extinction of all the male descendants in the male line of the particular legislator.<ref name="NF T">[https://runeberg.org/nfcj/0023.html Tronföljd], ''[[Nordisk familjebok]]'', vol. 30 (1920)</ref><ref>[[Statens offentliga utredningar|SOU]] 1977:5 ''Kvinnlig tronföljd'', p. 16.</ref>

Before primogeniture was enshrined in European law and tradition, kings would often secure the succession by having their successor (usually their eldest son) crowned during their own lifetime, so for a time there would be two kings in [[coregency]]—a senior king and a junior king. Examples were [[Henry the Young King]] of England and the early [[House of Capet|Direct Capetians]] in France. Sometimes, however, primogeniture can operate through the female line.
[[File:NICAISE Leopold ANV.jpg|left|thumb|upright|King [[Leopold I of Belgium|Leopold I]], an elected founder of the hereditary [[monarchy of Belgium]]]]
In 1980, [[Sweden]] became the first monarchy to declare equal (full cognatic) primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, whether female or male, ascends to the throne.<ref>[[Statens offentliga utredningar|SOU]] 1977:5 ''Kvinnlig tronföljd'', p. 16.</ref> Other kingdoms (such as the [[Netherlands]] in 1983, [[Norway]] in 1990, [[Belgium]] in 1991, [[Denmark]] in 2009, and [[Luxembourg]]<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-15489544 "Overturning Centuries of Royal Rules"] (2011-10-28). ''BBC.com''. Retrieved 2018-11-02.</ref> in 2011) have since followed suit. The [[United Kingdom]] adopted absolute (equal) primogeniture (subject to the claims of existing heirs) on April 25, 2013, following [[Perth Agreement|agreement by the prime ministers of the sixteen Commonwealth Realms]] at the 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32073399|title=New rules on royal succession come into effect|work=BBC News|date=March 26, 2015|access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

In the absence of children, the next most senior member of the collateral line (for example, a younger sibling of the previous monarch) becomes monarch. In complex cases, this can mean that there are closer blood relatives to the deceased monarch than the next in line according to primogeniture. This has often led, especially in Europe in the [[Middle Ages]], to conflict between the principle of primogeniture and the principle of [[proximity of blood]].

Other hereditary systems of succession included [[tanistry]], which is semi-elective and gives weight to merit and [[Agnatic seniority]]. In some monarchies, such as [[Saudi Arabia]], succession to the throne first passes to the monarch's next eldest brother, and only after that to the monarch's children (agnatic seniority). 

On June 21, 2017, King Salman of Saudi Arabi revolted against this style of monarchy and elected his son to inherit the throne.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chara|first=Jihan|date=2018-10-01|title=Saudi Arabia: A prince's revolution|journal=European View|language=en|volume=17|issue=2|pages=227–234|doi=10.1177/1781685818803525|issn=1781-6858|doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Elective monarchies===

{{see also| Jure uxoris}}
{{unreferenced section|date=November 2018}}
[[File:Pope Francis Korea Haemi Castle 19.jpg|thumb|[[Pope Francis]], Sovereign of the [[Vatican City|Vatican City State]] from 2013 to 2025]]
In an [[elective monarchy]], monarchs are [[Election|elected]] or appointed by somebody (an [[electoral college]]) for life or a defined period, but then reign like any other monarch. There is no popular vote involved in elective monarchies, as the elective body usually consists of a small number of eligible people. Historical examples of elective monarchy are the [[Holy Roman Emperor]]s (chosen by [[prince-elector]]s but often coming from the same dynasty) and the [[Royal elections in Poland|free election]] of kings of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. For example, [[Pepin the Short]] (father of [[Charlemagne]]) was elected [[List of Frankish kings|King of the Franks]] by an assembly of Frankish leading men;<ref>{{Cite book |first=John |last=Middleton |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/920786632 |title=World monarchies and dynasties |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-7656-8050-1 |oclc=920786632}}</ref> nobleman [[Stanisław August Poniatowski]] of Poland was an elected king, as was [[Frederick I of Denmark]]. [[Gauls|Gallic]] and [[Germanic peoples]] also had elective monarchies.

Six forms of elective monarchies exist today. The [[Pope]] of the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] (who rules as [[Sovereign]] of the [[Vatican City|Vatican City State]]) is [[Papal conclave|elected]] for life by the [[College of Cardinals]]. In the [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta]], the [[List of grand masters of the Knights Hospitaller|Prince and Grand Master]] is elected for life tenure by the Council Complete of State from within its members. In [[Malaysia]], the federal king, called the [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong]] or Paramount Ruler, is elected for a five-year term from among and by the hereditary rulers (mostly [[sultan]]s) of nine of the federation's constitutive [[States and federal territories of Malaysia|states]], all on the [[Malay Peninsula|Malay peninsula]]. The [[United Arab Emirates]] also chooses its federal leaders from among emirs of the federated states. Furthermore, [[Andorra]] has a unique constitutional arrangement as one of its heads of state is the President of the [[France|French Republic]] in the form of a [[Co-Princes of Andorra|Co-Prince]]. This is the only instance in the world where the monarch of a state is elected by the citizens of a different country. In New Zealand, the Maori King, head of the Kingitanga Movement, is elected by a council of Maori elders at the funeral of their predecessor, which is also where their coronation takes place. All of the Heads of the Maori King Movement have been descendants of the first Maori King, Potatau Te Wherowhero, who was elected and became King in June 1858. The current monarch is Queen [[Nga wai hono i te po|Nga wai hono i te po]], who was elected and became Queen on 5 September 2024 after the death of her father, King [[Tūheitia|Tūheitia]], on 30 August 2024. As well as being Queen and head of the Kingitanga Movement, Queen Nga wai hono i te po is also ''ex officio'' the Paramount Chief of the Waikato-Tainui tribe.

Appointment by the current monarch is another system, used in [[Jordan]]. It also was used in [[Russian Empire|Imperial Russia]]; however, it was soon changed to semi-Salic because the instability of the appointment system resulted in [[History of Russia (1721–1796)|an age of palace revolutions]]. In this system, the monarch chooses the successor, who is always his relative.

===Other ways of succession===
{{see also|Order of succession|Self-proclaimed monarchy|Legitimacy (political)}}
Other ways to succeed to a monarchy can be through claiming alternative votes (e.g. as in the case of the [[Western Schism]]), claims of a mandate to rule (e.g. a popular or [[Divine right of kings|divine mandate]]), [[military occupation]], a [[coup d'état]], a will of the previous monarch or treaties between factions inside and outside of a monarchy (e.g. as in the case of the [[War of the Spanish Succession]]).

====By accession====
{{See also|Enthronement}}
The legitimacy and authorities of monarchs are often [[Proclamation|proclaimed]] and recognized through occupying and being [[investiture|invested]] with [[insignia]], seats, [[deed]]s and [[title]]s, like in the course of [[coronation]]s.

This is especially employed to legitimize and settle disputed successions, changes in ways of succession, status of a monarch (e.g. as in the case of the [[Privilegium Maius|''privilegium maius'']] deed) or new monarchies altogether (e.g. as in the case of the [[Coronation of Napoleon|coronation of Napoleon I]]).

====Dynasties====
Succession is often based on the expected continuation of a [[dynasty|dynastic period]] or association in a [[dynastic union]], which is sometimes [[War of succession|challenged]] by diverging [[Lineage (anthropology)|lineage]] and [[Legitimists (disambiguation)|legitimism]].

====Succession crisis====
{{Further|Succession crisis}}
In cases of succession challenges, it can be instrumental for [[pretender]]s to secure or install [[Legitimacy (political)|legitimacy]] through the above, for example proof of accession like insignia, through treaties or a claim of a divine mandate to rule (e.g. by [[Hong Xiuquan]] and his [[Taiping Heavenly Kingdom]]).