Editing Elective monarchy (section)

====Iberia====
[[Visigothic kingdom|Visigothic Hispania]] elected the king from the relatives of past kings, in accordance with the Germanic traditions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Keefe |first1=Eugene K. |title=Area Handbook for Spain |date=1976 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |isbn=0160015677 |page=16}}</ref> In practice, the Visigoth kings appointed their eldest sons to manage the kingdom's affairs, so that when the king died the eldest son was politically skilled enough to secure the throne.<ref name=afon>{{cite book |last1=E. Olsen |title=The Calabrian Charlatan, 1598–1603 Messianic Nationalism in Early Modern Europe |date=2002 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=9780230597143 |page=41}}</ref> In the 5th century, hereditary succession was increasingly stable until the Frankish invasions against the Visigoths led to a period of crisis in which the Visigoths reverted to elections. After the crisis was over in the 6th century, the family of Leovigild attempted to revive hereditary succession until Swintila was overthrown and the Fourth Council of Toledo formally declared elective succession as the principle of succession in 633.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Joseph F. O'Callaghan |title=A History of Medieval Spain |date=1983 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=9780801492648 |page=58}}</ref>

The Kingship of Aragon was initially elected by the "rich men" barons. Later this right was limited to the Cortes confirming the succession of the heir.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thomas Henry Dyer |title=Modern Europe: From the Fall of Constantinople to the Establishment of the German Empire, A.D. 1453-1871 |date=1877 |publisher=Bell |page=63 |edition=2}}</ref>

During the 19th century, more precisely between 1870 and 1873, an attempt of such a system took place in Spain. After the [[Glorious Revolution (Spain)|Glorious Revolution]] and [[Isabella II of Spain|Isabella II]]'s subsequent deposition in 1868 a new parliament was constituted through direct male suffrage. It was then decided that a democratically elected monarch was needed in Spain. The debates regarding Isabella's succession took place until October 1869, when [[Amadeo I of Spain|Amadeo I]] was finally chosen. Nevertheless, his reign lasted until 11 October 1873, when he abdicated citing his inability to solve the problems Spain was going through, after which the parliament proclaimed a [[First Spanish Republic|republic]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

Portugal's monarchy contained the remnants of the elective principle in requiring reciprocal oaths, the assent of the Cortes and acclamation before acceding to the throne.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Malyn Newitt |title=The Braganzas: The Rise and Fall of the Ruling Dynasties of Portugal and Brazil, 1640–1910 |date=2019 |publisher=Reaktion Books |isbn=978-1789141658 |page=14}}</ref> Portugal's first king Afonso I followed Visigothic precedent by appointing his son as co-ruler to establish a hereditary line of succession, but whenever there was doubt on succession, the elective principle would resume.<ref name=afon/> The Cortes affirmed the crown as elective when it elevated King John in 1385.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume XIX |date=1890 |page=544}}</ref> In Portugal, on 6 April 1385 in the aftermath of [[1383–1385 Crisis]], the [[Portuguese Cortes|Council of the Kingdom]] elected [[John I of Portugal|John I]], then Master of the [[Order of Aviz]], as [[King of Portugal]]. His half-brother [[Ferdinand I of Portugal|Ferdinand I]] had died without a male heir in October 1383, and different factions made strenuous efforts to secure the throne for [[Beatrice of Portugal|Princess Beatrice]], Ferdinand's only daughter and [[Queen consort of Castile]] and [[Queen consort of Leon|León]], or for either of her uncles [[Infante John, Duke of Valencia de Campos]] and [[Infante Denis, Lord of Cifuentes]]. The Council elected instead the younger (and illegitimate) son of [[Peter I of Portugal|Peter I]], thus avoiding a ''[[jure uxoris]]'' Castilian king.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}