Editing Monarchy (section)

===Other monarchies===
Four monarchies do not fit into any of the above groups by virtue of geography or class of monarchy: the [[Tonga|Kingdom of Tonga]] in [[Polynesia]]; the [[Eswatini|Kingdom of Eswatini]] and the [[Lesotho|Kingdom of Lesotho]] in Africa and the [[Vatican City|Vatican City State]] in Europe. Of these, Lesotho and Tonga are constitutional monarchies, while Eswatini and the Vatican City are absolute monarchies.

Eswatini is unique among these monarchies, often being considered a [[diarchy]]: the King, or [[Ngwenyama]], rules alongside his mother, the [[Ndlovukati]], as dual heads of state.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1999-02-22 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/arbp.1999.36.issue-1 |journal=Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series |volume=36 |issue=1 |doi=10.1111/arbp.1999.36.issue-1 |issn=0001-9844|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BTI 2022 Eswatini Country Report |url=https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report?isocode=SWZ&cHash=146c71974628ab13a493684f16c20c20 |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=BTI 2022 |language=en}}</ref> This was originally intended to provide a check on political power. The Ngwenyama, however, is considered the administrative head of state, while the Ndlovukati is considered the spiritual and national head of state, a position which more or less has become symbolic in recent years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thom |first1=Liezl |title=Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini of Eswatini is looking to the future while embracing her roots |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/princess-sikhanyiso-dlamini-eswatini-future-embracing-roots/story?id=77224505 |access-date=8 August 2021 |work=ABC News |date=28 April 2021}}</ref>

The [[Pope]] is the absolute monarch of the Vatican City State (a separate entity from the [[Holy See]]) by virtue of his position as head of the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] and Bishop of Rome; he is an elected rather than a hereditary ruler, and does not have to be a citizen of the territory prior to his election by the cardinals.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Marans |first=Noam E. |date=2015-04-09 |title=The Pope Francis Effect and Catholic-Jewish Relations |journal=Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations |volume=10 |issue=1 |doi=10.6017/scjr.v10i1.8659 |issn=1930-3777|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Holy See (Vatican City) |date=2023-11-01 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/holy-see-vatican-city/#government |work=The World Factbook |access-date=2023-11-12 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] describes itself as a "sovereign subject" based on its unique history and unusual present circumstances, but its exact status in international law is a subject of debate.

In [[Samoa]], the position of head of state is described in Part III of the 1960 [[Constitution of Samoa|Samoan constitution]]. At the time the constitution was adopted, it was anticipated that future heads of state would be chosen from among the four Tama a 'Aiga "royal" paramount chiefs. However, this is not required by the constitution, and, for this reason, Samoa can be considered a republic rather than a [[constitutional monarchy]].

The [[Kim family (North Korea)|ruling Kim family]] in [[North Korea]] ([[Kim Il Sung]], [[Kim Jong Il]] and [[Kim Jong Un]]) has been described as a ''de facto'' [[absolute monarchy]]<ref name=":0">Young W. Kihl, Hong Nack Kim. ''North Korea: The Politics of Regime Survival''. Armonk, New York, USA: M. E. Sharpe, Inc., 2006. Pp 56.</ref><ref name=":1">Robert A. Scalapino, Chong-Sik Lee. ''The Society''. University of California Press, 1972. Pp. 689.</ref><ref name=":2">Bong Youn Choy. A history of the Korean reunification movement: its issues and prospects. Research Committee on Korean Reunification, Institute of International Studies, Bradley University, 1984. Pp. 117.</ref> or a "hereditary dictatorship".<ref name="DPRKMonarch">{{Cite news |last=Sheridan |first=Michael |date=16 September 2007 |title=A tale of two dictatorships: The links between North Korea and Syria |work=[[The Times]] |location=London |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2452356.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=9 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219000655/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2452356.ece |archive-date=19 February 2008}}</ref> In 2013, Clause 2 of Article 10 of the new edited Ten Fundamental Principles of the [[Workers' Party of Korea|Korean Workers' Party]] states that the party and revolution must be carried "eternally" by the "[[Paektu Mountain|Baekdu]] (Kim's) bloodline".<ref name=":3">[http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/08/13/2013081301558.html The Twisted Logic of the N.Korean Regime], Chosun Ilbo, 2013-08-13, Accessed date: 2017-01-11</ref> This though does not mean it is a ''de jure'' absolute monarchy, as the country's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The [[al-Assad family]], which ruled [[Syria]] from 1971 to 2024, was similarly categorised as such.<ref name="DPRKMonarch" />