The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. Such doctrines are largely, though not exclusively, associated with the medieval and ancient regime eras. It states that a monarch owes his rule to the will of God, and not necessarily to the will of his subjects, the aristocracy or any other competing authority. This doctrine shows that any attempt to depose a monarch or to restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God.

Its symbolism remains in the coronations of the British monarchs, in which they are anointed with Holy oils by the Archbishop of Canterbury, thereby ordaining them to monarchy. It is further evidenced by efforts to trace the genealogy of European monarchs to King David of the Old Testament, with the belief that it legitimizes the rule of the present monarch. The king or queen of the United Kingdom is the last monarch still to undergo such a ceremony, which in other countries has been replaced by an inauguration or other declaration. It is the reason why the British Royal Family's motto is Dieu Et Mon Droit (God and my [birth] Right - i.e. I rule with God's blessing).

The concept of Divine Right incorporates the broader concept of "royal God-given rights", which simply says that "the right to rule is anointed by God (or gods)," this is found in many other cultures including Aryan and Egyptian traditions. Thomas Aquinas accepted the overthrow of a king and even regicide when the laws of the king are untenably unjust, and towards the end of the Middle Ages many philosophers such as Nicholas of Cusa and Francisco Suarez propounded similar theories. In addition, the Chinese concept of Mandate of Heaven required that the emperor properly carry out the proper rituals, consult his ministers, and made it extremely difficult to undo any acts carried out by an ancestor.

Much of the Scriptural basis of the Divine Right of Kings comes from Romans 13:1-2, which state: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." In summary this appears to say that any attempted act of revolution against an authority is against the will of God and that any person implementing such actions are punishable by damnation.

A monarchy, from the Greek μονος, "one", and αρχειν, "to rule', is a form of government that has a monarch as head of state. In most monarchies the monarch usually reigns as head of state for life; this is also true in many republics, though it is also common for the Head of State (often called the president) to be elected for a certain amount of time. There are currently 32 monarchs reigning over 46 extant sovereign monarchies in the world, the monarch of the United Kingdom being shared with 15 other independent realms. As such, this one multiple monarch reigns over vast geographic areas including the trans-continental realms of Canada and Australia. Only one, Andorra, is ruled by two co-monarchs.

The term monarchy is also used to refer to the people (especially the dynasty, also known as 'royalty') and institutions that make up the royal or imperial establishment, or to the realm over which the monarch reigns.

In all monarchies, the monarch serves as a symbol of continuity and statehood. The extent of a monarch's additional powers varies from monarchy to monarchy, but in constitutional monarchies they are usually only evident in times of crisis. Many monarchies are constituted by tradition or by codified law so that the monarch has little real political power, in others the monarch holds some power but is limited from exercising it by popular or precedental opinion; in still others the monarch holds substantial power. In some cases, the symbolism of monarchy alongside the symbolism of democracy can lead to divisions over seemingly contradictory principles of sovereignty.

Monarchy is one of the oldest forms of government, with echoes in the leadership of tribal chiefs. Many monarchs claimed to rule by divine right or at least by divine grace, ruling either by the will of the god(s) or as gods themselves. In some early systems the monarch was overthrown or sacrificed when it became apparent that divine sanction had been withdrawn. Monarchs might be chosen by election, succession, or conquest.

Since 1800, most of the world's monarchies have been abolished and have been replaced by republics. Most countries which remain monarchies have become constitutional monarchies.

Among the few states that retain a rather absolute monarchy are Vatican City, Swaziland, Brunei, Qatar, Oman, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In Jordan and Morocco, the monarch also retains considerable power. There are also recent (2003) developments in Liechtenstein, wherein the regnant prince was given the constitutional power to dismiss the government at will. Nepal had several swings between a constitutional role and direct rule related to the Maoist rebel movement and the palace killings by a suicidal crown prince.

Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). The term originally referred to those who were "known" or "notable" and was applied to the highest social class in pre-modern societies. In the feudal system (in Europe and elsewhere), the nobility were generally those who held a fief, often land and/or office, under vassalage, i.e. in exchange for allegiance and various, mainly military, services to the Monarch and at lower levels to another nobleman. It rapidly came to be seen as a hereditary caste, sometimes associated with a right to bear a hereditary title and, for example in pre-revolutionary France, enjoying fiscal and other privileges. Today, in most countries, "noble status" is a purely honorary dignity that confers no legal privileges; an important exception is the United Kingdom, where certain titles (titles of the peerage, until recently guaranteeing a seat in the Upper House of Westminster Parliament, hence its name House of Lords), still confer some residual privileges.

Nobility is a historical, social and often legal notion, which should not be confused with socioeconomic status which is mainly statistical based on income and possessions. Being wealthy or influential does not automatically make one a noble, nor are all nobles wealthy and influential (aristocratic families have lost their fortunes in various ways, and the concept of the 'poor nobleman' is almost as old as nobility itself).

The Influence of Monarchs

Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood. It is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love. The word is derived from the French word "chevalerie", itself derived from "chevalier", which means knight, derived from "cheval", horse (indicating one who rides a horse).

Today, the terms chivalry and chivalrous are often used to describe courteous behavior, especially that of men towards women.

Regardless of the diverse written definitions of chivalry, the medieval knightly class was adept at the art of war, trained in fighting in armor, with horses, lances, swords and shields. Knights were taught to excel in the arms, to show courage, to be gallant, loyal and to swear off cowardice and baseness.

Related to chivalry was the practice of heraldry and its elaborate rules of displaying coats of arms. When not fighting, chivalric knights typically resided in a castle or fortified house, while some knights lived in the courts of kings, dukes and other great lords. The skills of the knight carried over to peacetime activities such as the hunt and tournament.

The tradition of the chivalric "knight in shining armor" may be traceable back to the Arabs, with notable pre-Islamic figures like the Bedouin knight Antar The Lion (580 AD). Charles Reginald Haines noted traits "such as loyalty, courtesy, munificence...are found in eminent degree among the Arabs." Medieval Spain, which he calls the "cradle of chivalry", could bear that pre-modern title, due to the direct impact of Arab civilization in Al-Andalus. "Piety, courtesy, prowess in war, the gift of eloquence, the art of poetry, skill on horseback, dexterity with sword, lance, and bow" was expected of the elite Moorish knight. Richard Francis Burton, when characterizing this strain of thought in the writings of Europe as a whole, maintained "were it not evident that the spiritualising of sexuality by imagination is universal among the highest orders of mankind", he continues, "I should attribute the origins of love to the influences of the Arabs' poetry and chivalry upon European ideas rather than to medieval Christianity."

Christianity had a modifying influence on the virtues of chivalry. The Peace and Truce of God in the 10th century was one such example, with limits placed on knights to protect and honor the weaker members of society and also help the church maintain peace. At the same time the church became more tolerant of war in the defense of faith, espousing theories of the just war; and liturgies were introduced which blessed a knight's sword, and a bath of chivalric purification. In the 11th century the concept of a "knight of Christ" (miles Christi) gained currency in France, Spain and Italy. These concepts of "religious chivalry" were further elaborated in the era of the Crusades, with the Crusades themselves often being seen as a chivalrous enterprise. Their ideas of chivalry were also further influenced by Saladin, who was viewed as a chivalrous knight by medieval Christian writers.

The relationship between knights and the nobility varied based on region. In France being dubbed a knight also bestowed noble status. In Germany and the Low Countries, knights and the nobility were distinctly different classes. In England, the relations between knights, nobles and land-owning gentry were complex.

In the later Middle Ages, wealthy merchants strove to adopt chivalric attitudes - the sons of the bourgeoisie were educated at aristocratic courts where they were trained in the manners of the knightly class. This was a democratization of chivalry, leading to a new genre called the courtesy book, which were guides to the behavior of "gentlemen". Thus, the post-medieval gentlemanly code of the value of a man's honor, respect for women, and a concern for those less fortunate, is directly derived from earlier ideals of chivalry and historical forces which created it.

When examining medieval literature, chivalry can be classified into three basic but overlapping areas:

• Duties to countrymen and fellow Christians: this contains virtues such as mercy, courage, valor, fairness, protection of the weak and the poor, and in the servant-hood of the knight to his lord. This also brings with it the idea of being willing to give one’s life for another’s; whether he would be giving his life for a poor man or his lord
• Duties to God: this would contain being faithful to God, protecting the innocent, being faithful to the church, being the champion of good against evil, being generous and obeying God above the feudal lord
• Duties to women: this is probably the most familiar aspect of chivalry. This would contain what is often called courtly love, the idea that the knight is to serve a lady, and after her all other ladies. Most especially in this category is a general gentleness and graciousness to all women

These three areas obviously overlap quite frequently in chivalry, and are often indistinguishable.

Different weight given to different areas produced different strands of chivalry:

• Warrior Chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his lord, as exemplified by Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle
• Religious Chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to protect the innocent and serve God, as exemplified by Sir Galahad or Sir Percival in the Grail legends
• Courtly Love Chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his own lady, and after her, all ladies, as exemplified by Sir Lancelot in his love for Queen Guinevere or Sir Tristan in his love for Iseult

One particular similarity between all three of these categories is honor. Honor is the foundational and guiding principle of chivalry. Thus, for the knight, honor would be one of the guides of action.

The first Orders of Chivalry were formed during the 12th Century. The first of these was the Military Order of Malta. From this Order, others were formed such as the Order of Saint John (Knights Hospitaller) in 1080, the Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (Knights Templar) in 1119, the Order of Saint Lazarus in 1100, and the Order of Saint Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem (Teutonic Knights) in 1190.

These orders were groups of Knights who banded together to create their own fraternal organization. These organizations were either sponsored by the Monarch of their home countries, or by the Pope (who is a sovereign power of himself). Each member of their organizations typically took vows and in essence became warrior monks. Their warrior nature (because they were all Knights their profession was war) gave the Pope an opportunity to use them as the military arm of the Church. Each one of them had a different charter, or reason for being in existence. For example, the Knights Templar were the guardians of pilgrims going to the holy land. These Templar Knights set up safe houses for pilgrims to seek shelter and safety within. The Templars also protected the pilgrims by setting up the first banking system. Instead of attracting bandits in search of stealing from the pilgrims, the Templars took the money from the pilgrims and gave them a note for how much the Templars were holding for them. Once at their destination, the Templars would give the money back to the pilgrim who gave their money to the Templars.

These Orders of Chivalry, acting as an arm of the Church, received donations. After time, the Orders of Chivalry became wealthy organizations. So large was the wealth and power of these Orders, Monarchs were threatened by them. The power and wealth of the Orders allowed them to gain lands of their own, giving them the ability to legitimately call themselves Sovereign. Monastic Orders like the Knights Templar were given special privileges so they only answered to the Pope and need not answer to any Monarch in whatever land they resided.

In 1291, when the last stronghold of Christendom fell to the Arabs, the missions of the Orders of Chivalry became obsolete. They now had neither hospitals to run, pilgrims to protect, or mission to achieve. Some Orders, like the Teutonic Knights, survived because they had already settled in eastern Europe. Others, like the Knights Hospitaller, conquered Malta and became a naval power and continued to wage war against the Arabs and later the Turks. Yet others, like the Knights Templar, tried to make a transition to become bankers (they also tried to merge with the Order of Saint John). However, because of their wealth, the French Monarchy falsely accused them of heresy and successfully disbanded the Order in 1312 (the way the King did this is how Friday the 13th became an unlucky day).

This did not last indefinitely, however. The Order of Saint John (Order of Malta) lost it's sovereignty in 1798 and is now dedicated to medical and charitable activities. The Teutonic Order became a simple religious order in 1929. The Order of Saint Lazarus split into two factions with one being protected by the French Crown and one protected by the House of Savoyard. The French faction was abolished by Louis XVI in 1791. There are many organizations today that claim to be descended from each of these orders.

Between 1335 and 1400, there was a rise in Monarchical Orders of Chivalry. The Monarchs saw the power and use for an organized Order of Knighthood, and they were able to utilize this power for the benefit of the Crown and Country. Some of these order still exist today. For example the Order of the Garter is an Order of Chivalry created by the British Crown. Over time, with the development of new ways to wage war, the Knights profession transformed into the modern soldier. With new technologies and the need for vast numbers of highly trained soldiers, the title of Knight became primarily honorific by the mid 1500's. By this time, only the Order of the Garter in England, the Order of the Golden Fleece in Spain, the Order of Annunziata in Savoy, and the Order of Saint Michael in France remained.

A more in depth research has been done through this book.

The History of Chivalry or Knighthood

Since the dawn of time, man has relished in the use of symbolism. From as far back as prehistoric cave paintings and totem poles, history is enriched by a full array of symbolism. This symbolism has never, throughout the history of man, lost it's power. The power of symbolism comes from instantaneous recognition of the image or device being rendered. Modern man understands this power, which urges companies to create logos, militaries to create insignia, and sports teams to create uniforms with logos. All of us now enjoy the gentle and colorful art and science that took it's roots in feudal Europe. We call these roots, heraldry.

It is interesting to note that the term that we use today as a family crest was not a part of heraldic tradition. The earliest use of a family coat of arms originated before heraldry. The family coat of arms should be more accurately stated as a family mark. Households would put a graphic image on their property to allow everyone to know that the piece of property belonged to a certain family. The images were used because very few people could read and wright. A good modern example of this comes from the American west and the ranchers. The ranchers would put a brand on their cattle to signify that this cow was owned by a specific family (for example, the family owned bar-T ranch). This did not indicate nobility, title, or anything other than a mark of ownership.

Heraldry has been defined as the art of blazoning, assigning, and marshalling a coat of arms. The origins of this art is disputed. The most widely recognized origin was the need for a combatant to be recognized during a battle. Some historians have theorized that the origins of heraldry come from the above mentioned family mark. The difference was that the heraldic "marks" were used by the noblemen, which were protected by law. Whatever the original origin may be, heraldry and the use of devices on a shield became military status symbols. Heraldry was also indisputably used as a way to identify soldiers during and after a battle (both to recognize a combatant who is still in the battle, and a means to identify the fallen after the battle).

As armour became heavier and more cumbersome, the ability of a armored warrior to tilt his helmet back as William I (William the Conqueror) did at Hastings, became an impossible task. Therefore, men in armour distinguished themselves through the devices on their shields and surcoats (which were worn over their armour). If the person carrying arms were a Nobleman (or high ranking Knight), their followers would also use the devices of the noble, thus signifying which military unit they belonged to. Feudal armies employed banners to signify to their soldiers where the rallying point, or headquarters, of their unit was located at. These heraldic devices used by mounted soldiers, became hereditary as the first son retained the devices of his father.

As the Knightly class grew and began to blend with the nobility, heraldry became regulated. A coat of arms became the right of a Sovereign to grant to an individual for service to the crown. Adornments to the coat of arms were then granted to the bearer of the arms to signify achievements. For example, the Sovereign might add a specific device to the blazon of arms as recognition for military victories during a campaign. Therefore, heraldry became the way for a Knight or Nobleman to visually represent who he was, his importance, status, and achievements.

The ancient use of heraldry has never become obsolete. In today's military, every soldier wears a distinctive unit patch to signify what unit he or she belongs to. The United States Army has an Institute of Heraldry to create distinctive crests and devices to signify certain units, grades of power (rank), and honors (infantry badge and the medal of honor). All of these devices and crests are a visual representation of the wearers importance, status, and achievements. The big difference is that in today's military, the insignia are not granted to the individual (they are not the property of the individual) and are not combined on a single shield. To find all the information you will have to look at his shoulder to find which unit he belongs to, his arm or collar to see his status (or rank), and his chest to see his achievements (medals).