A Brief History of Monarchies
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king or queen of the United Kingdom is the last monarch still to undergo such a ceremony, which in other countries has been replaced by an inauguration or other declaration.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).
