As we all know, there are still some monarchies in the world today, that is, countries that can still be called dynasties in modern times, most of which are distributed in Europe and the Middle East. Most of these countries are constitutional monarchies in modern times, but there are still some countries with absolute monarchies. Today we will introduce 15 of them. Several European royal families were very close to each other, and the Swedish, Spanish, and Luxembourg royal families were all related to modern France, which has no monarch. There is also a dynasty that, although a monarchy, has no royal family. So what is the specific situation?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="2" > the Bernadotte dynasty of Sweden</h1>
In 1809, Sweden was defeated by Russia and Finland was ceded to Russia. Resentment in Sweden boiled over, a coup d'état took place, and the uncle of the former king was made the new monarch. But the new monarch had no heirs, forcing Sweden to look around for its heir. At that time, when Napoleon was dominating Europe, Sweden finally decided to invite Napoleon's close associate, The French Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, to Sweden as The Crown Prince (heir to the throne). In 1818, Bernadotte succeeded to the Swedish throne and established the Bernadotte dynasty. At that time, the King of Sweden was also the King of Norway, and after Norway's independence in 1905, the Bernadotte Dynasty was continued in Sweden. Modern Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty is Karl XVI.
Royal coat of arms of Bernardot
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="33" > the Grimaldi dynasty of Monaco</h1>
The Grimaldi family is one of the most famous families in Renaissance Europe, originating in Italy. They became rulers of the Monaco region of southern France in 1485 AD. In 1861, Monaco's independence status was confirmed, and the Grimaldi dynasty continues to this day. Monaco is currently a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Grimaldi dynasty is Albert II.
Royal coat of arms of Grimaldi
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="35" > the Alawite dynasty of Morocco</h1>
The Alawite family, which originated in the Arabian Peninsula, established its rule in the North African state of Morocco in 1631 AD and was strong in the 17th and 18th centuries AD. But in the 19th century it became a French colony. In 1956, Morocco became independent from France and the Alawite dynasty was continued. Morocco is also a constitutional monarchy, and the current Alawite monarch is Mohammed VI.
Flag of the Alawite Royal Family
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="37" > the Denmark Dynasty of Glücksburg</h1>
The Grocksburg family originated from the Oldenburg family in medieval northern Germany, which had a great influence on the Nordic country of Denmark in the 15th century AD. In 1853, King Frederick VII of Denmark, who came from this family, had no heirs, so he made Prince Christian from the Grocksburg family his heir. Although the Glücksburg family also originated from the Oldenburg family, it had already established itself at this time. Ten years later, Frederick VII died, and Christian succeeded to the Danish throne, founding the Danish Dynasty of Glücksburg, which continues to this day. Modern Denmark is also a constitutional monarchy, with the current monarch of the Glücksburg dynasty being Queen Margaret II.
Coat of arms of the Royal Family of Glücksburg, Denmark
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="39" > the Norwegian Dynasty of Glücksburg</h1>
Like Denmark, the Norwegian royal family comes from the Glücksburg family. Norway broke away from Swedish rule in 1905 and Norway decided to retain the monarchy after a referendum. After that, Norway welcomed Karl, the second son of King Frederick VIII of Denmark at that time, to Norway and established him as king, and the Norwegian Dynasty of Glücksburg was established and continues to this day. Norway is also a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Grocksburg dynasty is Harald V.
Coat of arms of the Royal Family of Glücksburg, Norway
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="41" > The Said dynasty of Oman</h1>
Around 1742 AD, the Persian army occupied a large amount of territory in the Omani region of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia and launched a siege on the city of Sohar in northern Oman. The governor of the city of Sohar at the time, Ahmed Busaidi, who was from the Aman's Sinawi tribe, led an army that lasted for 9 months, eventually forcing the Persians to retreat. In 1744, he became the local chief and soon unified the Region of Oman, establishing the Said Dynasty. The Saeed dynasty was once a powerful state in the 18th and 19th centuries AD, one of the great powers surrounding the Indian Ocean, and its territory once included the southern Arabian Peninsula and Zanzibar in East Africa, before declining under british attacks. But saeed rule in Oman remains to this day, almost the oldest surviving royal family in Arabia. Oman is still an absolute monarchy, and the current monarch of the Said dynasty is Khasam.
Flag of the Royal Family of Said
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="43" > qatar's Al-Thani dynasty</h1>
Around 1720 AD, the Al Thani family, which originated in the area of present-day Saudi Arabia, migrated to Qatar to live. Some 100 years later, the family became the most powerful tribe in Qatar, establishing the Al-Thani dynasty of Qatar. Although the family was subordinate to the Ottomans and then to the British, its dominance in Qatar was maintained. Qatar became independent from Britain in 1971 and the Al Thani dynasty remains to this day. Qatar is currently a mixed monarchy and constitutional monarchy, with the current monarch of the Al Thani dynasty being Al-Hamad.
Coat of arms of Qatar
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="45" > Saudi Arabia</h1>
The ancestors of the Saudi dynasty can be traced back to the Murudah tribe that lived in the Arabian Peninsula in the 15th century AD. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the House of Saud established power on the Arabian Peninsula twice, but lost the country twice. In 1902, Abdul Aziz, a saudi from the Saudi family, led his troops from Kuwait, where he had taken refuge, to retake the Arab city of Riyadh from his rival Rashid family. In the decades that followed, the Saud family conquered the Naij and Hejaz regions of the Arabian Peninsula and became independent from the United Kingdom in 1927. In 1932, Saudi Arabia established a modern name and territory, and the Saudi dynasty continues to this day. The Saudi royal family is currently one of the largest in the world, with about 15,000 members. Modern Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy, with the current monarch of the Saudi dynasty being Salman.
Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="47" > the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty of Spain</h1>
In 1701, the Spanish Habsburg dynasty was extinct. Subsequently, in order to compete for the Spanish throne, the French Bourbon Dynasty and the Austrian Habsburg Dynasty fought a protracted war for control of Spain, and this war of the Spanish succession soon led to the intervention of the British, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Hungarian, and many Germanic principalities. After more than 10 years of war, Felipe, Duke of Anjou, grandson of King Louis XIV of France, took control of Spain and established the Spanish Bourbon-Anjou dynasty. Later, although Spain underwent several changes, the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty even collapsed for a time in 1930. But in 1975, the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty was successfully restored in Spain and continues to this day. Modern Spain is a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty is Felipe VI.
Coat of arms of the Bourbon-Anjou royal family
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="49" > the Dutch Orange-Nassau dynasty</h1>
Originated from the famous Nassau family in European history. The Nassau family originated in Nassau, Germany around 1100 AD, and later became lords of Germany, France, and the Netherlands. In 1581, William I, Prince of Orange, a branch of the Nassau family whose territory was located in present-day Netherlands, established the Netherlands through a rebellion to break away from Spanish rule. Since then, although the Netherlands has undergone several changes and was once destroyed by France, the Orange Nassau family has always maintained a prominent position in the Netherlands. Eventually, after the Netherlands became a kingdom in 1815 AD, the Orange-Nassau family became a Dutch royal family that continues to this day. The Netherlands is also a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Orange-Nassau dynasty is William Alexander.
Royal coat of arms of Orange-Nassau
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="51" > Luxembourg-Nassaud dynasty</h1>
The current royal family of Luxembourg is called the Luxembourg-Nassau Royal Family. The royal family itself can be regarded as a branch of the Spanish Bourbon royal family, and it also incorporates some members of the Nassau royal family that has ties to the Dutch royal family, so to some extent, the Luxembourg-Nassau royal family and the Spanish and Dutch royal families are related to the royal family. The Nassau family of Luxembourg became the rulers of Luxembourg in the 15th century AD. Later, Luxembourg, located between France, Germany, the Netherlands (and Belgium), became one of these territories. It eventually gained independence around 1890 AD under compromise. Luxembourg is also a constitutional monarchy and is currently ruled by Archduke Henry.
Coat of arms of the Luxembourg-Nassau royal family
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="53" > the Zakri dynasty of Thailand</h1>
In 1782, the Thai Thonburi dynasty general Thong Luang launched a coup d'état, executed king Zheng Xin of Thonburi, established himself as king, became Rama I, and named the new dynasty Zakri with his title "Chao Phra Ya Zakri" before he became king. After the establishment of the Zakri dynasty, the capital of Thailand was moved to Bangkok. After defeating neighboring countries Annam and Cambodia, it became the only country in Southeast Asia that did not become a Western colony in the 19th century, and the Zakri dynasty continued to this day. Thailand is also largely regarded as a constitutional monarchy, but its royal family still has a lot of power at home. The current monarch of the Zakri dynasty is Vajiralongkorn.
Zakri royal coat of arms
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="55" > the Tupu dynasty of Tonga</h1>
Around 1820 AD, civil unrest broke out in the Pacific island nation of Tonga. Chief George Tup, the island of Tongatapu, an important island of Tonga, unified Tonga after more than 20 years of war and established the Tonga Tupou dynasty. In 1900, Tonga became a British protectorate, but the Tuppu family continued to rule the country as British vassals. After Tonga's independence in 1970, the Tupou dynasty continued to this day, becoming the only indigenous royal family in the Pacific that has continued into the modern era. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy, and the current monarch of the Tupou dynasty is Tupou VI.
Coat of arms of Tonga
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="57" > United Arab Emirates</h1>
The head of state of the United Arab Emirates is known as the President and is nominally elected. But the UAE is a federation of seven emirates, all of which are largely ruled by hereditary royal families. Since the UAE's independence in 1971, the UAE's presidents have all been hereditary chiefs of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The ruling families of the emirates have basically ruled their respective territories for 100 to 300 years. So the UAE is essentially a federation of emirates with an absolute monarchy. The current PRESIDENT OF the UAE is the current Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa.
Coat of arms of the Uae
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="59" > Principality of Andorra</h1>
The Principality of Andorra is also nominally a monarchy, but its head of state, the Grand Duke, was created in a way that is unique in the world. Andorra is located between France and Spain in Western Europe. In 1278 AD, the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell agreed that both sides would have joint sovereignty over Andorra. Later, the sovereignty of Andorra held by the Count of Foix was transferred to the French head of state several times, so after the 19th century, the Grand Duke of Andorra was jointly held by the President of France and the Bishop of Ugl of Catalonia in Spain. But modern Andorra is also a constitutional monarchy, with no real power. The current Archduke of Andorra is President Macron of France and Bishop of Urgella, Sicilia. (Image from the Internet, infringement notice deleted)
Coat of arms of Andorra