Elective monarchy

An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected monarch, in contrast to a hereditary monarchy in which the office is automatically passed down as a family inheritance. The manner of election, the nature of candidate qualifications, and the electors vary from case to case. Historically, it was common for elective monarchies to transform into hereditary ones over time or for hereditary ones to acquire at least occasional elective aspects.

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Monarchy
Central concepts Monarch Monarchism Divine right of kings Mandate of Heaven Royal prerogative
Types Abdication system Absolute Chinese Legalist Composite Constitutional Crowned republic Diarchy Dual Elective Emirate Ethnarch Federal Hereditary Khanate Non-sovereign Pentarchy Personal union Popular Principality Regency Coregency Signoria Tetrarch Triarchy Universal
Philosophers Aquinas Dante Bodin Bellarmine Filmer Hobbes Bossuet Maistre Chateaubriand Balzac Crétineau-Joly Gogol Balmes Kierkegaard Youwei Maurras Seca Kuehnelt-Leddihn Bogdanor Scruton Hoppe
Politicians Mazarin Pius VI Ruffo Consalvi Plessis Villèle Polignac Decazes Cortés Castillo Bismarck Mella Churchill Renouvin Zhirinovsky Popescu-Tăriceanu Zourabichvili
History Birth of the Roman Empire Magna Carta Foundation of the Ottoman Empire Tsarist autocracy Birth of the Dutch Republic Glorious Revolution French Revolution Establishment of the Dutch monarchy Trienio Liberal First French Empire Liberal Wars Second French Empire Unification of Italy Meiji Restoration Austro-Hungarian Compromise German unification 5 October 1910 Revolution Proclamation of the Republic in Brazil Chinese Revolution Russian Revolution Siamese revolution of 1932 Birth of the Italian Republic Spanish transition to democracy Iranian Revolution Modern Cambodia Nepalese Civil War
Polity Aristocracy Autocracy Oligarchy
Administration Court Appointment Great Officers Household Retinue Camarilla Courtier Privy council Crown Council Makhzen Riksråd
Related ideologies Conservatism Despotism Enlightened absolutism Legitimists Orléanist Royalism Ultra-royalist Tory
Related topics Criticism Dynasty Lists Family Family trees Illegitimate Figurehead Kingmaker List of monarchies Current Former Non-sovereign Nobility Peerage Realm Philosopher king Pretender List Rank Realm Empire Reich Regicide Regnal number Sovereign Style Succession Anti-king Crisis Interregnum Rebellion War Usurper
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