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Dynasty

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Contents
For other uses, see Dynasty (disambiguation).

A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations. A dynasty is also often called a "house", e.g. the House of Saud or House of Habsburg. The term is also used to describe the era during which that family reigned, as well as events, trends and artifacts of the period, e.g. "Ming dynasty vase". In such cases, often the "dynasty" is dropped but the name may be used adjectively, e.g. "Tudor style", "Ottoman expansion", "Romanoff decadence", etc.

Historians traditionally consider a state's history within a framework of successive dynasties, particularly with such nations as China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire. Much of European political history was dominated, successively and together, by dynasties such as the Carolingians, the Capetians, the Bourbons, the Habsburgs, the Stuarts, the Hohenzollerns and the Romanovs. Until the nineteenth century, it was taken for granted that a legitimate function of a monarch was to aggrandize his dynasty, that is, to increase the territory, wealth and power of family members.[1]

[edit] Who is a dynast

A ruler in a dynasty is sometimes referred to as a dynast, but this term is also used to describe any member of a reigning family who retains succession rights to a throne. For example, following his abdication, Edward VIII of the United Kingdom ceased to be a dynastic member of the House of Windsor.

A "dynastic marriage" is one that complies with monarchical house law restrictions, so that the descendants are eligible to inherit the throne and/or other royal privileges. For instance, the 2002 marriage of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange to Máxima Zorreguieta was dynastic, and their eldest child is expected to eventually inherit the Dutch crown. But the marriage of his younger brother Prince Johan-Friso to Mabel Wisse Smit in 2003 lacked government support and parliamentary approval. Thus Johan-Friso forfeited his place in the order of succession, lost his title as a Prince of the Netherlands, and his children have no dynastic rights.

In historical and monarchist references to formerly reigning families, dynastic describes a family member who would have succession rights if the monarchy's rules were still in force. For example, after the 1914 assassinations of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his morganatic wife Sophie von Hohenberg, their son Max was bypassed for the Austrian throne because he was not legally a dynastic Habsburg. Even since abolition of the Austrian monarchy, Max and his descendants have not been considered the rightful pretenders by Austrian monarchists, nor have they claimed that position.

Confusingly, "dynast" is sometimes used to refer to agnatic descendants of a realm's monarchs, and sometimes to those who hold succession rights through cognatic royal descent. The term can therefore describe overlapping but distinct sets of people. For example, David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, a nephew of Queen Elizabeth II through her late sister, Princess Margaret, is in the line of succession to the British crown, and in that sense is a British dynast. Yet he is not a male-line member of the royal family, and is therefore not a dynast of the House of Windsor.

On the other hand, the German aristocrat Ernst August, Prince of Hanover (born 1954), although a male-line descendant of George III of the United Kingdom, is too distantly related to the present sovereign to be entitled to one of the styles reserved for Britain's royal family (although he is entitled to re-claim the once-royal dukedom of Cumberland). Yet he was born in the line of succession to the British crown and is bound by the Royal Marriages Act 1772. Thus, in 1999 he requested and obtained formal permission from Elizabeth II to marry Princess Caroline of Monaco. But immediately upon marriage he forfeited his (remote) claim to the British throne because she is a Roman Catholic and Ernst August is also bound by the English Act of Settlement 1701 which permanently deprives dynasts of succession rights upon marriage to a Roman Catholic. However, the couple's daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hanover (born 1999), remains a legal dynast of both the United Kingdom and Monaco, not to mention her father's claim to dynasticity as pretender to the former royal crown of Hanover.

Dynastic names may not be the same as individual surnames, in that titles are customarily used instead. Or the name of the dynasty may follow the throne by descending through females, e.g. the current heads of the dynasties of Grimaldi, Habsburg, Orange and Romanov actually descend paternally from, respectively, the houses of Polignac (Chalençon), Lorraine, Lippe and Oldenburg. Also, often a new dynastic name does not signal an altogether different family, so much as a new branch of the dynasty that has obtained the throne: kings of the House of Anjou, Bourbon, Orléans and Braganza dynasties were all male-line descendants of Hugh Capet of France and are collectively called Capetians. Thus, by a royal decree of 1960 the British ruling dynasty remains the House of Windsor, despite the present Queen having married Philip Mountbatten, who is by birth a prince of the reigning Danish dynasty of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, itself a branch of the House of Oldenburg, of which the Romanovs descended from Peter III were also agnatic descendants.

[edit] Dynasties by region

[edit] Africa

[edit] Morocco

  • Idrisid dynasty (780-974)
  • Maghrawa dynasty (987-1070)
  • Almoravid dynasty (1073-1147) (also in Al-Andalus)
  • Almohad dynasty (1147-1269) (also in Al-Andalus)
  • Marinid dynasty (1258-1420) (also in Al-Andalus)
  • Wattasid dynasty (1420-1547) (also in Al-Andalus)
  • Saadi dynasty (1554-1659)
  • Alaouite dynasty (1666 to present)

[edit] Americas

[edit] Brazil

  • House of Braganza (1822-1889)

[edit] Haiti

  • Dessalines Dynasty (1804 - 1806)
  • Christophe Dynasty (1811 - 1820)
  • Soulouque Dynasty (1849 - 1859)

[edit] Hawaii

  • Kamehameha Dynasty (c.1810-1872)
  • Kalākaua Dynasty (c.1874-1893)
  • House of Kawananakoa (c.1868- ??)

[edit] Mexico

  • House of Iturbide (1822 - 1823)
  • House of Habsburg (1864 - 1867)

[edit] Asia

[edit] Afghanistan

[edit] East Asia

[edit] China

Main article: Dynasties in Chinese history
  • Xia Dynasty (2205 BCE–1766 BCE)
  • Shang Dynasty (1766 BCE–1046 BCE)
  • Zhou Dynasty (1122 BCE–256 BCE)
  • Qin Dynasty (221 BCE–206 BCE)
  • Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220)
  • Three Kingdoms (220–280)
  • Jin Dynasty (265–420)
  • Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589)
  • Sui Dynasty (581–618)
  • Tang Dynasty (618–907)
  • Song Dynasty (960–1279)
  • Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)
  • Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
  • Qing Dynasty (1644–1912)

[edit] Japan

  • Imperial House of Japan (400-500 CE-now)

[edit] Korea

The Heads of State of modern North Korea also works on de facto dynastic succession. The late Kim Il-Sung was succeeded by his eldest son Kim Jong-Il, and Kim Jong-Il will most certainly be succeeded by one of his own sons.

[edit] Maldives

[edit] Thailand

  • Phra Ruang dynasty
  • Mengrai dynasty
  • U-Thong dynasty
  • Suphannaphum dynasty
  • Sukhothai dynasty
  • Prasatthong dynasty
  • Banpluluang dynasty
  • Thonburi dynasty (1767-1782)
  • Chakri dynasty (1782-)

[edit] Europe

[edit] Albania

[edit] Barbarians

[edit] Bavarii
  • Agilolfing Dynasty

[edit] Franks
  • Merovingian Dynasty (481-751)
  • Carolingian Dynasty (751-843)
  • Arnulfings or Pippinids, mayors of the palaces

[edit] Lombards
See Early kings of the Lombards.
  • Lething Dynasty (until early sixth century)
  • Gausian Dynasty (546-572)
  • Bavarian Dynasty (616-712)

[edit] Ostrogoths
  • Amal Dynasty (before 474-536)

[edit] Vandals

[edit] Visigoths

[edit] Byzantine Empire

[edit] Croatia

[edit] Denmark

  • House of Olaf (late ninth century to c.917)
  • House of Harthacnut (917-1047)
  • House of Munsö (1047-1412)
  • House of Pomerania (1412-1439)
  • House of Wittelsbach (1439-1448)
  • House of Oldenburg (1448-1863)
    • House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863 to the present)

[edit] England

[edit] France

[edit] Germany

[edit] Bavaria
  • Liutpolding Dynasty 889-947
  • Ottonian Dynasty 947-1017
  • House of Luxembourg 1017-1026, 1039-1047
  • Salian Dynasty 1026-1039, 1053-1061
  • Welf Dynasty 1070-1138, 1156-1180
  • Babenberg Dynasty 1138-1156
  • Wittelsbach Dynasty 1180-1918

[edit] Saxony
  • Liudolfing Dynasty 843-961
  • Billung Dynasty 961-1106
  • Supplinburger Dynasty 1106-1127
  • Welf Dynasty 1127-1138, 1142-1180
  • Ascanian Dynasty 1138-1142, 1180-1422
  • Wettin Dynasty 1422-1918

[edit] Hungary

[edit] Montenegro

  • Vojislavljević Dynasty (c. 7th century - 1186)
  • Nemanjić Dynasty (1186 - 1355)
  • Balšić Dynasty (1356 - 1435)
  • Crnojević Dynasty (1435 - 1516)
  • Petrović-Njegoš Dynasty (1696 - 1918)

[edit] Iberia

[edit] Aragón

[edit] Asturias

[edit] Castile

[edit] León

[edit] Navarre

[edit] Portugal
  • House of Burgundy or Afonsine Dynasty (1093-1383), counts until 1139
  • House of Aviz or Joannine Dynasty (1385-1580)
  • House of Hapsburg or Philippine Dynasty (1580-1640)
  • House of Braganza or Brigantine Dynasty (1640-1910)
    • House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or House of Braganza-Wettin (1853-1910)

[edit] Spain

[edit] Ireland

  • Fir Ol nEchmacht
  • Dal Fiachrach Suighe
  • The Connachta
  • Uí Briuin
  • Uí Fiachrach
  • Uí Néill
  • Eóganachta
  • Uí Failghe
  • Uí Maine
  • Uí Garrchon
  • Uí Enechglaiss
  • Uí Bairrche
  • Uí Dúnlainge
  • Uí Cheinnselaig
  • Dál Riata
  • Dál nAraidi
  • Dál Fiatach
  • Clann Cholmáin
  • Síl nÁedo Sláine
  • Cenél Coirpre
  • Síl Muiredaig
  • Clan Maelruanaidh
  • Cenél nEógain
  • Cenél Conaill
  • Uí Briuin Brefine
  • Muintir Maoilmhordha
  • Ua Mael Sechlainn
  • Ua Conchobhair
  • Dál gCais
  • Ua Briain
  • MacDermot
  • Mac Ivar
  • Mac Ragnaill
  • Mac Thorkell
  • Mac Murrough Kavanagh
  • FitzGerald
  • Butler
  • Burke
  • Ó Neill
  • Clann Aodha Buidhe
  • O Domhnaill
  • O Connor Sligo
  • O'Conor Don
  • Clanricarde
  • Maguire
  • MacCarthy
  • O Sullivan Beare
  • O Sullivan Mor
  • O Connor Kerry
  • O Flaherty
  • O Rourke
  • O Kelly
  • O More
  • O Byrne
  • O Toole
  • Magennis
  • MacMahon
  • O Reilly
  • Guinness

[edit] Italy

[edit] Norway

  • Fairhair Dynasty (890-1319)
  • House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1905 to the present)

[edit] Ottoman Empire

[edit] Poland

[edit] Roman Empire

  • Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 BC-AD 68)
  • Flavian Dynasty (69-96)
  • Nervan-Antonian Dynasty (96-192)
  • Severan Dynasty (193-235)

[edit] Romania

  • House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1866-1947)

[edit] Russia

[edit] Scotland

[edit] Sweden

  • House of Munsö or House of Uppsala (970-1060)
  • House of Stenkil (1060-1130)
  • House of Sverker (1130-1222), interpsersed with House of Eric
  • House of Eric (1156-1250), interspersed with House of Sverker
  • House of Bjällbo or Folkung Dynasty (1248-1387)
  • House of Vasa (1521-1654)
  • House of Wittelsbach or House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg (1654-1720)
  • House of Hesse (1720-1751)
  • House of Holstein-Gottorp (1751-1818)
  • House of Bernadotte (1818 to the present)

[edit] Two Sicilies

[edit] Sicily

[edit] Political families

Main article: Political families of the world

Though in elected governments rule does not pass automatically by inheritance, political power often accrues to generations of related individuals. Eminence, Influence, familiarity, tradition and even nepotism may contribute to this phenomenon.

Some political dynasties:

  • The Beazley and Crean families (Australian Labour Party)
  • Ziaur Rahman's and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's families (Bangladesh)
  • The Nehru-Gandhi family (India)
  • The Soekarnos (Indonesia)
  • Aung San Suu Kyi's family (Burma)
  • The Kims (North Korea)
  • Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's family (Pakistan)
  • Lee Kuan Yew's family (Singapore)
  • Solomon Bandaranaike's family (Sri Lanka)
  • The Assads (Syria)
  • The Churchills/Dukes of Marlborough) (UK)
  • The (Earl) Russells (UK)
  • The Chamberlains (UK)
  • The Greys (UK)
  • The Pitts (UK)
  • The Bushes (US)
  • The Kennedys (US)
  • The Roosevelts (US)

[edit] References and notes

  1. ^ Thomson, David (1961). “The Institutions of Monarchy”, Europe Since Napoleon. New York: Knopf, pp. 79-80. “The basic idea of monarchy was the idea that hereditary right gave the best title to political power...The dangers of disputed succession were best avoided by hereditary succession: ruling families had a natural interest in passing on to their descendants enhanced power and prestige...Frederick the Great of Prussia, Catherine the Great of Russia, Maria Theresa of Austria, were alike infatuated with the idea of strengthening their power, centralizing government in their own hands as against local and feudal privileges, and so acquiring more absolute authority in the state. Moreover, the very dynastic rivalries and conflicts between these eighteenth-century monarchs drove them to look for ever more efficient methods of government”

Citation Help

APA Style: Reference List

Encyclopedia Jr (2007). Dynasty. Retrieved May 26, 2012, from http://www.encyclopediajr.com/wikiarticle/d/y/n/dynasty.

MLA Style: Works Cited Page

"Dynasty." Encyclopedia Jr. 2007. 26 May 2012 <http://www.encyclopediajr.com/wikiarticle/d/y/n/dynasty>.


This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article dynasty.


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