Reading historical literature, we are faced with different names of titles of rulers of states. European countries were most often led by kings. What does this title mean and how does it differ from the emperor or king? Let's deal with this issue.
Definition of the term
The king is an ancient monarchical title. Traditionally, it is inherited. The name of the title comes from the name of Charlemagne - the King of the Franks, who ruled in the second half of the VIII - beginning of IX centuries. For the Russian lands, this term was alien and was associated with the Catholic faith. Until 1533, all rulers received the royal title in Europe from the hands of the Pope.
In the Middle Ages, the king acted as a mediator between the subjects of his state and God. He was equated with the Creator and endowed with unlimited power. Those who opposed his will were severely punished. To ascend to the throne, the ruler had to go through a complicated coronation ceremony. Only after that he had the right to put on a mantle symbolizing the sky. Other symbols of royalty also had a hidden meaning. The rod and scepter in the hands of the monarch was associated with justice and undeniable rightness. The medieval king is a person who personifies the state with his appearance. According to his state of health, the health of all subjects was judged. There was even a belief that if the monarch was ill, a good harvest should not be expected.
The woman could also wear the royal title. She received it in two cases: if she married the ruling king and when she independently headed the state.
The difference between monarchical titles
And what is the difference between a king and an emperor or a king? After all, all these rulers lead countries and have unlimited power. Emperors are the rulers who manage empires - huge states within the borders of which many different nations are united. As a rule, they included previously independent lands that were conquered as a result of military invasions. Some empires were so large that they consisted of separate kingdoms or kingdoms, headed by governors subordinate to the emperor. In the vast territories of empires, people of several nationalities could live. Often they spoke different languages.
Unlike the emperor, the king is a monarch, in whose submission is a state inhabited by people of the same nationality. As mentioned above, this title was distributed in Europe. In the Russian state from the middle of the XVI century the supreme rulers began to be called tsars. They, like kings, possessed unlimited power on their lands. The royal title could be inherited.
King in Russia
Was in the East Slavic lands and the Russian king. This title was worn by the ruler of the Galicia-Volyn principality, Daniel Galitsky. He had to rule in difficult times, when the Russian lands suffered from the Mongol-Tatar invasions. To protect his principality from the Horde yoke, Galitsky sought support from European countries. To do this, he adopted the Latin faith and was crowned throne by Pope Innocent IV. So Daniel Galitsky became the first king in Russia among the princes. He transferred this title to his successors.
Modern kingdoms
In some countries, the king and queen are in power today. In modern Europe, such states are the United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway. In Asian countries , kingdoms are also preserved. They are Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain and Bhutan. In Africa, kings rule in Morocco, Swaziland and Lesotho, and in Polynesia - in Tonga. The king and queen are still the supreme rulers in their states and enjoy great love among their subjects.
The fate of the monarchy in France
But not in all countries, kings managed to keep power in their hands. A vivid example of this is France. The rulers of this state for many centuries held the title of kings. At different times, the French throne was headed by monarchs of several dynastic clans (Merovingians, Carolingians, Capetings, Valois, Bourbons). The royal title in the country was abolished as a result of the revolution of 1848, pursuing the establishment of the same rights and freedoms for all citizens. The last monarch, who was called the "French king", was the representative of the Bourbon dynasty Louis Philippe. Renouncing under the pressure of protesters from the throne in February 1848, he fled to England. After that, a republic was established in France.
The king is a title that many representatives of noble families dreamed of. Inherited the throne, and with it the power sought at all costs, not stopping even before the killing of rivals. The modern king bears little resemblance to the monarch of the Middle Ages. But he, as before, is the face of his state, therefore he is always in the center of public attention.