interregnum
Gap between monarchs
An interregnum is the period between two reigns or regimes—the gap after one ruler dies or leaves power and before a successor takes over.
The term extends to any interval when normal authority is suspended or a position sits vacant: During the interregnum, the committee handled day-to-day operations.
Plural: interregnums or interregna.
Substitute monarch's authority
- caretakerOne who maintains property
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
- interimProvisional in-between phase
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
custodianship · trusteeship · administration · guardianship · power vacuum · leaderless
Transfer of control
- changeoverComplete shift between systems
- power transferShift of authority between parties
- transitionChange from one state
- interludePause between sections
abdication · enthronement · coronation · accession · heir apparent · legitimacy crisis · disputed succession · empty throne
Absence of matter
- lacunaAbsent piece in sequence
- voidWithout legal effect
- hiatusBreak in activity
- intervalDuration between two points
discontinuity · breach · interlude · suspension · limbo · intermission · parenthesis · caesura
Violent disturbance of order
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
- power struggleContest for dominance
factionalism · civil strife · disorder · uncertainty · fragmentation · breakdown · lawlessness · destabilization
regency
Substitute monarch's authority
- caretakerOne who maintains property
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
- interimProvisional in-between phase
stewardship · custodianship · trusteeship · administration · guardianship · power vacuum · leaderless
handover
Transfer of control
- changeoverComplete shift between systems
- power transferShift of authority between parties
- transitionChange from one state
interlude · abdication · enthronement · coronation · accession · heir apparent · legitimacy crisis · disputed succession · empty throne
vacuum
Absence of matter
interval · discontinuity · breach · interlude · suspension · limbo · intermission · parenthesis · caesura · interim
upheaval
Violent disturbance of order
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
power struggle · factionalism · civil strife · disorder · uncertainty · fragmentation · breakdown · lawlessness · destabilization
- monarchyking, queen, prince, princess, crown
- monarchiesmonarch, monarchy, kingdom, realm, sultanate
- papacypontiff, Pope, pope, Holy See, papal election
- British ErasVictorian era, Victorian age, Tudor era, Tudor period, Elizabethan era
- Early RomeRomulus, Remus, founding of Rome, founding myth, she-wolf
- Holy Roman EmpireHoly Roman Empire, emperors, electors, prince-electors, Charlemagne