royal power
Monarch's ruling force
Royal power is the authority vested in a monarch—the capacity to rule, command, and make decisions affecting a kingdom or empire.
The term covers both formal constitutional powers and the broader influence a sovereign wields: The nobles sought to limit royal power.
Royal power may be absolute or constrained by law, parliament, or tradition.
It often appears in historical contexts discussing the tension between crown and other institutions: The Magna Carta marked the beginning of checks on royal power in England.
- absolutismUnrestricted governmental authority
- divine rightGod-granted ruling authority
- absolute monarchRuler with total authority
- autocracyRule by one
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
majesty · coronation · crown jewels · regency · monarchy · iron fist · governance · ruling class · dynasty · conquest · by decree · taxation · succession · investiture · throne · feudalism · crown · anoint
- rulershipreign, rule, dominion, kingdom, realm
- Bourbon FranceVersailles, the Sun King, Louis XV, Colbert, Edict of Nantes
- Medieval Politicskingship, tyranny, feudalism, vassalage, lordship
- Renaissance Politicsstatecraft, divine right, absolutism, sovereignty, kingship
- Polish Nobilitymagnates, noble families, gentry, landed gentry, noble titles
- powerauthority, potency, energy, hydropower, horsepower
royal powerpopular sovereignty
Populace holds ultimate authority
republicanism · consent of the governed · representative government · democracy · electoral mandate
royal powerfederalism
Divided governmental authority system
anarchy · statelessness · separation of powers · self-governance · checks and balances