Self-proclaimed monarchy
Encyclopedia
A self-proclaimed monarchy is a monarchy
that is proclaimed into existence, often by an individual, rather than occurring as part of a longstanding tradition. It is thus at least initially the opposite of most hereditary monarchies
, although if a self-proclaimed monarchy is successful, it will evolve into a hereditary one.
or emperor
. In republican
dictatorship
s these titles have often proven too tempting to resist, and often at the apex of his power, a dictator will sometimes decide to proclaim himself king, and thus turn the nation into a monarchy.
Brian Boru
declared himself "Emperor of the Irish" in 1005, despite having many Irish rivals. He did, however, have much more dominance over Ireland as a whole than other previous High Kings. It was also speculated that he was planning to form Ireland
into an Empire, after conquering Ireland, and looking to conquer Scotland
as well.
In Portugal
, Afonso I of Portugal
(then Afonso Henriques, Count of Portugal) declared himself King in 1139, continuing the Reconquista
, thus founding both the Portuguese monarchy and the modern country of Portugal
.
In 1804 French Consul Napoleon Bonaparte decided to consolidate his power by proclaiming himself Emperor Napoleon I. Though this imperial regime would end with his fall from power, 33 years later Napoleon's nephew Charles-Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte
would be elected President of France and proceed to declare himself Emperor, as well.
In Haiti
there were three such cases: Governor-General Jean-Jacques Dessalines
became Emperor Jacques I (1804-06), President Henry Christophe became King Henri I (1811-20), and President Faustin Soulouque became Emperor Faustin I (1849-59).
In 1860, French adventurer Orelie-Antoine de Tounens, proclaimed the Kingdom of Araucania in Chile
with the support of local Mapuche
chiefs and took the title Orllie-Antoine I. Two years later he was arrested and deported by the Chilean government and the kingdom was annexed to Chile.
In 1893 James Harden-Hickey
, an admirer of Napoleon III, crowned himself James I of the Principality of Trinidad
. For two years he tried but failed to assert his claim to the small island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
In 1915 Chinese President Yuan Shikai
declared a restoration of the Chinese monarchy, with himself as the new Emperor. The plan was a huge failure, and he was quickly forced to step down.
President Ahmet Zogu of Albania
proclaimed himself "King Zog" in 1928, creating a decade of constitutional monarchy that would be eventually overthrown when Albania was conquered by Italy
.
A short-lived Central African Empire
was also created in 1976 when dictator Jean-Bédel Bokassa
of the Central African Republic
proclaimed himself "Emperor Bokassa I" and had a lavish coronation ceremony in 1977.
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
that is proclaimed into existence, often by an individual, rather than occurring as part of a longstanding tradition. It is thus at least initially the opposite of most hereditary monarchies
Hereditary monarchy
A hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy and is the form that is used by almost all of the world's existing monarchies.Under a hereditary monarchy, all the monarchs come from the same family, and the crown is passed down from one member to another member of the family...
, although if a self-proclaimed monarchy is successful, it will evolve into a hereditary one.
History
Throughout history there has rarely been a political office higher in stature and power than that of kingMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
or emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
. In republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
s these titles have often proven too tempting to resist, and often at the apex of his power, a dictator will sometimes decide to proclaim himself king, and thus turn the nation into a monarchy.
Brian Boru
Brian Boru
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...
declared himself "Emperor of the Irish" in 1005, despite having many Irish rivals. He did, however, have much more dominance over Ireland as a whole than other previous High Kings. It was also speculated that he was planning to form Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
into an Empire, after conquering Ireland, and looking to conquer Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as well.
In Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I of Portugal
Afonso I or Dom Afonso Henriques , more commonly known as Afonso Henriques , nicknamed "the Conqueror" , "the Founder" or "the Great" by the Portuguese, and El-Bortukali and Ibn-Arrik by the Moors whom he fought, was the first King of Portugal...
(then Afonso Henriques, Count of Portugal) declared himself King in 1139, continuing the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
, thus founding both the Portuguese monarchy and the modern country of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
In 1804 French Consul Napoleon Bonaparte decided to consolidate his power by proclaiming himself Emperor Napoleon I. Though this imperial regime would end with his fall from power, 33 years later Napoleon's nephew Charles-Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
would be elected President of France and proceed to declare himself Emperor, as well.
In Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
there were three such cases: Governor-General Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Jean-Jacques Dessalines was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1801 constitution. Initially regarded as Governor-General, Dessalines later named himself Emperor Jacques I of Haiti...
became Emperor Jacques I (1804-06), President Henry Christophe became King Henri I (1811-20), and President Faustin Soulouque became Emperor Faustin I (1849-59).
In 1860, French adventurer Orelie-Antoine de Tounens, proclaimed the Kingdom of Araucania in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
with the support of local Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
chiefs and took the title Orllie-Antoine I. Two years later he was arrested and deported by the Chilean government and the kingdom was annexed to Chile.
In 1893 James Harden-Hickey
James Harden-Hickey
James Harden-Hickey was a Franco-American author, newspaper editor, duellist, adventurer and self-proclaimed Prince.-Early life:James Aloysius Harden was born in San Francisco, California on December 8, 1854...
, an admirer of Napoleon III, crowned himself James I of the Principality of Trinidad
Principality of Trinidad
The Principality of Trinidad was declared in 1893, when the American James Harden-Hickey claimed the uninhabited island Trindade and Martim Vaz in the South Atlantic and declared himself as James I, Prince of Trinidad. According to Harden-Hickey's plans the island would, after being recognized as...
. For two years he tried but failed to assert his claim to the small island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
In 1915 Chinese President Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
declared a restoration of the Chinese monarchy, with himself as the new Emperor. The plan was a huge failure, and he was quickly forced to step down.
President Ahmet Zogu of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
proclaimed himself "King Zog" in 1928, creating a decade of constitutional monarchy that would be eventually overthrown when Albania was conquered by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
A short-lived Central African Empire
Central African Empire
The Central African Empire was a short-lived, self-declared autocratic monarchy that replaced the Central African Republic and was, in turn, replaced by the restoration of the republic. The empire was formed when Jean-Bédel Bokassa, President of the republic, declared himself Emperor Bokassa I on...
was also created in 1976 when dictator Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Jean-Bédel Bokassa , a military officer, was the head of state of the Central African Republic and its successor state, the Central African Empire, from his coup d'état on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979...
of the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
proclaimed himself "Emperor Bokassa I" and had a lavish coronation ceremony in 1977.