Everything about Dynasty totally explained
A
dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations. A dynasty is also often called a "
house", for example the
House of Saud or
House of Habsburg. In the histories of
Europe, much of
Asia and some of
Africa,
ruling and
noble houses have usually been
patrilineal;
inheritance and
kinship being predominantly viewed and legally calculated through descent from a common ancestor in the male line. Often, however, if the male lineage died out, descendants through females (and sometimes the females themselves) were recognized as entitled to inherit the dynasty's
realms and/or wealth.
The term "dynasty" is also used to describe the
era during which a family
reigned, as well as events, trends and artifacts of that period, for example "
Ming dynasty vase". In such cases, often the "dynasty" is dropped but the name may be used adjectively, for example "
Tudor style", "
Ottoman expansion", "
Romanov decadence".
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
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.
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, for example 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 doesn't 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,
Valois and
Burgundy 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.
Dynasties may change due to war, but also when a king fails to produce an heir, sometimes resulting in a maternal relative's succession. The dynasty usually then takes the name of that successor's paternal family name.
Dynasts
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 Friso to
Mabel Wisse Smit in 2003 lacked government support and
parliamentary approval. Thus 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 wasn't a
Habsburg dynast. 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.
The term "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 isn't 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 a remote descendant with no legal British titles and styles (although he's 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's 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 (although she can't succeed as a female).
Dynasties by region
1st dynasty (c. 3050 - 2890 BC)
2nd dynasty (2890 - 2686 BC)
3rd dynasty (2686 - 2613 BC)
4th dynasty (2613 - 2498 BC)
5th dynasty (2498 - 2345 BC)
6th dynasty (2345 - 2181 BC)
7th and 8th dynasties (2181 - 2160 BC)
9th dynasty (2160 - 2130 BC)
10th dynasty (2130 - 2040 BC)
11th dynasty (2134 - 1991 BC)
12th dynasty (1991 - 1803 BC)
13th dynasty (1803 - 1649 BC)
14th dynasty (1705 - 1690 BC)
15th dynasty (1674 - 1535 BC)
16th dynasty (1660 - 1600 BC)
17th dynasty (1650 - 1549 BC)
18th dynasty (1549 - 1292 BC)
19th dynasty (1292 - 1186 BC)
20th dynasty (1186 - 1069 BC)
21st dynasty (1069 - 945 BC)
22nd dynasty (945 - 720 BC)
23rd dynasty (837 - 728 BC)
24th dynasty (732 - 720 BC)
25th dynasty (732 - 653 BC)
26th dynasty (672 - 525 BC)
Achaemenid dynasty (525 - 404 BC)
28th dynasty (404 - 398 BC)
29th dynasty (398 - 380 BC)
30th dynasty (380 - 343 BC)
Achaemenid dynasty (343 - 332 BC)
Argead dynasty (332 - 309 BC)
Ptolemaic Dynasty (305 - 30 BC)
Aksumite Empire
Zagwe dynasty (c. 900 - 1270)
Solomonic dynasty (1270 - 1974)
Keita dynasty (c. 1200 - 1670)
Idrisid dynasty (780-974)
Maghrawa dynasty (987-1070)
Almoravid dynasty (1073-1147)
Almohad dynasty (1147-1269)
Marinid dynasty (1258-1420)
Wattasid dynasty (1420-1547)
Saadi dynasty (1554-1659)
Alaouite dynasty (1666- current)
Tounes dynasty (1860 – 1862)
House of Braganza (1822-1889)
Dessalines Dynasty (1804 - 1806)
Christophe Dynasty (1811 - 1820)
Soulouque Dynasty (1849 - 1859)
Hurin dynasty (1197 - c.1350)
Haran dynasty (c.1350 - 1572)
House of Iturbide (1822 - 1823)
House of Habsburg (1864 - 1867)
Kamehameha Dynasty (c.1795-1872)
Kalākaua Dynasty (c.1874-1893)
Kawananakoa Dynasty (c.1868- ??)
Kalokuokamaile Dynasty (c.1860- ??)
Te Wherowhero Dynasty (1856 to the present)
Pōmare Dynasty (1788-1880)
Tu'i Tonga Dynasty (c. 900-1865)
Tupou Dynasty (1875 to the present)
Durrani Dynasty (1747–1823 and 1839–1842)
Barakzai Dynasty (1818–1839, 1842–1929 and 1929–1973)
Usurper King (January 17, 1929 - October 13, 1929)
Davidic Dynasty
Hasmonean Dynasty
Herodian Dynasty
Xia Dynasty (2040 BCE–1556 BCE)
Shang Dynasty (1556 BCE–1046 BCE)
Zhou Dynasty (1046 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)
Mongol Empire (1271–1368)
Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
Manchu Empire (1644–1912)
Imperial House of Japan (officially 660 BC to the present)
Gojoseon
Goguryeo (37 BCE-668)
Baekje (18 BCE-660)
Silla (57 BCE-935)
Balhae (698-926)
Goryeo Dynasty (935-1392)
Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)
Chalukya dynasty 6th Century to 12th Century
Chola dynasty 11th Century
House of Theemuge (1117-1388)
Hilaalee dynasty (1388-1558)
(1558-1573) Interregnum
Utheemu dynasty (1573-1692)
(1692-1701) Kings who don't belong to a particular dynasty.
Isdhoo dynasty (1701-1704)
Dhiyamigili dynasty (1704-1757)
Huraa dynasty (1757-1766)
Dhiyamigili dynasty (1766-1773)
Huraa dynasty (1773-1953)
(1953-1953) Republic (President Muhammad Amin Didi).
Huraa dynasty (1953-1968)
(1968-1978) Republic (President Ibrahim Nasir).
(1978-present) Republic (President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom).
White Rajahs (1841 to 1946)
House of Saud
Phra Ruang dynasty
Mengrai dynasty
U-Thong dynasty
Suphannaphum dynasty
Sukhothai dynasty
Prasatthong dynasty
Banpluluang dynasty
Thonburi dynasty (1767-1782)
Chakri dynasty (1782-)
Hồng Bàng Dynasty (2897 BC–258 BC)
Thục Dynasty (257–207 BC)
Triệu Dynasty (207–111 BC)
Funan Dynasty (1 AD–630)
Trưng Sisters (40–43)
Champa Dynasty (192–1832)
Anterior Lý Dynasty (544–602)
Khúc Family (906–930)
Ngô Dynasty (939–965)
Đinh Dynasty (968–980)
Prior Lê Dynasty (980–1009)
Lý Dynasty (1009–1225)
Trần Dynasty (1225–1400)
Hồ Dynasty (1400–1407)
Posterior Trần Dynasty (1407–1413)
Later Lê Dynasty (1428–1527, 1533–1788)
Mạc Dynasty (1527–1677)
Trịnh Lords (1545–1787)
Nguyễn Lords (1558–1777)
Tây Sơn Dynasty (1778–1802)
Nguyễn Dynasty (1802–1945)
House of Habsburg (1273-1918)
Progon Dynasty (1190-1216)
Angevin (1272-1368)
Kastrioti (1444-1468)
Wied (1914)
Zogu (1928-1939)
Orontid Dynasty
Artaxiad Dynasty or the Artashesi Dynasty (189 BC-12 AD)
Arsacid Dynasty or the Arshakuni Dynasty (54-428)
Bagratuni Dynasty or the Bagratid Dynasty of Armenia (885-1045)
Rubenid Dynasty or the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (1080-1225)
Belle Dynasty or Balliol Dynasty (960-to the present), (Traced back to the Treaty of Verdun signed in Thionville, anno 843)
Dulo Dynasty (2137 BC - 753 AD)
The Asenian Dynasty (1187 - 1280)
Agilolfing Dynasty
Merovingian Dynasty (481-751)
Carolingian Dynasty (751-843)
Arnulfings or Pippinids, mayors of the palaces
» See Early kings of the Lombards.
Lething Dynasty (until early sixth century)
Gausian Dynasty (546-572)
Bavarian Dynasty (616-712)
Amal Dynasty (before 474-536)
Hasdingi (before 407-534)
Balthi Dynasty (395-531)
Constantinian dynasty (303-336)
Valentinian Dynasty (364-457)
Leonid dynasty (457-518)
Justinian Dynasty (518-602)
Heraclian Dynasty (602-695 and 705-711)
Isaurian Dynasty (717-802)
Phocid Dynasty (802-813)
Phrygian Dynasty (820-867)
Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056)
Comnenid Dynasty (1057-1059 and 1081-1185)
Doukid Dynasty (1059-1081)
Angleid Dynasty (1185-1204)
Laskarid Dynasty (1204-1261), in exile in Nicaea
Palaeologid Dynasty (1261-1453)
Trpimirović Dynasty (845-1091)
House of Savoy (1941-1943)
see List of Danish monarchs (-1412)
House of Oldenburg (1448-1863)
Cerdicing Dynasty, or House of Wessex, (829-1016 and 1042-1066)
House of Harthacnut (1013-1014 and 1016-1042)
Norman Dynasty (1066-1135)
House of Blois (1135-1154)
Plantagenet Dynasty (1154-1485)
House of Tudor (1485-1603)
House of Stuart (1603-1714)
House of Hanover (1714-1901)
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1901 to the present)
The next house after the death of Queen Elizabeth II will be the House of Mountbatten-Windsor
Carolingian Dynasty (843-987)
Capetian Dynasty (987-1792, 1814-1848)
Pharnabazid Dynasty (299-90 BC, 30BC-189 AD)
Artaxiad Dynasty (90-30 BC)
Arsacid Dynasty (189-284 AD)
Chosroid Dynasty (284-580, 627-684)
Nersianid Dynasty (748-780)
Bagratid (Bagrationi) dynasty (813-1810)
Carolingian Dynasty (843-911)
Conradine Dynasty (911-918)
Saxon Dynasty or Ottonian Dynasty (919-1024)
Salian Dynasty or Franconian Dynasty (1024-1125)
Supplinburger Dynasty (1125-1137)
Hohenstaufen Dynasty (1137-1254)
Habsburg Dynasty (1273-1291, 1298-1308, and 1438-1740)
House of Nassau (1292-1298)
House of Luxemburg (1308-1313, 1347-1400, and 1410-1437)
House of Wittelsbach (1314-1347, 1400-1410, and 1742-1745)
Hohenzollern Dynasty (1871-1918)
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
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
Árpád Dynasty (c.895-1301)
Premyslid Dynasty (1301-1305)
House of Wittelsbach (1305-1308)
Capetian Dynasty, House of Anjou (1308-1395)
House of Luxemburg (1387-1437)
Habsburg Dynasty (1437-1457, 1526-1918)
Jagiellonian Dynasty (1440-1526)
Zápolya Dynasty (1526-1571)
Habsburg Dynasty (1526-1918)
Vojislavljević Dynasty (c. 7th century - 1186)
Nemanjić Dynasty (1186 - 1355)
Balšić Dynasty (1356 - 1435)
Crnojević Dynasty (1435 - 1516)
Petrović-Njegoš Dynasty (1696 - 1918)
Jiménez Dynasty (1035-1162)
House of Barcelona (1162-1410)
House of Trastámara (1412-1516)
Peláyez Dynasty (718-739)
Pérez Dynasty (739-925)
House of Lara (930-1032), counts
Jiménez Dynasty (1035-1126), kings
House of Burgundy (1126-1369)
House of Trastámara (1369-1516)
Pérez Dynasty (910-1037)
Jiménez Dynasty (1037-1126)
House of Burgundy (1126-1369)
House of Trastámara (1369-1516)
House of Íñiguez (824-905)
Jiménez Dynasty (905-1234)
House of Champagne (1234-1305)
House of Capet (1284-1349)
House of Évreux (1328-1441)
House of Trastámara (1425-1479)
House of Foix (1479-1516)
House of Albret (1483-1572)
House of Bourbon (1572-1620)
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 Habsburg or House of Austria (1516-1700)
House of Bourbon (1700-1868, 1874-1931, and 1975 to the present)
House of Bonaparte (1808-1813)
House of Savoy (1871-1873)
Fir Ol nEchmacht
Dal Fiachrach Suighe
The Connachta
Uí Fiachrach
Uí Néill
Eóganachta
Uí Dúnlainge
Uí Cheinnselaig
Dál Riata
Dál nAraidi
Dál Fiatach
Clann Cholmáin
Síl nÁedo Sláine
Cenél nEógain
Cenél Conaill
Uí Briúin Bréifne
Dál gCais
MacDermot
Burke
Ó Neill
O Domhnaill
O Connor Sligo
O'Conor Don
Clanricarde
House of Savoy (1861-1946)
Fairhair Dynasty (890-1319)
House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1905 to the present)
Seljuq Dynasty (1077-1307)
Ottoman Dynasty (1281-1923)
Piast Dynasty (ninth century-1296 and 1306-1370)
Premyslid Dynasty (1291-1306)
Capetian Dynasty, House of Anjou (1306-1399)
Jagiellonian Dynasty (1386-1572 and 1575-1586)
Valois Dynasty (1573-1574)
House of Báthory (1576-1586)
House of Vasa (1587-1668)
House of Wiśniowiecki (1669-1673)
House of Sobieski (1674-1696)
Wettin Dynasty (1697-1706, 1709-1733 and 1736-1764)
House of Leszczyński (1704-1709 and 1733-1736)
House of Poniatowski (1764-1795)
Julio-Claudian Dynasty (27 BC-AD 68)
Flavian Dynasty (69-96)
Nervan-Antonian Dynasty (96-192)
Severan Dynasty (193-235)
House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1866-1947)
House of Rurikovich (862-1598, 1606-1610)
House of Romanov (1613-1762)
House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, called Romanov (1762-1917)
House of Alpin (843-1034)
House of Dunkeld (1034-1040, 1058-1286)
House of Baliol (1292-1296) (see Belgium,Flanders)
House of Bruce (1306-1371)
House of Stuart (1371-1707)
House of Uppsala (970-1060)
House of Stenkil (1060-1130)
House of Sverker (1130-1222), interspersed 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)
House of Hauteville (1071-1198), counts until 1130
House of Hohenstaufen (1194-1266)
House of Capet, House of Anjou (1266-1282)
House of Barcelona (1282-1410)
House of Trastámara (1412-1516)
House of Hapsburg (1516-1700 and 1720-1735)
House of Bourbon (1700-1713)
House of Savoy (1713-1720)
House of Bourbon (1735-1861)
(As a region of the Kingdom of Italy.) House of Savoy (1861-1946)
Political families
Main article: Political families of the world
Though in elected governments rule doesn't pass automatically by inheritance, political power often accrues to generations of related individuals. Eminence, Influence, familiarity, tradition, genetics, and even nepotism may contribute to this phenomenon.
Some political dynasties:
The Beazley and Crean families (Australian Labor 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)
The Bhutto 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 Kennedys (US)
The Bushes (US)
The Long family (US)
The Roosevelts (US)
The Tafts (US)
The Udalls (US)</
