Monarchies in Africa

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There are presently hundreds of monarchies in Africa; that is: either actually or nominally self-governing states, territories, or nations on the continent of Africa where supreme power resides with an individual, who is recognised as the head of state.[1] All are similar in that the sovereign inherits his or her office and usually keeps it until death or abdication. However, only five are sovereign, while the remaining are sub-national monarchies. Of the former, four are constitutional monarchies, wherein the sovereign is bound by laws and customs in the exercise of his or her powers, and one is an absolute monarchy, wherein the sovereign rules without bounds; currently three of these monarchies are independent states, while the remaining two are dependencies of European monarchies. Those monarchies that are sub-national in nature are not sovereign, and exist within larger political associations.

Some current monarchies

State Dependency Succession Monarch Reign since Heir apparent
 Lesotho Kingdom; constitutional Elective Letsie III 12 November 1990 To be determined by Senate of Lesotho when necessary
 Morocco Kingdom; constitutional Agnatic primogeniture Mohammed VI 23 July 1999 Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco
 Swaziland Kingdom; absolute Elective Mswati III 25 April 1986 Unknown
Territory Dependency Succession Monarch Reign since Heir apparent
 Canary Islands
(Kingdom of Spain) 		Autonomous community Male-preference cognatic primogeniture Juan Carlos 22 November 1975 Felipe, Prince of Asturias
 Ceuta
(Kingdom of Spain) 		Autonomous community Male-preference cognatic primogeniture Juan Carlos 22 November 1975 Felipe, Prince of Asturias
 Melilla
(Kingdom of Spain) 		Autonomous community Male-preference cognatic primogeniture Juan Carlos 22 November 1975 Felipe, Prince of Asturias
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
(United Kingdom) 		British overseas territory Male primogeniture[N 1] Elizabeth II 6 February 1952 Charles, Prince of Wales[2]
Nation[N 2] Type Succession Monarch Reign since Heir apparent
Zululand
(South Africa) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu 17 September 1968 Misuzulu Zulu
Ashanti
(Ghana) 		Sub-national monarchy Elective Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II 26 April 1999 Kevin Alfah
Okyeman
(Ghana) 		Sub-national monarchy Hereditary and Elective Osagyefo Nana Amoatia Ofori Panin II 4 October 1999 Kevin Alfah
Barotseland
(Zambia) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Lubosi Imwiko II October 2000
Buganda
(Uganda) 		Sub-national monarchy Elective Muwenda Mutebi II 31 July 1993 Unknown
Bunyoro
(Uganda) 		Sub-national monarchy Iguru I 1994
Busoga
(Uganda) 		Sub-national monarchy Elective Edward Columbus Wambuzi Zibondo XIII 31 October 2008 Unknown
Kano
(Nigeria) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Ado Bayero October 1963
Kanongesha-Lunda
(Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Mbumb II Muteb 1997
Toro Kingdom
(Uganda) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Rukidi IV 5 September 1995 TBA
Rwenzururu
(Uganda) 		Sub-national monarchy Cognatic primogeniture Charles Mumbere 2009

Former monarchies

Pre-colonial Africa

  • Iron Age empires of North Africa
  • Medieval (8th to 13th century) Islamic empires (caliphates) in North Africa
  • the medieval Sahelian kingdoms
  • The Ethiopian Empire is notable as an empire in continuous existence from the 13th to the 20th centuries, succumbing neither to the Islamic conquests nor to European colonialism.
  • empires of the "transitional period" of the 15th to 19th centuries.
    • Islamic sultanates of the Sudan and the great Somali Empire (Golden Empire)
    • kingdoms of West Africa succeeding the Sahelian kingdoms
    • kingdoms of Central and Southern Africa such as the Kongo Kingdom and the Mutapa Empire.
  • The Merina Kingdom of Madagascar.

20th century

Former Commonwealth realms

Notes

  1. ↑ Absolute primogeniture is being considered.
  2. ↑ Nation here refers to the more strict usage of the word, meaning a body of people or a community. The monarchies in this column are all sub-national monarchies, and do not constitute sovereign states.

References

  1. ↑ http://twistedsifter.com/2012/07/kings-of-africa-portraits-by-daniel-laine/
  2. ↑ Pierce, Andrew (24 December 2005). "Call me George, suggests Charles". The Times. Retrieved 2006-08-04. 
By continent
By country
By type
Italics indicate Commonwealth realms, which each share the same person as head of state.
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