Only a few countries retain monarchies where the King and the Queen have full authority over the entire nation. Democratic governments took over, but some countries still retain a monarch system. Among the surviving monarchies, below is a list of the oldest from the earliest to the latest founding year.
Kingdom of Morocco
Idriss ibn Abdallah (Idriss I) founded the Kingdom of Morocco in North Africa. The Idrisis ruled Morocco between 788 and 971. The country now is a constitutional monarch, but an elected parliament is also in place. King is the current title for a ruler since 1957. Citizens were before this year was calling their leader a Sultan. A king in Morocco has immense executive and legislative power. In addition, he has much control over the military, religious affairs, and foreign policy. The current ruling family called The Alaouite dynasty came to power in 1666. To date, they pass the throne down to male heirs from the Alaouite family. Mohammed VI is currently the monarch in power, while Moulay Hassan is the apparent heir.
British Monarchy
British Monarchy was founded in 871 AD or 1066 AD when referring to the end of different kingdoms in England. British Monarch remains one of the most relevant and popular in the world. The difficulty in naming a precise date of formation is because England before 1066 had seven different kingdoms with their rulers. William the Conqueror became the first monarch after invading England and declaring it a unified Kingdom. His other name was Alfred the Great. Today it is a constitutional monarchy but with a parliamentary democracy. The serving monarch is 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British and is currently serving her 69th year. Charles, the Prince of Wales and her son, is the heir apparent. Many know him for the family drama with the late Princess Diana. Still, the British royal family is amongst the most beloved families.
Kingdom of Norway
Harald Fairhair founded The Kingdom of Norway in c.885 AD and became its first monarch. Fairhair merged several kingdoms into one after winning the Battle of Hafrsfjord. Many royal dynasties have ruled the Kingdom over the years. Current Norway is a hereditary and constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Norway was united with Sweden and Denmark for many years until 1905, when it got independence. It chose Haakon VII to be the King. King Harald V is the present monarch since 1991, and his son Crown Prince Haakon is the heir apparent. Norway, according to many surveys, is among the best countries for someone to live in.
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark has been in place since its founding in c. 935 AD and has risen to become one of the highly developed countries. People attribute the growth to past leadership. The first monarch was Gorm the Old, while Queen Margrethe II is the reigning monarch. She is only the second female to ascend to the throne after Margrethe I in 1375 – 1412. For many years in Denmark, the heir’s choice was supposed to be the eldest son of a monarch in power. The current heir apparent is Frederik, the Crown prince of Denmark.
Kingdom of Sweden
Sweden recognized Eric the Victorious as its first King and founder of the Kingdom in c.970 AD. Interestingly, Swedish legends say several other mythical kings were ruling before Eric. His rule lasted from 970 – 995. Sweden changed the rule of succession in 1980 to pass down the throne to the eldest child of a reigning monarch regardless of gender. Currently, Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King, and Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, is the heir. Modern Sweden is a hereditary and constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. A ruling monarch does not have political power.
The remaining monarchies in the world, including the five oldest, are less than 45. Interestingly they no longer possess the power to rule their countries.
