List of regents

Gustaf Mannerheim as regent of Finland (sitting) and his adjutants (from the left) Lt. Col. Lilius, Cap. Kekoni, Lt. Gallen-Kallela, Ensign Rosenbröijer.

A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated.[1] The following is a list of regents throughout history.

Regents in extant monarchies

Those who held a regency briefly, for example during surgery, are not necessarily listed, particularly if they performed no official acts; this list is also not complete, presumably not even for all monarchies included. The list includes some figures who acted as regent, even if they did not themselves hold the title of regent.

Asia

Cambodia

Japan

Jordan

  • Prince Naif bin Al-Abdullah from 20 July to 5 September 1951, due to the schizophrenia of his brother King Talal, who was in a Swiss mental hospital.
  • A regency council (Ibrahim Hashem, Suleiman Toukan, Abdul Rahman Rusheidat and chairing Queen Mother Zein al-Sharaf Talal) took over during the king's ailment and continued after the king's forced abdication (on 11 August 1952), serving from 4 June 1952 to 2 May 1953, until King Hussein came of age.
  • Crown Prince Hassan, from 4 July 1998 to 19 January 1999 while his brother King Hussein was undergoing cancer treatments.

Malaysia and its constitutive monarchies

Terengganu
  • Tengku Muhammad Ismail (eight-years of age at the time), co-reigned with the three-member Regency Advisory Council (Majlis Penasihat Pemangku Raja) from 2006 to 2011. His father, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin the Sultan of Terengganu was elected as 13th King of Malaysia. The Malaysian constitution does not allow a simultaneous reign as both the King of Malaysia and as monarch of the King's native state (deemed absent on the State throne). Sultan Mizan was crowned as King on 13 December 2006 and the prince as the Regent (Pemangku Raja) of Terengganu effective on the same date.

Oman

  • for the minor Sa`id (II) ibn Sultan (b. 1790 – succeeded 20 November 1804 – d. 19 Oct 1856) : 20 November 1804 – 31 July 1806 Badr ibn Sayf (d. 1806)
  • for Sultan Turki ibn Sa`id (b. 1832 – succeeded 30 January 1871 – died 4 Jun 1888) : August – December 1875 Abdul-Aziz ibn Said – (b. 1850 – d. 1907)

Qatar

  • H.E. Shaikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani was proclaimed as regent when his father Sheikh Qasim bin Muhammad Al Thani became incapacitated, 13 May 1913; succeeded on his death, 17 July 1913

Saudi Arabia

  • 30 March 1964 – 2 November 1964 Crown Prince Faisal (b. 1906 – d. 1975) –Regent for his brother King Saud, and later his successor
  • 1 January 1996 – 21 February 1996 formally, but de facto until 1 August 2005 Crown Prince Abdullah (b. 1924 – d. 2015) –Regent for his brother King Fahd, and later his successor

Thailand

Africa

Morocco

  • The Wattasid Vizier Abu Zakariya Yahya was regent during the minority of the Marinid sultan Abd al-Haqq II; the Wattasid Viziers however kept the power beyond the majority of Abd al-Haqq II, until 1459 when most members of their family were killed by the sultan, allowing him to return to power.

Lesotho

Swaziland

Europe

Belgium

Denmark

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Monaco

Netherlands

Norway

Spain

Sweden

  • Duchess Ingeborg (1318–1326) regent for her underage son, King Magnus, in both Sweden and Norway.
  • Karl Knutsson (Bonde) (1438–1440), during the interregnum following the deposition of the king Eric XIII; later became king as Charles VIII
  • Bengt Jönsson Oxenstierna (1448; together with his brother Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna), during the interregnum between the death of Christopher of Bavaria and the election of Karl Knutsson (Bonde) as king.
  • Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna (1448; together with his brother Bengt Jönsson Oxenstierna), during the interregnum between the death of Christopher of Bavaria and the election of Karl Knutsson (Bonde) as king.
  • Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna (1457; together with Erik Axelsson Tott), during the interregnum following the first deposition of King Charles VIII, and again (1465–1466), following his second deposition.
  • Kettil Karlsson Vasa (1464), during the interregnum following the first deposition of King Christian I; and again (1465), following the second deposition of Charles VIII
  • Erik Axelsson Tott (1457; together with Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna) (1466–1467), following the end of Jöns Oxenstierna's second regency.
Sten Sture the Elder, long-serving regent of Sweden

United Kingdom and its predecessor realms

House of Stewart

South America

Afro-Bolivian monarchy

  • Aurora Pinedo (1958–1992), between the death of her father, Bonifacio I, and the reign of her son, Julio I

Regents in defunct monarchies

The same notes apply; inclusion in this list reflects the political reality, regardless of claims to the throne.

Asia

China

Afghanistan

Before the 1881 unification, there were essentially four rulers' capitals: Kabul, Herat, Qandahar and Peshawar (the last now in Pakistan); all their rulers belonged to the Abdali tribal group, whose name was changed to Dorrani with Ahmad Shah Abdali. They belong either to the Saddozay segment of the Popalzay clan (typically styled padshah, king) or to the Mohammadzay segment of the Barakzay clan (typically with the style Amir, in full Amir al-Mo´menin "Leader of the Faithful"). The Mohammadzay also furnished the Saddozay kings frequently with top counselors, who served occasionally as (Minister-)regents, identified with the epithet Mohammadzay.

Ahom Kingdom

Madurai

Mughal Empire

Vijayanagara Empire

  • Tuluva Narasa Nayaka for Thimma Bhupala (1491) and Narasimha Raya II. (1491–1505) Following Narasimha II's assassination, Narasa's son, Viranarasimha Raya, would be crowned emperor.
  • Aliya Rama Raya for Sadasiva Raya. (1542 to 1556)

Qutub Shahi dynasty

  • Saif Khan for Subhan Quli Qutb Shah. (1550)

Travancore

Both before and during the British raj (colonial rule), most of India was ruled by several hundred native princely houses, many of which have known regencies, under the raj subject to British approval

Vakataka Kingdom

Iran

Iraq

In the short-lived Hashemite kingdom, there were three regencies in the reign of the third and last king Faysal II (b. 1935 – d. 1958; also Head of the 'Arab Union', a federation with the Hashemite sister-kingdom Jordan, from 14 February 1958) :

  • 4 April 1939 – 1 April 1941 Prince 'Abd al-Ilah (1st time) (b. 1913 – d. 1958)
  • 1 April 1941 – 1 June 1941 Sharaf ibn Rajih al-Fawwaz (b. 1880 – d. 1955)
  • 1 June 1941 – 2 May 1953 Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah (2nd time)

Korea

Mongolia

Myanmar

  • Naratheinga Uzana: (1230/31–1235), during the reign of King Htilominlo
  • Athinkhaya: (1297–1310), co-regent with his two brothers during the reign of puppet King Saw Hnit
  • Yazathingyan: (1297–1312/13), co-regent
  • Thihathu: (1297–1313), co-regent, unilaterally declared himself king in 1309
  • Sithu of Pinya: (1340–1344), after the abdication of King Uzana I of Pinya
  • Maha Dewi: (1383–1384), Princess-Regent during the last weeks of her brother King Binnya U

Mysore

Nepal

Ryukyu

  • Ogiyaka, queen regent for Shō Shin of the Ryukyu Kingdom. (1477–1505)
  • Aragusuku Anki, later Urasoe Ryōken, head of the Sanshikan and regent for Shō Gen. (1556–1566)
  • Yonabaru Ryōtō, head of the Sanshikan and regent for Shō Sei. (1802–1803)
  • Kuniyoshi Chōshō, later Sakuma Seimō and then Kōchi Chōken, head of the Sanshikan and regent for Shō Tai. (1848–1857)

Tibetan Empire

  • Khri ma lod for her son Tridu Songtsen (675–689) and again for her grandson Me Agtsom (704–712)

Turkey

The regent Yariri (r.) and his successor Kamani (l.), on a relief from Carchemish. An example of regency from ancient history.
  • Yariri for the later king Kamani in the Neo-Hittite state of Carchemish located at the present-day border of Turkey and Syria (early to mid 8th century BC).[10]
  • Kösem Sultan, Naib-i-Sultanat (regent) of the Ottoman Empire during the minority of her son Murad IV (10 September 1623 - 18 May 1632), during the unstable reign of her younger son Ibrahim (8 February 1640 - 8 August 1648)[11] and during the early reign of her grandson Mehmed IV (8 August 1648 - 2 September 1651)
  • Turhan Sultan, Naib-i-Sultanat (regent) of the Ottoman Empire during the minority of her son Mehmed IV (3 September 1651 – 1656)

Vietnam

  • Queen Jiu during the reign of her son King Zhao Xing.
  • Lê Hoàn and Empress Dowager Dương Vân Nga during the short reign of her son Emperor Đinh Phế Đế (lit. Deposed Emperor Dinh), after her husband Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng was assassinated.
  • Empress Mother Linh Nhân, while her husband Emperor Lý Thánh Tông led a military campaign against the kingdom of Champa (1st time) and again, during the reign of her son Emperor Lý Nhân Tông (2nd time).
  • Empress Mother Linh Chiếu (1138–1158) for her son Emperor Lý Anh Tông.
  • Trần Thừa and Trần Thủ Độ during the reign of Emperor Trần Thái Tông. Trần Thừa also called Retired Emperor Trần Thái Tổ, is Emperor Trần Thái Tông's father. He was the only "Emperor" who did not held the throne of the Trần dynasty. Grand Chancellor Trần Thủ Độ is Trần Thái Tông's uncle.
  • Hồ Quý Ly, during the reign of Trần dynasty's emperors ─ Trần Thuận Tông & Trần Thiếu Đế; and later, the reign of his son ─ Emperor Hồ Hán Thương of Hồ dynasty.
  • Empress Mother Tuyên Từ (1443–1453), during the reign of her son Emperor Lê Nhân Tông.
  • Consort Tuyên ─ Đặng Thị Huệ (Consort of Lord Trịnh Sâm) during the reign of her son, Lord Trịnh Cán.

Africa

Egypt

Ethiopia

  • Sofya of Axum was regent during the minority of her son Ezana (c. 320s AD).
  • Romna Wark served as regent during the minority of her son Eskender.
  • Eleni of Ethiopia served as regent between 1507 and 1516 during the minority of Emperor Dawit II.
  • Mentewab for her son Iyasu II.
  • Ras Tessema Nadew in 1913 during the minority of Iyasu who would have been crowned as Iyasu V
  • Tafari Makonnen from 1916 to 1931 during the reign of a female, Empress Zewditu (Queen of Kings, Nigiste Negestatt). Upon her death, the regent himself ascended the throne and was crowned as Emperor Haile Selassie I (King of Kings, Negusa Nagast)

Americas

Brazil

Princess Maria Leopoldina acting as regent of the Kingdom of Brazil on behalf of her husband Prince Pedro in 1822, as depicted in Sessão do Conselho de Estado
The oath of the provisional triumviral regents of the Empire of Brazil in 1831, during the Regency period.
Isabel, Princess Imperial taking oath as regent of the Empire of Brazil on behalf of her father Pedro II, c. 1870
  • John, Prince Regent, was responsible for elevating Brazil to the status of Kingdom in 1815. One year later, he was acclaimed King of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves.
  • Pedro, Prince Regent, was responsible for declaring the independence of Brazil, in 1822, during his regency (1820–1822), after his father, John VI, returned to Portugal. Some months later, he would be acclaimed Emperor of Brazil.
  • Maria Leopoldina, Empress consort of Brazil, acted as Empress Regent while her husband, Pedro I, was away – especially during the war against Uruguay.
  • Provisional Triumviral Regency – from 7 April to 18 June 1831, comprised José Joaquim Carneiro de Campos, Marquess of Caravelas, Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro and Francisco de Lima e Silva, was formed to rule the country after the abdication of Pedro I.
  • Permanent Triumviral Regency – from 18 June 1831 to 12 October 1835, comprised Francisco de Lima e Silva as well as José da Costa Carvalho and João Bráulio Muniz.
  • Diogo Antônio Feijó – from 12 October 1835 to 19 September 1837, during what was considered the advance of the Liberal Party
  • Pedro de Araújo Lima, Marquis of Olinda – from 1837 (provisional to 1838) to 1840, during what was considered the retaken of the Conservative Party.
  • Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, was Princess Regent of the Empire of Brazil three times (1871–1872; 1876–1877; 1887–1888) while her father travelled abroad. During her last regency, she signed the abolition of slavery in Brazil (known as the "Lei Áurea", or "Golden Law"), on 13 May 1888, whereby Isabel got the sobriquet Isabel the Redeemer. For the act of signing the Golden Law, she was awarded the Golden Rose by Pope Leo XIII.

Mexico

Europe

Austria

Bulgaria

  • Stefan Stambolov, during the absence of Prince Alexander Battenberg from the Bulgarian throne between 28 August 1886 and 3 September 1886 and the vacancy of the throne between 7 September 1886 and 14 August 1887.
  • Kiril, Prince of Preslav and Bogdan Filov and Nikola Mikhov together as Regency Council, during the minority of the former's nephew Simeon II (1943–1944).
  • Venelin Ganev and Todor Pavlov and Tsvetko Boboshevski together as Regency Council, during the minority of Simeon II (1944–1946)

Finland

After the abdication of Nicholas II of Russia, the throne of the Grand Duke of Finland was vacant and according to the constitution of 1772, a regent was installed by the Finnish Parliament during the first two years of Finnish independence, before the country was declared a republic.

France

Greece

German Empire

Anhalt
  • Matilda of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1266–1270), during the minority of her sons, Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben and Henry III, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben.
  • Margaret of Münsterberg (1516–1524), during the minority of her sons, Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.
  • Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau first (1621–1643), during the minority of his nephew, John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and later (1650–1653), during the minority of his nephew, William Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau and Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau (1653–1659), during the minority of their cousin, William Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp (1667–1674), during the minority of her son, Charles, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst.
  • Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1670–1690), during the minority of her son, Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1690–1692), during the minority of his cousin, Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Countess Henriette Catherine of Nassau (1693–1698), during the minority of her son, Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.
  • Gisela Agnes of Rath (1704–1715), during the minority of her son, Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp (1747–1752), during the minority of her son, Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst.
  • Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau (1751–1758), during the minority of his nephew, Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau.
  • Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1812–1817), during the minority of his cousin, Louis Augustus, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1817–1818), during the minority of his cousin, Louis Augustus, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.
  • Prince Aribert (1918), during the minority of his nephew, Duke Joachim Ernst.
Baden
Bavaria
Brunswick
Hanover
Hesse-Darmstadt
Hesse-Homburg
  • Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg (1638–1648), during the minority of her son, William Christoph, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
  • Princess Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels (1751–1766), during the minority of her son, Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
Hesse-Kassel
Lippe
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Prussia
Württemberg
Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
  • Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Henry, Duke of Saxe-Römhild (1691–1693), during the minority of their nephew, Duke Frederick II.
Saxe-Eisenach
  • John George I, Duke of Saxe-Marksuhl (1668–1671), during the minority of his nephew, Duke William August.
Saxe-Hildburghausen
  • Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach (1724–1728), during the minority of her son, Duke Ernest Frederick II.
  • Caroline of Erbach-Fürstenau (1745–1748), during the minority of her son, Duke Ernest Frederick III.
  • Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1780–1787), during the minority of his great-grandnephew, Duke Frederick.
Saxe-Jena
  • John Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1678–1683), during the minority of his nephew, Duke Johann Wilhelm.
  • John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (1683–1686), during the minority of his nephew, Duke Johann Wilhelm.
  • William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1686–1690), during the minority of his cousin and brother-in-law, Duke Johann Wilhelm.
Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Merseburg
  • Erdmuthe Dorothea of Saxe-Zeitz (1694–1712), during the minorities of her sons, Duke Christian III Maurice and Duke Maurice Wilhelm.
Saxe-Weimar
Saxony
Waldeck

Hungary

Iceland

  • Hermann Jónasson, Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson, Eysteinn Jónsson, Jakob Ragnar Valdimar Möller, Ólafur Thors during Denmark's occupation between 1940 and 1941.
  • Sveinn Björnsson was regent for King Christian X during Denmark's occupation between 1941 and 1944.

Italy

Mantua
Parma
Savoy

Kievan Rus'

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Serbia

Serbian regents abroad

Yugoslavia

Oceania

Hawaii

  • Queen Kaʻahumanu, between 1824 and 1832 during the rule of the infant Kamehameha III; she was also Kuhina Nui (co-ruler), regent, of Kamehameha II
  • Elizabeth Kīnaʻu, between 5 June 1832 – 17 March 1833 after Kaʻahumanu's death and before Kamehameha III became 20 years old[13]

Notes

  1. ^ The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term as "A person appointed to administer a State because the Monarch is a minor, is absent or is incapacitated."
  2. ^ "Kronprins Christian skal være regent for første gang – TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 30 January 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Kronprins Christian bliver for første gang regent | Nyheder". DR (in Danish). 30 January 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b Pryde, E. B., ed. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology. Cambridge University Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-521-56350-5.
  5. ^ Barlow, Frank 2002. The Godwins Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Pages 27-28.
  6. ^ Mason, Emma 2004. The House of Godwine : The History of a Dynasty London: Hambledon and London. Page 33.
  7. ^ Judith A. Green: The Government of England Under Henry I, Cambridge University Press, 1989, p 41
  8. ^ Turner, Ralph V. (16 June 2009). Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-15989-9.
  9. ^ Strickland, Agnes. Lives of the Queens of England: From the Norman Conquest
  10. ^ Trevor Bryce: The World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms: A Political and Military History. Oxford, New York 2012, p. 95.
  11. ^ Börekçi, Günhan (2020). "A Queen-Mother at Work: On Handan Sultan and Her Regency During the Early Reign of Ahmed I". p.52
  12. ^ Shaw, Ian (2000). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 291.
  13. ^ "Kuhina Nui 1819–1864". Centennial Exhibit. State of Hawaii Department of Accounting and General Services. Retrieved 3 October 2009.