The 5 Oldest Monarchies in the World

In the current 21st century world, less than forty-five monarchies remain. Most of these monarchies do not hold any real power anymore. Only a few of them can be considered absolute monarchies — where the King or Queen has complete authority over their people.

While this article contains a list of the eight oldest monarchies in the world with their founding dates, it is imperative to remember that those numbers are often not absolute and vary depending on the sources. What is also worthy of mention is that most monarchies worldwide have started as little tribes or kingdoms before being unified; it is then often difficult for most of these countries to say who their first ruler was, as we are going to see later on.

Here are the five oldest monarchies in the world, in descending order:

1. British Monarchy (1066 AD)

Typically, the British Monarchy's birth is dated back to 1066 with England's invasion by William the Conqueror, from Normandy, who was the first person to ever hold the King of a unified England title.

However, depending on who you ask, another name might be mentioned: Alfred the Great, who ruled from 871 AD to 899 AD. That is because England was divided into seven distinct kingdoms before 1066.

Today, the British Monarchy is a constitutional establishment with a parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch, is directly descended from William the Conqueror and has been on the throne since 1952, making her the longest-reigning monarch in the institution’s history.

2. Kingdom of Morocco (788 AD)

The first Moroccan state was established with the cominThe first Moroccan state was established with the coming of the Idrisid dynasty, which ruled Morocco from 788 AD to 971 AD.

The current ruling family, the Alaouite dynasty, has been in power since 1666. Both the Idrisid and Alaouite dynasties are part of the sharifs’ order, numerous families tracing back their lineage to the prophet Mohammed.

Throughout history, Morocco’s rulers have used different titles such as Sultan, but the King’s designation has only been used since 1957. Morocco is now a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The throne is passed down to the oldest male heir of the Alaouite family according to the constitution.

King of Morocco's title has many executive and legislative powers, particularly over the military, foreign policy, and religious affairs.

3. Sultanate of Oman (751 AD)

In 751 AD, the Ibadi Islamic movement established an imamate (religious authority) in Oman.

Al-Julanda bin (son of) Masood served as the country’s first ruler. The imamate survived until 1749, when the al-Said dynasty rose to power and established Oman’s first Sultanate. All sultans from then on are direct descendants of Ahmed bin Said al-Busaidi, the first ruler of the al-Said dynasty.

Oman is an absolute monarchy, which means that the Sultan holds complete and supreme authority over the country and its people. It is one of the very few monarchies where the monarch still has real power in the modern world.

4. Kingdom of Cambodia (68 AD)

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Cambodia is that its founder is one of the first female leaders in human history.

The monarchy in Cambodia was established by Queen Soma, a ruthless and strong-willed monarch. Until 1993, Cambodia had a hereditary monarchy. But, ever since, the ruler of Cambodia is elected by the Royal Council of the Throne. That makes the country one of the only elective monarchies in the whole world.

Monarchs in Cambodia are typically elected for life and are selected mainly from two bloodlines: the Norodom and the Sisowath. Today, the monarch serves merely as a symbolic figure to respect as the prime minister holds much of the legislative power.

5. Imperial House of Japan (660 BCE)

Although it has mythological origins, the Imperial House of Japan is considered the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy globally. Founded by Emperor Jimmu in 660 BCE, the House recognizes 125 monarchs since he first ascended to the throne.

Under Japan’s Constitution, the Emperor is considered “the symbol of the state and the people’s unity.” Japan is actually the only country in the world with the high monarchial title of Emperor. Although Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI, held Emperor of India’s title until India’s independence in 1947.

Although the Emperor does not hold any political power, he exerts a significant influence on people and religion.