Last updated
Napoleon's first abdication, signed at the Palace of Fontainebleau 4 April 1814 Bouchot - Napoleon signe son abdication a Fontainebleau 4 avril 1814.jpg
Dom Pedro I, founder and Emperor of the Empire of Brazil, delivers his abdication letter on 7 April 1831 Abdicacao Pedro I do Brasil.jpg


An order of succession or right of succession is the sequence of those entitled to hold a high office such as head of state or an honor such as a title of nobility in the order in which they stand in line to it when it becomes vacated. This sequence may be regulated through descent or by statute.

Meiji Restoration restoration of imperial rule in Japan

The Meiji Restoration, also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Reform, or Renewal, was an event that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ruling emperors before the Meiji Restoration, the events restored practical abilities and consolidated the political system under the emperor of Japan.

Japan Country in East Asia




Vested interest is a communication theory that seeks to explain how certain hedonically relevant attitudinal dimensions can influence and consistently predict behavior based on the degree of subjective investment an individual has in a particular attitude object. As defined by William Crano, vested interest refers to the degree to which an attitude object is deemed hedonically relevant by the attitude holder. According to Crano, "an attitude object that has important perceived personal consequences for the individual will be perceived as highly vested. Highly vested attitudes will be functionally related to behavior". Simply put, when people have more at stake with the result of an object that will greatly affect them, they will behave in a way that will directly support or defy the object for the sake of their own self-interest.

Recently, due to the largely ceremonial nature of the regnant in many constitutional monarchies, many monarchs have abdicated due to old age, such as the monarchs of Spain, Cambodia, Netherlands, Japan, and the Papacy.

A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the sovereign exercises authority in accordance with a written or unwritten constitution. while the Legislative Power is exercised by an Parliament, usually elected by citizens. Constitutional monarchy differs from absolute monarchy in that constitutional monarchs are bound to exercise their powers and authorities within the limits prescribed within an established legal framework. Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, to countries such as Japan and Sweden where the monarch retains no formal authorities.

Spain Kingdom in Southwest Europe


Cambodia Southeast Asian sovereign state

Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is 181,035 square kilometres in area, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.


Tomb effigy of heart of King John II Casimir Vasa at Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Pres in Paris, showing removal of the crown Tomb effigy of heart of King John II Casimir Vasa at Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Pres -in Paris.PNG


Latin Indo-European language of the Italic family


State (polity) Organised community living under a system of government; either a sovereign state, constituent state, or federated state

The term state refers to a form of polity, that is typically characterised as a centralized organisation. There is no single, undisputed, definition of what constitutes a state. A widely-used definition is a state being a polity that, within a given territory, maintains a monopoly on the use of force, but many other widely used definitions exist.

Roman law Legal system of Ancient Rome (c. 449 BC - AD 529)

Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables, to the Corpus Juris Civilis ordered by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I. Roman law forms the basic framework for civil law, the most widely used legal system today, and the terms are sometimes used synonymously. The historical importance of Roman law is reflected by the continued use of Latin legal terminology in many legal systems influenced by it, including common law.

Historical examples


The Roman Empire


Diocletian Roman Emperor from 284 to 305 A.C.N.

Diocletian, born Diocles, was a Roman emperor from 284 to 305. Born to a family of low status in Dalmatia, Diocletian rose through the ranks of the military to become Roman cavalry commander to the Emperor Carus. After the deaths of Carus and his son Numerian on campaign in Persia, Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The title was also claimed by Carus' surviving son, Carinus, but Diocletian defeated him in the Battle of the Margus.

Romulus Augustulus last emperor of the Western Roman Empire

Flavius Romulus Augustus, known derisively and historiographically as Romulus Augustulus, was the Roman emperor who ruled the Western Roman Empire from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. He is often described as the "last Western Roman emperor", though some historians consider this to be Julius Nepos. His deposition by Odoacer traditionally marks the end of the Roman Empire in the West, the end of Ancient Rome, and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe.

The British Empire and the British Commonwealth











Other examples in recent history

To move to Rome and serve the Pope, Queen Christina of Sweden (daughter of Protestant champion Gustav II Adolph of Sweden) abdicated and shocked Europe Christina of Sweden's abdication 1654.jpg




See also

Related Research Articles

Emperor of Japan Head of state of Japan

The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family and the head of state of Japan. Under the 1947 constitution, he is defined as "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people." Historically, he is also the highest authority of the Shinto religion. In Japanese, the emperor is called Tennō (天皇), literally "heavenly sovereign". In English, the use of the term Mikado for the emperor was once common, but is now considered obsolete.

Hirohito Emperor of Japan from 1926 until 1989

Hirohito was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 25 December 1926, until his death on 7 January 1989. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Akihito. In Japan, reigning emperors are known simply as "the Emperor" and he is now referred to primarily by his posthumous name, Shōwa (昭和), which is the name of the era coinciding with his reign; for this reason, he is also known as the "Shōwa Emperor" or "Emperor Shōwa."

Empress Genshō Empress of Japan

Empress Genshō was the 44th monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. She was the only empress regnant in Japan's history to have inherited her title from another empress regnant rather than from a male predecessor.

Emperor Kōkaku emperor of Japan

Emperor Kōkaku was the 119th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkaku's reigned from 16 December 1780 until his abdication on 7 May 1817 in favor of his son, Emperor Ninkō. After his abdication, he ruled as Daijō Tennō also known as a Jōkō (上皇) until his death in 1840. The next emperor to resign of his own accord was Akihito in 2019, 202 years later.

Empress Kōjun 20th-century Japanese empress

Empress Kōjun, born Princess Nagako, was the wife of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) of Japan. She was the mother of the emperor emeritus, Akihito.

Naruhito Emperor of Japan

Naruhito is the Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito, on 30 April 2019. He is the 126th monarch according to Japan's traditional order of succession.

Empress Michiko Wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan

Michiko is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who served as the Empress consort of Japan as the wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan reigning from 7 January 1989 to 30 April 2019.

The Emperors Birthday national holiday in the Japanese calendar

The Emperor's Birthday is a national holiday in the Japanese calendar celebrated on the birthday of the reigning Emperor, which is currently 23 February, as Emperor Naruhito was born on that day in 1960. Emperor Emeritus Akihito, whose birthday is 23 December, abdicated the throne on 30 April 2019, meaning that the holiday will not be observed in 2019 and its next celebration will be on Emperor Naruhito's next birthday.

Aiko, Princess Toshi Japanese princess

Aiko, Princess Toshi is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.

Fumihito, Prince Akishino Second son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko

Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan is a member of the Japanese imperial family. He is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito and the younger son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. He is the heir presumptive to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Since his marriage in June 1990, he has had the title Akishino-no-miya and has headed his own branch of the imperial family.

Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu Japanese princess

Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu, born Kikuko Tokugawa, known informally as Princess Kikuko, was a member of the Japanese Imperial Family. The Princess was the widow of Prince Takamatsu, the third son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. She was, therefore, a sister-in-law of Emperor Shōwa and an aunt of the present emperor, Akihito. She was mainly known for philanthropic activities, particular her patronage of cancer research organizations. At the time of her death, Princess Takamatsu was the oldest member of the Imperial Family.

Japanese succession debate Discussion about changing the Japanese thrones laws of succession

From 2005 to 2012, Japan discussed the possibility of changing the laws of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, which is currently limited to males of the Japanese Imperial Family. As of 2019, there are three people in the line of succession to the current Emperor Naruhito: Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito, and Prince Hitachi. Prior to the birth of Prince Hisahito in 2006, the government of Japan considered changes to the Imperial Household Law to allow additional potential successors to the throne.

Imperial House of Japan Members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan

The Imperial House of Japan, also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people". Other members of the Imperial Family perform ceremonial and social duties, but have no role in the affairs of government. The duties as an Emperor are passed down the line to their children.

Daijō Tennō or Dajō Tennō (太上天皇) is a title for an Emperor of Japan who abdicates the Chrysanthemum Throne in favour of a successor.

Reigning Emperor or Majesty, according to protocol, is the honorific title used in Japan to refer to the current Emperor of Japan instead of using their personal name, as is done in the West. The only context where the personal name is used is when referring to their time before taking the throne.

The current line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne is based on the Imperial Household Law. At present, only direct male-line males are allowed to ascend the throne.

Akihito Emperor of Japan from 1989-2019

Akihito is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, from 7 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father, Emperor Showa (Hirohito). Upon abdication due to his age and declining health, he became emperor emeritus. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito.

Brunei–Japan relations Diplomatic relations between Brunei and Japan

Brunei–Japan relations refers to bilateral foreign relations between Brunei and Japan. Brunei has an embassy in Tokyo, and Japan has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan.

2019 Japanese imperial transition Japanese imperial abdication and transition

After 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne, Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated on 30 April 2019, being the first Japanese emperor to do so since 1817. This marked the end of the Heisei era and the inception of the Reiwa era, and will precipitate numerous festivities leading up to the accession of his son and successor, Emperor Naruhito. The Enthronement Ceremony will likely happen on 22 October 2019. Akihito's younger son, Prince Akishino, is his brother's crown prince and heir presumptive.


  1. Bix 2000, pp. 571–573.
  7. "Japan passes landmark bill for Emperor Akihito to abdicate". BBC News. 8 June 2017.
  8. "Japan's Emperor Akihito abdicates". 30 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019 via www.bbc.com.