Monarchy has existed since the earliest history of humankind and was often established during periods of external threat or internal crisis because it provided a more efficient focus of power than aristocracy or democracy , which tended to diffuse power.
Most monarchies appear to have been elective originally, but dynasties early became customary.
In primitive times, divine descent of the monarch was often claimed. Deification was general in ancient Egypt, tne Middle East, and Asia, and it was also practiced during certain periods in ancient Greece and Rome. This was symbolized by the coronation of the king by a bishop or the pope, as in the Holy Roman Empire. Although theoretically at the apex of feudal power, the medieval monarchs were in fact weak and dependent upon the nobility for much of their power. Notable examples are Henry VII and Henry VIII of England and Louis XIV of France.