page_title: Monarchies in Europe
section_title: Modern Europe
hierarchical_section_title: Monarchies in Europe / History / Modern Europe
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Le sarcophage de François II (Ier), dernier souverain du Saint-Empire (sous le nom de François II), Empereur d'Autriche (sous le nom de François Ier), (1768-1835).English: the sarcophagus of Francis II. (I.), last Holy Roman Emperor (Francis II), Emperor of Austria (Francis I.) (1768-1835).
context_page_description: Monarchy was the prevalent form of government in the history of Europe throughout the Middle Ages, only occasionally competing with
  communalism, notably in the case of the Maritime republics and the Swiss Confederacy.
  Republicanism became more prevalent in the Early Modern period, but monarchy remained predominant in Europe during the 19th century.
  Since the end of World War I, however, most European monarchies have been abolished. There remain, as of 2020, twelve sovereign monarchies in Europe. Seven are kingdoms: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. Andorra, Liechtenstein, and Monaco are principalities, while Luxembourg is a Grand Duchy. The Vatican City is a theocratic state ruled by the Pope.
  The monarchies can be divided into two broad classes: premodern states and those that gained their independence during or immediately after the Napoleonic Wars. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Spain, and Andorra are the successors to premodern monarchies. Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg were established or gained independence through various methods during the Napoleonic Wars.
context_section_description: The modern resurgence of parliamentarism and anti-monarchism began with the temporary overthrow of the English monarchy by the Parliament of England in 1649, followed by the American Revolution (1775–83) and especially the French Revolution (1789–99). The absolutist Kingdom of France was first transformed to a constitutional monarchy (1791–92), before being fully abolished on 21 September 1792, and eventually the former king even executed, to the other European courts' great shock. During the subsequent French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1799), the great European monarchies were unable to restore the monarchy; instead, the French First Republic expanded and annexed neighbouring territories, or converted them into loyal sister republics. Meanwhile, the German Mediatization of 1803 thoroughly rearranged the political structure of the Holy Roman Empire, with many small principalities and all ecclesiastical lands being annexed by larger monarchies. After Napoleon seized power, however, he gradually constructed a new imperial order in French-controlled Europe, first by crowning himself Emperor of the French in 1804, and then converting the sister republics into monarchies ruled by his relatives. In July 1806 due to Napoleon's campaigns a larger number of states in the Western part of Germany seceded The Holy Roman Empire and this brought in August 1806 the emperor Francis II to decide dissolving the entire empire, bringing an end to 1833 years of history of Roman emperors in Europe.
  Following Napoleon's defeat in 1814 and 1815, the reactionary Congress of Vienna determined that all of Europe should consist of strong monarchies (with the exception of Switzerland and a few insignificant republics). In France, the Bourbon dynasty was restored, replaced by the liberal July Monarchy in 1830, before the entire monarchy was again abolished during the Revolutions of 1848. The popular Napoleon III was able to proclaim himself Emperor in 1852, thus founding the Second French Empire. The kingdoms of Sicily and Naples ("Two Sicilies") were absorbed into the kingdom of Sardinia to form the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Austria and Prussia vied to unite all German states under their banner, with Prussia emerging victorious in 1866. It succeeded in provoking Napoleon III to declare war, leading to the defeat of France, and the absorption of the southern German states into the German Empire in the process (1870–71). From the ashes of the Second Empire rose the French Third Republic, the only great republican European power until World War I.
  Much of 19th century politics was characterised by the division between anti-monarchist Radicalism and monarchist conservatism. 
  The Kingdom of Spain was briefly abolished in 1873, restored 1874–1931 and again in 1978 (or in 1947).
  The Kingdom of Portugal was abolished in 1910. The Russian Empire ended in 1917, the Kingdom of Prussia in 1918.
  The Kingdom of Hungary fell under Habsburg rule in 1867 and was dissolved in 1918 (restored 1920–1946). Likewise, the Kingdom of Bohemia under Habsburg rule was dissolved in 1918.
  The Napoleonic Wars transformed the political landscape of Europe, and a number of modern kingdoms were formed in a resurgence of monarchism after the defeat of the French Empire:
   the Austrian Empire and  Austria-Hungary (1804–1918)
   the Kingdom of Württemberg (1805–1918)
   the Kingdom of Bavaria (1805–1918)
   the Kingdom of Saxony (1806–1918)
   the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1808–1861)
   the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1813/15 to present)
   an independent constitution for the Kingdom of Norway (1814 to present)
   the Kingdom of France ("Bourbon Restoration")  (1814–1830) followed by  the July Monarchy (Kingdom of France) (1830–1848)
   the Kingdom of Hanover (1814–1866)
   the Kingdom of Poland (1815–1874)
   the Kingdom of Belgium (1830 to present)
   the Kingdom of Greece (1832–1924 & 1935–1973)
   the Second French Empire (1852–1870)
   the Principality of Montenegro (1852–1910) continued as  the Kingdom of Montenegro (1910–1918)
   the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
   the Principality of Romania (1862–1881) con
caption: Sarcophagus of the last Roman emperor Francis II
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