Absolute rulers that willingly abdicated

LightSpectra · Mar 17, 2008, 05:59 PM

What are some "enlightened despots" (if that's an appropriate term) in history, that had or could have had absolute power but chose to secede some of that control for the freedom of his people? Such as Cincinnatus.

Cheezy the Wiz · Mar 17, 2008, 06:37 PM

Do you mean pressured into doing so? Or did so completely willingly?

As far as I know, Cincinnatus, and the Roman Republican dictators, are the only ones to do so willingly. No despot would ever willinginly relinquish power.

LightSpectra · Mar 17, 2008, 06:44 PM

Willingly.

Another example I can think of, to a lesser extent, is George Washington. The Presidency in the 18th century could have been much stronger if he had not limited his own actions.

holy king · Mar 17, 2008, 07:12 PM

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, king of bhutan

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...9/ixworld.html

Julian Delphiki · Mar 18, 2008, 01:32 AM

Sulla, but i doubt that he can be called as an enlightened one

.

taillesskangaru · Mar 18, 2008, 03:06 AM

Diocletian abdicated pretty much on his own terms.

Arwon · Mar 18, 2008, 04:47 AM

Juan Carlos didn't abdicate but he reformed the Franquist system where he held pretty absolute power (inherited from Franco) into one where he's a symbolic figurehead in a constitutional monarchy.

Cutlass · Mar 18, 2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LightSpectra

Willingly.

Another example I can think of, to a lesser extent, is George Washington. The Presidency in the 18th century could have been much stronger if he had not limited his own actions.

Didn't he also turn down the offer to be king?

Cheezy the Wiz · Mar 18, 2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cutlass

Didn't he also turn down the offer to be king?

Yup. He said something along the lines of "we didn't fight off one monarchy just to make another," though I'm sure it was far more elegant than my uncultured tongue can produce.

Kahran Ramsus · Mar 18, 2008, 11:24 AM

Many Anglo-Saxon kings would retire late in life.

Eran of Arcadia · Mar 18, 2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahran Ramsus

Many Anglo-Saxon kings would retire late in life.

How "absolute" were they? I am no expert but I seem to recall that a lot of power was held by those under them.

Yoda Power · Mar 18, 2008, 02:42 PM

Constitutional monarchy was peacefully established in Denmark, although the kings were (and is) still there.

Arwon · Mar 18, 2008, 04:01 PM

Eran's right, absolute monarchy didn't really exist between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginnings or even middle of the Modern Age. Feudalism was far more decentralised than that.

ohcrapitsnico · Mar 18, 2008, 04:50 PM

I think Amadou Toumani Toure comes quite close.

Cutlass · Mar 19, 2008, 08:37 AM

A ruler who retired in favor of a successor wouldn't count as abdicating power. Just passing it on.

Swedishguy · Mar 19, 2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arwon

Eran's right, absolute monarchy didn't really exist between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginnings or even middle of the Modern Age. Feudalism was far more decentralised than that.

Absolute Monarchy did exist in Sweden during the renaissance.

Plotinus · Mar 19, 2008, 12:14 PM

The Renaissance came after the Middle Ages.

Anglo-Saxon kings typically had pretty much dictatorial power; they simply didn't rule large enough territories to have many powerful nobles in their kingdoms. You still wouldn't really call that an absolute monarchy, though, because their power was ephemeral and remained only for as long as they were the most powerful warrior (or commanded the loyalty of the most powerful warriors) around. Being an Anglo-Saxon king was much like being a mafia boss. You were completely in charge, but only for as long as your charisma, ruthlessness, or other personal qualities kept you at the top.

I suppose that towards the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, when they were ruling most of what is now England, that was not so much the case. Still, a feudal system as we'd recognise it from the high Middle Ages wasn't really present until after the Conquest.

Swedishguy · Mar 19, 2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

The Renaissance came after the Middle Ages.

I responded to:

Quote:

or even middle of the Modern Age

Plotinus · Mar 20, 2008, 02:57 AM

Ah, silly of me. Still, I would class the Renaissance as early modern.

Sharwood · Mar 20, 2008, 06:44 AM

Thomas Cromwell abdicated willingly, and his father repeatedly attempted to hand power back to Parliament, but had to keep dissolving it when it made foolish decisions.

Mar 17, 2008, 05:59 PM	#1
LightSpectra me autem minui Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vendée Posts: 5,518	Absolute rulers that willingly abdicated What are some "enlightened despots" (if that's an appropriate term) in history, that had or could have had absolute power but chose to secede some of that control for the freedom of his people? Such as Cincinnatus. __________________ Bringing up the Catholic cleric sex abuse scandals in discussions to which they are irrelevant is emotionally exploiting the abused victims to win an argument which you know you are wrong about. It is inexcusable and disgusting. / A Defense of Clerical Celibacy Five myths about persecutions of Christians & "Only Limited Freedom is True Freedom" & The harmful effects of pornography & Pornography's effect on children & Studies demonstrate premarital sex and cohabitation ruinous for relationships

Mar 17, 2008, 06:37 PM	#2
Cheezy the Wiz The Red Carnot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: O'Connell Street Posts: 22,374	Do you mean pressured into doing so? Or did so completely willingly? As far as I know, Cincinnatus, and the Roman Republican dictators, are the only ones to do so willingly. No despot would ever willinginly relinquish power. __________________ "The great only appear great because we are on our knees: Let us rise!" - Big Jim Larkin "Philosophy was for them more important than opportunism, and so they achieved in the end philosophy rather than opportunity." - Thurmon Arnold (-8.75,-5.15) Ask a Red IV The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Mar 17, 2008, 06:44 PM	#3
LightSpectra me autem minui Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vendée Posts: 5,518	Willingly. Another example I can think of, to a lesser extent, is George Washington. The Presidency in the 18th century could have been much stronger if he had not limited his own actions. __________________ Bringing up the Catholic cleric sex abuse scandals in discussions to which they are irrelevant is emotionally exploiting the abused victims to win an argument which you know you are wrong about. It is inexcusable and disgusting. / A Defense of Clerical Celibacy Five myths about persecutions of Christians & "Only Limited Freedom is True Freedom" & The harmful effects of pornography & Pornography's effect on children & Studies demonstrate premarital sex and cohabitation ruinous for relationships

Mar 18, 2008, 03:06 AM	#6
taillesskangaru Just a passenger Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 16,172	Diocletian abdicated pretty much on his own terms. __________________ Gonna burn your name right across the sky, so I'll never forget what the feeling's like. IALS - DRAW Your Own Story - Civ3Earth - Mongols - Cure Cancer - deviantART - Iron and Blood 4 - Flankcaster Ponies - #nes "I love making up quotes." - Alexander The Great "I don't think Hitler would be very concerned with following the Constitution" - Zack

Mar 18, 2008, 04:47 AM	#7
Arwon Show me your moves Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Canberra Posts: 12,255	Juan Carlos didn't abdicate but he reformed the Franquist system where he held pretty absolute power (inherited from Franco) into one where he's a symbolic figurehead in a constitutional monarchy. __________________ He wants a shoe horn, the kind with teeth People should get beat up for statin' their beliefs - TMBG PC: Left/Right: -2.00, Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.13 Reptilians Anonymous

Mar 17, 2008, 07:12 PM	#4
holy king Pervert bunker inhabitant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 16,369	King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, king of bhutan http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...9/ixworld.html

Mar 18, 2008, 01:32 AM	#5
Julian Delphiki Anton's key Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Helsinki, Funland Posts: 2,735	Sulla, but i doubt that he can be called as an enlightened one .

Mar 18, 2008, 11:24 AM	#10
Kahran Ramsus Warlord Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 141	Many Anglo-Saxon kings would retire late in life.

Mar 18, 2008, 02:42 PM	#12
Yoda Power ✫✫✫✫✫✫✫ Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 13,292 Images: 16	Constitutional monarchy was peacefully established in Denmark, although the kings were (and is) still there. __________________ Medieval European Mod II 1.3 \| Giant Earth Concept Map (256x256) \| East Asia Mod \| The YP Archives

Mar 18, 2008, 04:01 PM	#13
Arwon Show me your moves Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Canberra Posts: 12,255	Eran's right, absolute monarchy didn't really exist between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginnings or even middle of the Modern Age. Feudalism was far more decentralised than that. __________________ He wants a shoe horn, the kind with teeth People should get beat up for statin' their beliefs - TMBG PC: Left/Right: -2.00, Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.13 Reptilians Anonymous Last edited by Arwon; Mar 18, 2008 at 04:04 PM.

Mar 18, 2008, 04:50 PM	#14
ohcrapitsnico Deity Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,267	I think Amadou Toumani Toure comes quite close.

Mar 19, 2008, 08:37 AM	#15
Cutlass Ideas are Like Stars Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: US of A Posts: 32,086 Images: 6	A ruler who retired in favor of a successor wouldn't count as abdicating power. Just passing it on. __________________ Ideas Are Like Stars. Come visit us again! Learn the Basics of Money HERE More Money has been Lost Because of Four Words than at the Point of a Gun. Those words are "This Time is Different." Taking from the poor and giving to the rich is Why Nations Fail In American we call that Reaganomics.

Mar 19, 2008, 12:14 PM	#17
Plotinus Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London Posts: 14,843	The Renaissance came after the Middle Ages. Anglo-Saxon kings typically had pretty much dictatorial power; they simply didn't rule large enough territories to have many powerful nobles in their kingdoms. You still wouldn't really call that an absolute monarchy, though, because their power was ephemeral and remained only for as long as they were the most powerful warrior (or commanded the loyalty of the most powerful warriors) around. Being an Anglo-Saxon king was much like being a mafia boss. You were completely in charge, but only for as long as your charisma, ruthlessness, or other personal qualities kept you at the top. I suppose that towards the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, when they were ruling most of what is now England, that was not so much the case. Still, a feudal system as we'd recognise it from the high Middle Ages wasn't really present until after the Conquest. __________________ Try the Anglo-Saxon scenario... Or can you build an empire of Africa? A list of units. Sensible religion discussion. Please read: the truth about children brought up by gay couples.

Mar 20, 2008, 02:57 AM	#19
Plotinus Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London Posts: 14,843	Ah, silly of me. Still, I would class the Renaissance as early modern. __________________ Try the Anglo-Saxon scenario... Or can you build an empire of Africa? A list of units. Sensible religion discussion. Please read: the truth about children brought up by gay couples.

Mar 20, 2008, 06:44 AM	#20
Sharwood Rich, doctor nephew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: A little place outside Atlanta Posts: 6,958	Thomas Cromwell abdicated willingly, and his father repeatedly attempted to hand power back to Parliament, but had to keep dissolving it when it made foolish decisions.

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