Monarchy

A monarchy was a system of government in which an individual known as a monarch, usually titled king or queen depending on gender, held a degree of authority. An individual could become a monarch through inheritance, with the title being passed down through familial ties known as a royal bloodline, or through democratic election. If inherited, the title and role of monarch was most often held until death, though some monarchies had term limits. The amount of power a monarch could exercise varied from government to government, ranging from them having a purely ceremonial role, to being bound by a constitution, to wielding absolute power. Some monarchies had a council of officials who would advise the monarch in political matters.

The Elder Houses were the collected hereditary royal houses of the galaxy, and included such monarchies as the House of Organa and Carise Sindian's family.

In ancient times, hereditary nobility was seen as a legitimate system of election, however, by the time of the New Republic, very few still took the concept seriously. As such, many monarchies became largely ceremonial.

Planets that were governed by monarchies included Hynestia Prime, Naboo, Alderaan, Zygerria, Mon Cala, Onderon, Shu-Torun, Polyneus, Mandalore, and Toydaria.

Other titles that were used in monarchies included Lord, its feminine equivalent, Lady, and supreme governor. A dictatorship was very similar to an absolute monarchy, in that it consisted of a lone ruler exercising ultimate authority.