King

A king is a male monarch, or a head of state, who may or may not, depending on the style of government of a nation, exercise monarchal powers over a territory, usually called a kingdom or a realm. A king is the second highest noble title, surpassed only by emperor. A female monarch is a queen regnant; the term "queen" may refer to one ruling in her own right, or the wife of the king. The husband of a queen regnant is a prince consort or a king consort. A king or queen may wear a crown or carry other regalia (symbols of office).

Historically the term "king" has been used for the rulers of very small peoples and territories. Such a king (Sumerian "lugal", Semitic "sharrum", Latin "rex", Greek "basileus", Sanskrit "raja", Germanic "kuningaz") could be a tribal leader or chief, or the tyrant of a city state. Often, the king will not only have a political function, but the same time a religious one, acting as high priest or divine king.

Tribal leaders continue to be referred to as king also into the modern period, e.g. Maquinna, king of perhaps 2000 Nootka people in the early 19th century.

Examples of kings

For examples of kings see the following lists:

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A

List of Kings of Ani

List of kings of the Angles

List of Arakan kings

List of Armenian Kings

B

List of Kings of Babylon

List of rulers of Bithynia

List of Kings of Bohemia

List of British monarchs

List of Kings of Burundi

C

List of Kings of Cambodia

List of Kings of Cappadocia

List of Kings of Cyrene

D

List of Dacian kings

List of Kings of Dál Riata

List of kings of Denmark

E

List of kings of Epirus

List of English monarchs

F

List of Frankish kings

G

List of the Kings of Georgia

H

List of Hittite kings

I

List of Kings of Iraq

List of High Kings of Ireland

King of Italy

List of Irish Kings

List of Kings of India

J

List of Kings of Judea

L

Monarchs of Laos

List of kings of Lesotho

List of Kings of Lydia

M

List of kings of Macedon

King of Mann

List of Kings of Mauretania

List of Meitei kings

N

List of kings of Norway
List of Kings of Numidia

O

List of rulers of the Yoruba state of Oyo

P

List of Paionian kings

List of kings of Persia

List of Kings of Pontus

List of Kings of Poland

List of Kings of Portugal

R

List of kings of Rwanda

List of kings of Saudi Arabia

List of Kings of Strathclyde

List of kings of Swaziland

List of kings of Sweden

T

List of Kings of Thailand

List of Tripuri Kings

List of kings of Tyre

U

List of Kings of Urartu

V

List of Kings of the Visigoths

Z

List of Zulu kings