Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Dynasty
(3,065 words)

1. Definition

The term “dynasty,” from the Greek, in both general and scholarly usage today means a ruling house comprising a family of the high (princely) nobility, exercising (or at least laying legal claim to) hereditary authority over a territory ruled as a monarchy (in contrast to an electoral monarchy). The designation of dynasty is often limited to those famili…

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Schnettger, Matthias, “Dynasty”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_018496>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170626



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