Did you know there’s a royal family that claims to have started in the Bible? And that one family once ruled an entire continent? It’s amazing how much power a family can gain and how quickly it can all be lost at the hands of a few rebels, with years of tradition wiped out in days. From current queens to tragic tsars, it’s all here. Find out more about the families of the ruling elite in our Top 10 Royal Dynasties.
10. House of Windsor
Compared to some dynasties on the list, this royal family is a newcomer, having only lasted 96 years so far. But they are both powerful and famous and it seems unlikely that they will lose power anytime soon. Head of the house is Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, and it was her grandfather, George V, that established the house in 1917, having previously been descended from the German House of Saxe-Coburg. There have been some troubles to hit the family in the last 25 years or so, with two of the Queen’s sons divorcing and one of those ex-wives getting killed in a car crash – an event that the Queen was criticized over, thanks to her lack of immediate response. But the 21st century has brought a resurgence of popularity to the monarchy, with thousands lining the streets for both the Royal Wedding (of Prince William to Kate Middleton) and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. With the birth of Prince William’s son George this year, the line is secure for the next three generations and it looks like the Windsors will be in power for a long time still.
9. The Tudor Dynasty
Providing those heirs is so very important to the royals, a lesson that at least two of Henry VIII’s wives found when they were either divorced or beheaded for their failure to produce a son. The Tudor Dynasty was another relatively short-lived one – 118 years – but it was incredibly powerful, and there were huge cultural shifts during it. The most obvious is Henry’s Reformation, brought about partly by his urge to rid himself of his wife, but the artistic and exploratory breakthroughs in his daughter Elizabeth’s reign cannot be ignored either. Henry VII inherited a kingdom that had been broken by constant Civil War and was only just emerging from the Middle Ages. 118 years later, Elizabeth died, leaving us the works of Shakespeare and passage to America. An impressive amount of progress under Tudor rule.
8. The Qajar Dynasty
Sometimes to gain power, you have to be a little bit ruthless. But Mohammed Khan Qajar of Persia (now Iran) wasn’t just a little bit ruthless – he massacred and maimed entire populations on his quest to eliminate his rivals. His efforts finally paid off in 1796, when he was proclaimed Shah of Persia but it was a short-lived victory, as he was assassinated the following year. His dynasty, however, would last a further 128 years despite the disastrous reign of his successor, which saw Persia defeated by Russia and forced to concede land to them. By 1848, the throne had passed to Nasser-e-Din, the great-great-great-nephew of Mohammed Khan and it was he that proved to be the most competent Qajar leader, building universities and enhancing Persian culture. But it was a slow decline for the Qajars after that and they were eventually deposed in 1925 by Reza Khan.
7. The Ming Dynasty
If you were playing a word-association game and someone said “dynasty” it’s a fair guess that someone else would say “Ming.” The Chinese dynasty is one of the most famous in history but they still only lasted 276 years, which is but a moment compared to some on this list. Established in 1368 by the Hongwu Emperor, it was to be a model of efficiency and power, with an army of over 1 million troops. During the reign of the Ming emperors, Chinese culture flourished and there were significant developments in art and literature, including the emergence of the Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty (Shen Zhou, Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming and Qui Ying). However, the good times couldn’t last forever and war and economic breakdown led to rebellion. In 1644, Beijing was captured by the rebels, Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide and the Ming Dynasty came to an end.
6. The Romanov Dynasty
Most dynasties die out naturally, but the Romanovs of Russia were overthrown violently and any trace of their line murdered in cold blood, although rumors persist that one survived. The tsars were increasingly unpopular in Russia coming into the 20thcentury, living in luxury while their subjects starved, and the tsarina Alexandra did nothing to help matters with her dependence on spooky “wiseman” Rasputin. Eventually, in 1917, the Romanovs were overthrown by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, and the whole family were taken to Yekaterinburg where they were shot. Still, for a long time there were rumors that daughter Anastasia had managed to escape the slaughter and there was even an impostor claiming to be her. But she was proved to be a fake, and it seems the Romanovs really did die out in 1918, after 305 years of Russian rule.
5. The Piast Dynasty
This dynasty takes it name from the probably-legendary Piast the Wheelwright, from whom several Polish kings claimed to be descended. However, it is a historian’s term, and the kings themselves never called themselves the Piasts. But it does indicate a clear period of Polish history, from Prince Miesko I in 960 until 1370, when Casimir III the Great died. During this time, Poland was on the defensive, with the Holy Roman Empire ever threatening to step over its borders, as another aggressive state would a thousand years later. Eventually, the state shattered into several smaller duchies, and the Piasts continued to rule over a period of unrest, with dukes constantly being overthrown until the family died out in 1370.
4. House of Braganza
Now, this House has just the best name – “Most Serene House of Braganza”. They also have an impressive record, ruling not just Portugal but also Brazil. The House of Braganza was founded in 1442, when the first Braganza, Afonzo was granted a dukedom by his nephew the King. 200 years later, the family began reigning Portugal, with the coronation of King João IV. Then in 1815, the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was formed, with, of course, a Bragaza at its head. The empire lasted just ten years, but when Brazil split off a Braganza was still in charge – Emperor Pedro I of Brazil (also known as King Pedro IV of Portugal). ThBraganza rule lasted until both countries were declared republics – Brazil in 1889 and Portugal in 1910, making an impressive total of 468 years in power.
3. House of Hapsburg
The royal families of different countries are often interconnected by marriage, thanks to the relatively small pool of candidates considered suitable material for a royal to marry. The Hapsburgs are more interconnected than most, and this has led to the kind of problems you’d expect with inbreeding (genetic disorders etc). Nevertheless, they dominated Europe from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, with Hapsburg descendants sitting on thrones from Portugal to Poland. The first Hapsburg ruler was Rudolph I of Germany, who took the throne in 1273 and added the Austrian rule 3 years later. His descendants ruled Austria, Germany and Bohemia for two centuries before starting a line of Spanish kings through the marriage of Philip the Handsome to Joanna of Castile (also known as “Joanna the Mad“). Hapsburg eventually reigned in most of the countries of Europe until the line finally died out in 1780.
2. The Imperial Japanese Dynasty
The length of these dynasties is about to shoot up dramatically, as we look at our final two, which both claim to have started before the birth of Christ. The Japanese imperial dynasty is especially impressive, as it still continues today, having been founded in 660BC by Emperor Jimmu. There are debates about the length of the dynasty, as there is little evidence that the first 25 emperors are related to each other….or even that they existed at all! Still, the subsequent 100 monarchs are accounted for, with a direct line to current emperor Akihito which makes it the oldest monarchy in the world today. Including the debated monarchs, it’s a total of 2673 years of Japanese emperors. Impressive!
1. The Solomonic Dynasty
But the lineage of this dynasty is even more impressive – the Ethiopian line that claims to come from Solomon of Isreal (son of King David, ancestor of Jesus) and the Queen of Sheba. Again, there may be some evidence for the line that is more anecdotal than factual, but it certainly sounds impressive to tell people you’re descended from the Queen of Sheba! The line was supposedly started in 950BC and lasted until Haile Selassie was deposed in 1975, so stretched over huge periods of change. There is still a royal family, but since the deposition that have been non-regnal and so the Solomonic dynasty came to an end not long before it hit 3000 years (2924 to be exact). Another amazing dynasty.