what is an absolute monarchy

An absolute monarchy is a form of government in which a single person, usually a king or queen, holds absolute, autocratic power. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch rules in his or her own right or power, and is not limited by a constitution or laws. These monarchs ruled for life and power was passed down through bloodlines, meaning their children ruled after them, creating a dynasty. Absolute monarchies often contained two key features: hereditary rules and divine right of kings. Hereditary rule meant that the monarch received their position due to their birth and as one in a long family line of monarchs. As well, medieval European absolute monarchs included the practice of divine right of kings, meaning that they believed that they had the divine right to rule, and that God created the monarchy they ruled over, and they alone were God’s representative on earth. Absolute monarchies originally emerged in Europe after the social upheaval of the Black Death and Renaissance, and represented a reaction by monarchs to create a centralized state against the counter-balancing forces of medieval society. Some examples of absolute monarchies include Brunei, Eswatini, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City, and the individual emirates composing the United Arab Emirates, which itself is a federation of such monarchies.