this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2023
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As something of a history buff I've read about a fair few Kings and Queens through history. There are many of them, most mediocre, a lot of them objectively bad, however, now and again one stands out from the masses as a good one.

So, what (according to you) makes a good monarch? Feel free to point to a particular person, or event as an example :)

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[–] sanguinepar 29 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No monarch is a good one IMO. The very idea of a monarchy is repulsive to me.

However, there are certainly some who are worse than others. The trouble is that by the time you find out, they're already the monarch and you can't get rid of them without a great deal of trouble.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The moment I think about - UK - say, president Blair, Johnson or Sunak, I change my mind.

[–] sanguinepar 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

This argument comes up every time. What if you get a KING Blair, Johnson or Sunak? At least a president can be voted out.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I don't think you really understand how monarchies work.

FYI Charles I was voted out to all intents and purposes.

[–] sanguinepar 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Ok, how do I vote out the current King then? What's that? I can't?

I absolutely do understand how monarchies work, so don't patronise me - or at least not without expanding on your point so I can reply with more than "Yes I do”.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

A guillotine!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago

One who immediately abdicates in favor of self-determination

[–] Sordid 10 points 10 months ago (2 children)

If titles are anything to go by, murderizing an absolute shitzillion of people makes monarchs pretty great.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Can't be remembered as bad if you kill all the haters.

[–] Sordid 4 points 10 months ago

Ordinary people just trying to live their lives hate this one simple trick.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Reminds me of how nobility are talked about in the Brandon Sanderson book "Tress of the Emerald Sea".

He’d apparently been quite heroic during those wars; you could tell because a great number of his troops had died, while he lived.”

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago

A monarch understanding that they work for the people, and represent the people.

The same goes for any nation's leader, monarch or not.

[–] Iceblade02 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

I submit King Haakon VII - the first modern King of Norway. Throughout his reign he worked to support the Norwegian people, acting as a unifying and stabilizing figure, particularly in times of crisis. Examples are during the first few years of the country, during WW1, the occupation of WW2 and also after the 1927 elections, where he decided to uphold parliamentary convention and allow the workers party (which at the time espoused a revolutionary socialist manifesto) to form a government (against the wishes of the liberal and conservative majority in parliament, which had failed to form a government).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I agree, and for the most part C Gurra hasn't really been this kind of figure for us In Sweden, but in the last few years he has made a speech to the nation at christmas, which I feel have started to bring the out the unifying figure we need.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

For konge og fedreland!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

nice even wings, picks a safe milkweed plant to lay its eggs on, that sort of thing

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

I think it's pretty similar to what makes a good person, empathy, kindness, that sort of stuff.

A lot of the monarchs better thought of are the ones who made social reforms, bettering the lives of others much lower down the totem pole.

Like all people, it's kind of impossible to be all good, so even with the good ones there's awful stuff there, but it's all relative.

[–] VubDapple 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well, perhaps Marcus Aurelius? Kind of the original philosopher-king.

[–] Iceblade02 2 points 10 months ago

Having 20 years of relative peace to start off is no small feat given the size of Rome and the issues mounting at the time. Still, he failed to in securing a good heir to lead the empire after his death. His son, a mere 18 at his death would be rather unprepared to lead the empire. It might have been more prudent to adopt a more suitable heir.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Maybe a Nissan Stanza

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Maybe a Nissan Stanza

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Maybe a Nissan Stanza

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

A Butter-Glider and solid henchmen.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

The same thing that makes any other type of leader or ruler good. Simply seek to understand the people.