Dynasty

Dynasty (Ancient Greek δυνάστης dynástēs "ruler") refers to a succession of rulers and their families and is also generally used today for extended families (family dynasty). Originally, it was used to describe a ruling dynasty that succeeded in guaranteeing a continuous occupation of the highest princely dignity of their country over a longer period of time through power, economic and marriage policy, diplomacy and intrigues, as well as ultimately a successful succession.

When naming a dynasty, one usually refers to the family name (Wasa), the ancestral seat (Hohenzollern) or the founder of a ruling dynasty by its proper name (Carolingians).

When referring to the name, one speaks either of the house, e.g. the House of Bourbon, since in German historiography the term Hausordnung has become established for the political will of a ruler in the Middle Ages (compare Ottonians), or in the plural, e.g. of the Bourbons. Both terms are used synonymously. As a rule, one speaks of a dynasty only from a number of three successive kings or queens.

Two lists follow:

List sorted by country or region

Afghanistan

Ghilzai, Durrani, Baraksai

Egypt

For an overview, see Egyptian Chronology or History of Ancient Egypt.

Predynastic Period (Egypt), Early Dynastic Period (Egypt), Bahri Dynasty, Burji Dynasty

Arabia

Umayyads, Abbasids, Ayyubids

See also below under Saudi Arabia.

Armenia (Hayassa, Nairi, Ararat/Urartu, Hayastan)

Haykazuni, Urartu Dynasty, Orontids (Jerwanduni), Artaxids (Artashesyan), Arsakids (Arschakuni), Bagratids (Bagratuni), Artsruni, Rubenids, Hethumids, Lusignan

Ethiopia

Zagwe dynasty, Solomon dynasty

Bavaria

Agilolfing, Wittelsbach, Luitpolding

Belgium

House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Bosnia

Boričević (1154-1163), Kulinić (1180-1250), Kotromanić (1250-1461), Berislavić (1463-1526).

Bulgaria

House Dulo, House Krum, House Komitopuli, House Assen, House Terter, House Shishman, House Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire

Theodosian dynasty, Justinian dynasty, Syrian dynasty, Heraklean dynasty, Macedonian dynasty, Comnenes, Angeloi, Lascarids, Palaiologians

China

Denmark

Jelling House, Estridsson House, Oldenburg House

Holy Roman Empire

Ascanians, Babenbergs, Billungers, Habsburgs, House of Hanau, House of Hesse, House of Nassau, Hohenzollern, Konradines, Ludovingians, Luxemburgers, Ottonians, Przemyslids, Salians, Salm, Spanheimers, Staufers (Hohenstaufen), Welfs, Wettiners, Wittelsbachers, House of Württemberg, Zähringers, Obodrites, House of Oldenburg

Frankish kingdom

Merovingians, Pippinides, Arnulfingians, Hughobertines, Carolingians, Buvinides, Bosonides, Burchardings, Poppones, Ramnulfides, Welfs, Widones, Robertines, Rorgonides, Gerhardines, Wilhelmides, House of Burgundy-Ivrea

France

(see also List of Rulers of France), Carolingians, Capetians, Valois, Bourbons, Napoleonids, Toulouse

Greece

Wittelsbach, Oldenburg House

Three families are "political dynasties":

• the Papandreou family, including
• Andreas Papandreou (1919-1996), Prime Minister 1981-1989 and 1993-1996
• Georgios Papandreou (1888-1968), Prime Minister 1944-1945 and 1964-1965
• Giorgos Andrea Papandreou (* 1952), Prime Minister 2009-2011

• the Karamanlis family, including
• Konstantinos Karamanlis, Greek Prime Minister from 1955 to 1963 and from 1974 to 1980, and President of the Republic 1980-1985 and 1990-1995.
• Konstantinos "Kostas" Karamanlis, Greek Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009

• and the Venizelos/Mitsotakis clan

Great Britain

House Wessex, House Jelling, House Plantagenet, House Lancaster, House York, House Tudor, House Stuart, House Hanover, House Windsor (formerly Saxe-Coburg-Gotha)

India

Early and Hindu Empires

• Chandragupta Maurya - Dynasty in the ancient Maurya Empire
• Kushana Dynasty in the Ancient Kushana Empire
• Gupta Dynasty in the Gupta Empire

Sultans of Delhi

1. Slave dynasty (1206-1290); Turks
2. Khilji dynasty (Khalji dynasty) (1290-1320); Turks
3. Tughluq dynasty (1320-1413); Turks
4. Lodi dynasty; Pashtuns
5. Sayyid (Syed) dynasty (1414-1451); Arabs
6. Lodi dynasty (1451-1526); Pashtuns
7. Suri dynasty (1540-1555); Pashtuns

Mughal Empire

(1526-1858) Title: Mughal, Great Mughal, Mughal Emperor or Shah

The dynasty dates back to the Chinggisid dynasty with the Great Mughals including Babur, Humayun, Akbar I, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Bahadur Shah I, Muhammad Shah, Shah Alam II.

Rajasthan

(Sons of Kings)

The four most prominent Rajput dynasties in the Middle Ages were the Pratiharas, Chauhan dynasty, Solankis (Caulukyas) and Paramaras.

For the dynasties of individual states with a Maharaja or Maharana, see, among others, at: Bikaner, Bundi, Jaipur, Marwar, Mewar.

Princely States of India

Iran

Achaemenids, Arsacids, Sassanids, Seleucids, Karakhanids, Kara Kitai, Kayanids Anushteginids, Saffarids, Samanids, Buyids, Ziyarids, Ghaznavids, Timurids, Safavids, Tahirids, Hotaki dynasty, Afsharids, Zand princes, Kajars, Pahlavi

Islamic

Israel

Hasmoneans, Herodians

Italy

House of Savoy (1861-1946), Medici

Japan

Japanese imperial house or Yamato dynasty (officially from 660 BC, de facto min. 5th century until today)

powerful noble families:

• Fujiwara: regents (Sesshō or Kampaku) for the emperors 858--1179, or with the Konoe, Takatsukasa, Kujō, Nijō and Ichijō lineages until 1868.
• Taira
• Minamoto: Shoguns 1192--1333
• Ashikaga: Shoguns 1338--1573
• Tokugawa: Shoguns 1603--1867
• Hōjō: Regents (Shikken) for the Shoguns 1203--1333

Jordan

Hashimites

Korea

Goryeo, Joseon

In North Korea: Communist "hereditary dictatorship" of the Kims

Croatia

Trpimirović, Zrinski and Frankopan

Liechtenstein

List of the Rulers of Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Wigeriche, Luxembourg, Orange-Nassau, Nassau-Weilburg

Morocco

Idrisids, Almoravids, Almohads, Merinids, Saadians, Alawids

Monaco

Grimaldi

Netherlands

Orange (Oranje-Nassau)

Norway

House Oldenburg

Oman

Yaruba dynasty, Said dynasty

Austria

Eppensteins, Traungauers, Meinhardins, Babenbergs, Habsburgs

Poland

Piast, Jagiellon, Přemyslid, Vasa, Wettin

Pomerelia

Samboridae

Portugal

Burgundy, House of Avis, House of Habsburg, House of Braganza, House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Prussia

Hohenzollern

Roman Empire

Julians-Claudians, Flavians, Severians, Constantinians (2nd Flavian dynasty), Theodosian dynasty

Romania

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, before which in Moldavia and Wallachia certain influential families usually provided the prince, such as the boyar dynasties of Basarab, Brâncoveanu, Cantemir and Movilă, as well as the Phanariot-Greek families of Cantacuzinos, Ypsilantis and Mavrokordatos.

Russia

Rurikids, Godunov, Romanovs

Saudi Arabia

Saud dynasty

See also above under Arabia.

Sweden

Ynglinger, Folkung, Wasa, Wittelsbach, Holstein-Gottorp, Bernadotte

Serbia

Nemanjids, Karađorđević, Obrenović

Spain

For territories: Visigoths/House Pelayo, House Barcelona (Aragon), House Galíndez (Aragon), House Castile (Castile), House Cantabria (Leon, Galicia), House Burgundy-Ivrea (Galicia, Castile, Leon), House Jiménez (Galicia, Castile, Leon), House Trastámara (Castile and Leon, Aragon), House Navarra (Navarre)
For all Spain Habsburgs, House Bourbon, House Bonaparte, House Savoy

Thailand

Chakri Dynasty

Czech Republic

Přemyslids, Jagiellonians, Habsburgs, Luxembourgers

Turkey

Germiyans, Caramans, Seljuks, Ottomans

Hungary

Arpadians, Angevins, Jagiellonians, Habsburgs

USA

The Adams, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Bush, Ford, Astor, Rockefeller, Harrison, Hampton families.

Vietnam

• Hồng-Bàng Dynasty (2919-258 BC)
• Thục dynasty (257-207 BC)
• Triệu Dynasty (207-111 BC)
• Han Dynasty (Chinese) (111 B.C.-39 A.D. and 43-220 A.D.)
• Trưng Sisters (40-43)
• (Eastern) Wu Dynasty (Chinese) (229-280)
• Jin Dynasty (Chinese) (280-420)
• Southern Qi Dynasty (Chinese) (479-502)
• Liang Dynasty (Chinese) (502-544)
• Early Lý Dynasty (544-602)
• Sui Dynasty (Chinese) (602-618)
• Tang Dynasty (Chinese) (618-905)
• Khúc family (906-930)
• Ngô dynasty (939-967)
• Đinh Dynasty (968-980)
• Early Lê Dynasty (980-1009)
• Lý dynasty (1009-1225)
• Trần Dynasty (1225-1400)
• Hồ dynasty (1400-1407)
• Later Trần dynasty (1407-1413)
• Ming Dynasty (Chinese) (1414-1427)
• Later Lê dynasty (1428-1527 and 1533-1788)
• Mạc dynasty (1527-1677)
• Trịnh Lords (1545-1787)
• Nguyễn-Lords (1558-1777)
• Tây-Sơn dynasty (1778-1802)
• Nguyễn dynasty (1802-1945)