List of monarchs who abdicated explained

This is a list of monarchs who have abdicated. Some monarchs have been forced to abdicate. The list is chronological.

List

RulerCountryPositionAbdication dateSuccessor/Fate
Kuai of YanState of YanKing of Yan318 BCZi Zhi
Wuling of ZhaoState of ZhaoKing of Zhao299 BCHuiwen of Zhao
Liu YingWestern Han dynastyEmperor of China10 January AD 9Wang Mang
Xian of HanEastern Han dynastyEmperor of China11 December 220 Wen of Cao Wei
Cao HuanCao WeiEmperor of China4 February 266Wu of Jin
DiocletianRoman EmpireRoman emperor1 May 305Galerius
MaximianRoman EmpireRoman emperor1 May 305Constantius Chlorus
MaximianRoman EmpireRoman emperor11 November 308Licinius
Lü GuangLater LiangHeavenly King339Yin of Later Liang
VetranioRoman EmpireRoman emperor25 December 350Constantius II
An of JinJin dynastyEmperor of China20 December 403Wudao of Huan Chu
Constantine IIIWestern Roman EmpireRoman emperor411Honorius
Gong of JinJin dynastyEmperor of China5 July 420Wu of Liu Song
AvitusWestern Roman EmpireRoman emperor17 October 456Majorian
Xianwen of Northern WeiNorthern WeiEmperor of China20 September 471Xiaowen of Northern Wei
GlyceriusWestern Roman EmpireRoman emperor24 June 474Julius Nepos
Shun of Liu SongLiu SongEmperor of China29 May 479Gao of Southern Qi
He of Southern QiSouthern QiEmperor of China502Wu of Liang
Xiaojing of Eastern WeiEastern WeiEmperor of China550Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Xiao DongLiang dynastyEmperor of China551Hou Jing
Jing of LiangLiang dynastyEmperor of China557Wu of Chen
Gong of Western WeiWestern WeiEmperor of China557Xiaomin of Northern Zhou
Wucheng of Northern QiNorthern QiEmperor of China8 June 565Houzhu of Northern Qi
Xuan of Northern ZhouNorthern ZhouEmperor of China1 April 579Jing of Northern Zhou
Jing of Northern ZhouNorthern ZhouEmperor of China581Wen of Sui
Yang of SuiSui dynastyEmperor of China8 December 617Gong of Sui
Gong of SuiSui dynastyEmperor of China12 June 618Gaozu of Tang
Yang TongSui dynastyEmperor of China23 May 619Wang Shichong
Gaozu of TangTang dynastyEmperor of China4 September 626Taizong of Tang
KōgyokuJapanEmpress of Japan12 July 645Kōtoku
JitōJapanEmpress of Japan22 August 697Monmu
Wu ZhaoWu ZhouEmperor of China21 February 705Zhongzong of Tang
Ruizong of TangTang dynastyEmperor of China8 September 712Xuanzong of Tang
GenmeiJapanEmpress of Japan3 October 715Genshō
Theodosius IIIEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor25 March 717Leo III
GenshōJapanEmpress of Japan3 March 724Shōmu
CeolwulfNorthumbriaKing of Northumbria737Eadberht
ShōmuJapanEmperor of Japan19 August 749Kōken
Xuanzong of TangTang dynastyEmperor of China12 August 756Suzong of Tang
EadberhtNorthumbriaKing of Northumbria758Oswulf
KōkenJapanEmpress of Japan7 September 758Junnin
JunninJapanEmperor of Japan6 November 764Shōtoku
KōninJapanEmperor of Japan30 April 781Kanmu
Shunzong of TangTang dynastyEmperor of China28 August 805Xianzong of Tang
HeizeiJapanEmperor of Japan18 May 809Saga
StaurakiosEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor2 October 811Michael I Rangabe
Michael I RangabeEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor11 July 813Leo V
SagaJapanEmperor of Japan29 May 823Junna
JunnaJapanEmperor of Japan22 March 833Ninmyō
YōzeiJapanEmperor of Japan4 March 844Kōkō
NinmyōJapanEmperor of Japan4 May 850Montoku
SeiwaJapanEmperor of Japan18 December 876Yōzei
UdaJapanEmperor of Japan4 August 897Daigo
Ai of TangChina (Tang dynasty)Emperor of China12 May 907Taizu of Later Liang
DaigoJapanEmperor of Japan16 October 930Suzaku
Rui of Yang WuYang WuEmperor of China937Liezu of Southern Tang
SuzakuJapanEmperor of Japan16 May 946Murakami
Yin of Later HanLater HanEmperor of China951Taizu of Later Zhou
Gong of Later ZhouLater ZhouEmperor of China960Taizu of Song
ReizeiJapanEmperor of Japan27 September 969En'yū
En'yūJapanEmperor of Japan24 September 984Kazan
KazanJapanEmperor of Japan1 August 986Ichijō
John XVIIIPopeJuly 1009Sergius IV
IchijōJapanEmperor of Japan16 July 1011Sanjō
SanjōJapanEmperor of Japan10 March 1016Go-Ichijō
Go-SuzakuJapanEmperor of Japan5 February 1045Go-Reizei
Benedict IXPopeJuly 1045Gregory VI
Michael VI BringasEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor30 August 1057Isaac I Komnenos
Isaac I KomnenosByzantine EmpireByzantine emperor22 November 1059Constantine X Doukas
Romanos IV DiogenesEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor1 October 1071Michael VII Doukas
Go-SanjōJapanEmperor of Japan18 January 1073Shirakawa
Nikephoros III BotaneiatesEastern Roman EmpireByzantine emperor1 April 1081Alexios I Komnenos
ShirakawaJapanEmperor of Japan3 January 1087Horikawa
Henry IVHoly Roman Emperor1105Henry V
TobaJapanEmperor of Japan25 February 1123Sutoku
Huizong of SongSong dynastyEmperor of China18 January 1126Qinzong of Song
SutokuJapanEmperor of Japan5 January 1142Konoe
DenmarkKing of Denmark1146Sweyn III
Canute V
Valdemar I
Go-ShirakawaJapanEmperor of Japan5 September 1158Nijō
Gaozong of SongSong dynastyEmperor of China24 July 1162Xiaozong of Song
NijōJapanEmperor of Japan3 August 1165Rokujō
RokujōJapanEmperor of Japan9 April 1168Takakura
Dermot McMurroughLeinsterKing of Leinster1169Domhnall Caomhánach
TakakuraJapanEmperor of Japan18 March 1180Antoku
Xiaozong of SongSong dynastyEmperor of China18 February 1189Guangzong of Song
Guangzong of SongSong dynastyEmperor of China24 July 1194Ningzong of Song
Go-TobaJapanEmperor of Japan18 February 1198Tsuchimikado
Władysław III Spindleshanks Duchy of PolandHigh Duke of Poland1206Leszek the White
TsuchimikadoJapanEmperor of Japan12 December 1210Juntoku
JuntokuJapanEmperor of Japan13 May 1221Chūkyō
ChūkyōJapanEmperor of Japan29 July 1221Go-Horikawa
Shenzong of Western XiaWestern XiaEmperor of China1223Xianzong of Western Xia
Go-HorikawaJapanEmperor of Japan17 November 1232Shijō
Go-SagaJapanEmperor of Japan16 February 1246Go-Fukakusa
KameyamaJapanEmperor of Japan6 March 1274Go-Uda
WaldemarKing of Sweden1277 (deposed 1275)Magnus III
Go-UdaJapanEmperor of Japan27 November 1287Fushimi
Celestine VPope13 December 1294Boniface VIII
King of Scots10 July 1296Robert I
FushimiJapanEmperor of Japan30 August 1298Go-Fushimi
Go-FushimiJapanEmperor of Japan2 March 1301Go-Nijō
HanazonoJapanEmperor of Japan29 March 1318Go-Daigo
Edward IIKing of England20 January 1327Edward III
Andronikos II PalaiologosByzantine emperor24 May 1328Andronikos III Palaiologos
KōgonNorthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan7 July 1333Kōmyō
Go-DaigoSouthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan18 September 1339Go-Murakami
Irene PalaiologinaEmpire of TrebizondEmpress of Trebizond17 July 1341Anna
Magnus VIINorwayKing of Norway15 August 1343Haakon VI
KōmyōNorthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan18 November 1348Sukō
Tribhuwana WijayatunggadewiMajapahit EmpireQueen of Majapahit1350Hayam Wuruk
SukōNorthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan26 November 1351Go-Kōgon
John VI KantakouzenosByzantine emperor10 December 1354John V Palaiologos
Hugh IVKingdom of CyprusKing of Cyprus24 November 1358Peter I
Go-kōgonNorthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan9 April 1371Go-En'yū
Go-En'yūNorthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan24 May 1382Go-Komatsu
ChōkeiSouthern Court of JapanEmperor of Japan1383Go-Kameyama
Go-KameyamaJapanEmperor of Japan19 November 1392Go-Komatsu
Richard IIKing of England29 September 1399Henry IV
AlbertKing of Sweden1405 (deposed 1389)Margaret
Go-KomatsuJapanEmperor of Japan5 October 1412Shōkō
Gregory XIIPope4 July 1415Martin V
Ottoman SultanAugust 1444Mehmed II
Go-HanazonoJapanEmperor of Japan21 August 1464Go-Tsuchimikado
Charles INorwayKing of NorwayJune 1450Christian I
Afonso VKing of Portugal11 November 1477John II
John IIKing of Portugal15 November 1477Afonso V
Catherine CornaroKingdom of CyprusQueen of Cyprus26 February 1489Island annexed by the Republic of Venice
Bayezid IIOttoman Sultan25 April 1512Selim I
Charles IKing of Spain16 January 1556Philip II
Charles VHoly Roman Emperor27 August 1556Ferdinand I
Mary IQueen of Scots24 July 1567James VI
ŌgimachiJapanEmperor of Japan17 December 1586Go-Yōzei
Go-YōzeiJapanEmperor of Japan9 May 1611Go-Mizunoo
Go-MizunooJapanEmperor of Japan22 December 1629Meishō
MeishōJapanEmpress of Japan14 November 1643Go-Kōmyō
ChristinaQueen of Sweden6 June 1654Charles X Gustav
Go-SaiJapanEmperor of Japan5 March 1663Reigen
John II Casimir Vasa Polish–Lithuanian CommonwealthKing of Poland16 September 1668Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki
ReigenJapanEmperor of Japan2 May 1687Higashiyama
James II and VII
King of England and Scotland11 December 1688William III and II
Mary II
Augustus II Polish–Lithuanian CommonwealthKing of Poland24 September 1706Stanisław Leszczyński
HigashiyamaJapanEmperor of Japan27 July 1709Nakamikado
Ulrica EleanorQueen of Sweden29 February 1720Frederick
Philip VKing of Spain14 January 1724Louis I
King of Sardinia3 September 1730Charles Emmanuel III
Ottoman Sultan1 October 1730Mahmut I
NakamikadoJapanEmperor of Japan13 April 1735Sakuramachi
SakuramachiJapanEmperor of Japan9 June 1747Momozono
Charles VII and V
King of Naples and Sicily6 October 1759Ferdinand IV and III
Go-SakuramachiJapanEmpress of Japan23 May 1770Go-Momozono
Stanislaus II Augustus Polish–Lithuanian CommonwealthKing of Poland7 January 1795Third Partition of Poland
Qianlong China (Qing dynasty)Emperor of China9 February 1796Jiaqing
Rana Bahadur ShahKing of Nepal8 March 1799Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah
Charles Emmanuel IVKing of Sardinia4 June 1802Victor Emmanuel I
Francis IIHoly Roman Emperor6 August 1806Empire collapsed
Charles IVKing of Spain19 March 1808Ferdinand VII
Ferdinand VIIKing of Spain6 May 1808Joseph I
Gustav IV AdolfKing of Sweden29 March 1809Charles XIII
Louis Bonaparte Kingdom of HollandKing of Holland2 July 1810Napoléon Louis Bonaparte
Joseph IKing of Spain11 December 1813Ferdinand VII
Frederick VINorwayKing of Norway14 January 1814Christian Frederick
Napoleon IEmperor of the French11 April 1814Bourbon Restoration
Christian FrederickNorwayKing of Norway10 October 1814Charles II
KōkakuJapanEmperor of Japan7 May 1817Ninkō
Victor Emmanuel IKing of Sardinia13 March 1821Charles Felix
Pedro IVKing of Portugal28 May 1826Maria II
Charles XKing of France2 August 1830Louis Philippe I
Louis XIXKing of France2 August 1830Louis Philippe I
Pedro IEmperor of Brazil7 April 1831Pedro II
King of Portugal26 May 1834Maria II
William IKing of the Netherlands7 October 1840William II
Rajendra Bikram ShahKing of Nepal12 May 1847Surendra Bikram Shah
Louis PhilippeKing of the French24 February 1848Monarchy abolished
Ferdinand IEmperor of Austria2 December 1848Franz Joseph I
Charles IIDuke of Parma14 March 1849Charles III
Charles AlbertKing of Sardinia23 March 1849Victor Emmanuel II
Leopold II Grand Duchy of TuscanyGrand Duke of Tuscany21 July 1859Ferdinand IV
Isabella II SpainQueen of Spain25 June 1870Amadeo I
Amadeo I SpainKing of Spain11 February 1873Monarchy abolished
Milan IIKing of Serbia6 March 1889Alexander I
LiliuokalaniQueen of Hawaii24 January 1895
(relinquished power on 17 January 1893)		Monarchy abolished
Oscar IIKing of Norway26 October 1905
SunjongEmperor of KoreaAnnexed by Japan
Xuantong China (Qing dynasty)Emperor of China12 February 1912Monarchy abolished
Hongxian Empire of ChinaEmperor of China22 March 1916Monarchy abolished
Nicholas IIEmperor of Russia15 March 1917Monarchy abolished
Ferdinand ITsar of the Bulgarians3 October 1918 Boris III
Wilhelm IIGerman Emperor and King of Prussia9 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Marie-AdélaïdeGrand Duchess of Luxembourg14 January 1919Charlotte
Constantine IKing of the Hellenes27 September 1922 George II
HusseinKing of Hejaz3 October 1924Ali
Taimur bin Feisal OmanSultan of Oman10 February 1932Said bin Taimur
Prajadhipok ThailandKing of Siam2 March 1935Ananda Mahidol
Edward VIIIKing of the United Kingdom11 December 1936George VI
Carol IIKing of Romania6 September 1940 Michael I
Rezā Shāh IranShah of Iran16 September 1941Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Bảo Đại VietnamEmperor of Vietnam25 August 1945Monarchy abolished
Victor Emmanuel IIIKing of Italy9 May 1946 Umberto II
Michael IKing of Romania30 December 1947Monarchy abolished
WilhelminaQueen of the Netherlands4 September 1948Juliana
Leopold IIIKing of the Belgians16 July 1951 Baudouin
Farouk IKing of Egypt26 July 1952 Fuad II
Talal JordanKing of Jordan11 August 1952 Hussein
Norodom SihanoukKing of Cambodia3 March 1955 Norodom Suramarit
Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani QatarEmir of Qatar24 October 1960Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani
Saud Saudi ArabiaKing of Saudi Arabia2 November 1964 Faisal
CharlotteGrand Duchess of Luxembourg12 November 1964Jean
Mohammed Zahir ShahKing of Afghanistan24 August 1973Monarchy abolished
Sisavang VatthanaKing of Laos2 December 1975Monarchy abolished
JulianaQueen of the Netherlands30 April 1980Beatrix
Letsie III LesothoKing of Lesotho[1] 25 January 1995 Moshoeshoe II
JeanGrand Duke of Luxembourg7 October 2000Henri
Norodom Sihanouk CambodiaKing of Cambodia7 October 2004Norodom Sihamoni
Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah KuwaitEmir of Kuwait24 January 2006Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Jigme Singye Wangchuck BhutanKing of Bhutan9 December 2006Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
Benedict XVIPope28 February 2013Francis
BeatrixQueen of the Netherlands30 April 2013Willem-Alexander
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani QatarEmir of Qatar25 June 2013Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Albert IIKing of the Belgians21 July 2013Philippe
Juan Carlos I SpainKing of Spain19 June 2014Felipe VI
Muhammad V
 MalaysiaKing of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia)6 January 2019Abdullah
Akihito JapanEmperor of Japan30 April 2019Naruhito
Margrethe II DenmarkQueen of Denmark14 January 2024[2] Frederik X[3]

Subnational monarchs

RulerCountryPositionAbdication dateSuccessor/Fate
Fulk VCounty of AnjouCount of Anjou2 June 1129Geoffrey V
Amadeus VIIIDuke of Savoy5 February 1440Louis I
Hassan XMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1701Ibrahim Muzhir Al-Din I
Amina IMaldive IslandsSultana of the Maldive Islands1754Amina II
AlexanderPrincipality of Bayreuth
Principality of Ansbach		Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth2 December 1791Sold to Prussia
Günther Friedrich Karl IPrincipality of Schwarzburg-SondershausenPrince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen19 August 1835Günther Friedrich Karl II
Ludwig IKing of Bavaria21 March 1848Maximilian II
KarlPrince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen27 August 1848Karl Anton
JosephDuke of Saxe-Altenburg30 November 1848Georg
Bernhard IIDuke of Saxe-Meiningen20 September 1866Georg II
Shō TaiKing of Ryukyu16 October 1872Annexed by Japan
Günther Friedrich Karl IIPrincipality of Schwarzburg-SondershausenPrince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen17 July 1880Charles Gonthier
Ibrahim NooraddeenMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1886Muhammad Mueenuddeen I
AlexanderPrince of Bulgaria7 September 1886Ferdinand I
Muhammad Mueenuddeen IMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1888Ibrahim Nooraddeen
Muhammad Imaaduddeen VMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1893Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
Muhammad Shamsuddeen IIIMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1893Muhammad Imaaduddeen VI
Rama Varma XVKingdom of CochinMaharaja of CochinDecember 1914Rama Varma XVI
Ernest AugustusDuke of Brunswick8 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Ernest LouisGrand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine9 November 1918Monarchy abolished
William ErnestGrand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach9 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Bernhard IIIDuke of Saxe-Meiningen10 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Heinrich XXIVPrincipality of Reuss-GreizPrince Reuss of Greiz10 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Frederick Augustus IIGrand Duke of Oldenburg11 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Heinrich XXVIIPrince Reuss Younger Line11 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Joachim ErnstDuke of Anhalt12 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Leopold IVPrincipality of LippePrince of Lippe12 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Ludwig IIIKing of Bavaria13 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Frederick Augustus IIIKing of Saxony13 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Ernst IIDuke of Saxe-Altenburg13 November 1918Monarchy abolished
FriedrichPrincipality of Waldeck and PyrmontPrince of Waldeck and Pyrmont13 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Frederick Francis IVGrand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin14 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Charles EdwardDuke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha14 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Adolf IIPrince of Schaumburg-Lippe15 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Frederick IIGrand Duke of Baden22 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Günther VictorPrincipality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen		Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen22 November 1918Monarchy abolished
William IIKing of Württemberg30 November 1918Monarchy abolished
Hassan Nooraddeen IIMaldive IslandsSultan of the Maldive Islands1943Abdul Majeed Didi
Charles Vyner BrookeRajah of Sarawak1 July 1946 Monarchy abolished
Omar Ali Saifuddien IIISultan of Brunei4 October 1967Hassanal Bolkiah
Ahmad ShahSultan of Pahang11 January 2019Abdullah

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: King Letsie III Bio | Help Lesotho . 12 February 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130412034323/http://helplesotho.org/index.php/who-we-are/the-team/king-letsie-iii/king-letsie-iii-bio/ . 12 April 2013 .
  2. News: 2023-12-31 . Queen Margrethe II: Danish monarch announces abdication live on TV. 2023-12-31.
  3. Web site: 2024-01-14 . Her er kong Frederiks valgsprog – TV 2 . 2024-01-14 . nyheder.tv2.dk . da-DK.

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