King

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In Amtgard

N. The Highest level of Official in a Kingdom; otherwise known as the Monarch.

The King (Also sometimes called Emperor, Shogun, Rex, etc) is responsible for all Kingdom Issues, as well as handing out awards. See the Corpora for specific duties, and responsibilities for the King specific to your locality. If this highest official is a woman, then Queen can be used instead.

In history

A king is a head of state, who may or may not, depending on the style of government of a nation, exercise monarchal powers over a territory, usually called a kingdom or a realm. A king is the second highest sovereign title, surpassed only by emperor. The female equivalent of King is Queen; although the term "queen" may refer to one ruling as a monarch in her own right, a queen regnant, or to the wife of a king, a queen consort. The husband of a queen regnant is sometimes styled the king consort but is more commonly styled the prince consort. A king or queen may wear a crown or carry other regalia (symbols of office).

Historically the term "king" has been used for the rulers of very small peoples and territories. Such a king (Sumerian lugal, Semitic sharrum, Latin rex, Greek basileus, Sanskrit raja, Germanic kuningaz) could be a tribal leader or chief, or the tyrant of a city state. Often, the king will not only have a political function, but the same time a religious one, acting as high priest or divine king.

Tribal leaders continue to be referred to as king also into the modern period, e.g. Maquinna, king of perhaps 2000 Nootka people in the early 20th century .

Historical Kings

According to legend, Sceaf was washed up on the shore as a child in an empty boat, and was later chosen as king. He was the possibly fictitious first king of the Angles, part of the "Anglo-Saxon" mix. Counting up the generations appears to place him in the late 2nd century BC, at the time that Angeln and surrounding regions had recently become depopulated following the migrations of the Cimbri and Teutones, although the legendary nature of the pedigree makes such chronological extrapolations dubious.

Kutik-Inshushinak was king of Elam from about 2240 to 2220 BC , and the last from the Awan dynasty. His father was Shinpi-khish-khuk the crown prince, and most likely a brother of king Khita. Elam had been under the domination of Akkad since the time of Sargon, and Kutik-Inshushinak accordingly campaigned in the Zagros mountains on their behalf. He was greatly successful as his conquests seem to have gone beyond the initial mission. In 2240 BC, he asserted his independence from Akkad, which had been weakening ever since the death of Naram-Sin, thus making himself king of Elam. He conquered Anshan and managed to unite most of Elam into one kingdom. He built extensively on the citadel at Susa, and encouraged the use of the Linear Elamite script to write the Elamite language. This may be seen as a reaction against Sargon's attempt to force the use of Akkadian. Most inscriptions in Linear Elamite date from the reign of Kutik-Inshushinak. His achievements were not long lasting, for after his death the linear script fell into disuse, and Elam was overrun by the Guti.

In Nguni legend, Mnguni was the founder of the Nguni nation in Southern Africa. Mnguni's name derives from the word Nguni, the name for the majority ethnicity in South Africa. It includes the Zulus, Swazis, Ndebeles, and Xhosas, among others. Most of the different Nguni nations trace their lineage to Mnguni, the king of the unified (pre-Zulu, pre-Xhosa, pre-Swazi, and pre-Ndebele) Nguni nation in South Africa. He is said to have come from North East Africa about 1000 years ago.

Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada (died 695) was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He became King of Brega and High King in 675, after killing his predecessor, and first cousin, Cenn Fáelad in battle at Aircheltra. In 688 Fínsnechta abdicated to become a monk, but he left the clerical life and resumed the kingship in 689. This return to power may have been a result of the breakout of a civil war among the Síl nÁedo Sláine. He is the last high King of Ireland. His sons were killed after he died and his clan faded into history.

Alaric, whose name means literally "king of all" was well-born, his father kindred to the Balti, a tribe competing with the Amali among Gothic fighters. He belonged to the western Gothic branch, the Visigoths. At the time of his birth the Visigoths dwelt in Bulgaria, having fled beyond the wide estuary marshes of the Danube to its southern shore so as not to be followed by their foes from the steppe, the Huns. Over his life time he traveled to Rome, Greece, and Invaded Italy twice. His son followed him to the throne, beginning the line of hereditary king of the Goths.

Proper address

As with any Kingdom Monarch, they are referred to a "His Royal Majesty, Sir Rift Gorhan Tele, Emperor of the Iron Mountains". When speaking to them specifically you should call them "Your Majesty".