Regnal name

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:PopeBenedict16th.jpg A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by some popes and monarchs during their reigns. Since mediaeval times, monarchs have frequently chosen to use a name different from their own personal name (and therefore the regnal name is technically a pseudonym) when they inherit a throne.

The new name (or sometimes the old one, confirmed) is followed by an ordinal to give a unique name for the period when the monarch is on the throne. However, in the case of a personal union, the same ruler may carry different ordinals in each state, as they are each assigned chronologically; but some may have more precursors of the same Christian name (usually from a different dynasty).

In parts of Asia, monarchs take era names. Even where that is not the case, rulers may — instead of a whole dynasty, as is the case with Georgian, referring to several Georges of the Hanoverian dynasty — become eponymous of their age, e.g. in Britain: Victorian (even applied to the rest of the world, and less correctly to its alleged prudish mentality), Edwardian.

Contents

[edit]

Ancient rulers

Ancient rulers in many parts of the world took regnal names or throne names which were different from their personal name. This is known to be true, for instance, of several kings of Assyria, and appears to be the case for several Kings of Judah. In Ancient Egypt, Pharaohs took a number of names. Although their personal name was usually among those used, another name, the Praenomen, was the most commonly used.

[edit]

East Asia

In parts of Asia, it is more a rule than an exception that monarchs take additional names when ascending, and quite often discard the name they were known as princes. Often, already the reign name is different from his childhood name, and a new temple name could be assumed. A posthumous name is sometimes accorded a deceased monarch. See, for example, the list of Emperors of Japan.

[edit]

Roman Catholic Church

Immediately after a new pope is elected, and accepts the election, the man is asked by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, "By what name shall you be called?" The man chooses the name that he will be known as from that point on.

During the first centuries of the church, men elected Bishop of Rome used their baptismal names even after their elections. The custom of choosing a new name began in AD 533 with the election of Mercurius. He had been named after the Roman god Mercury. Mercurius decided that it would not be appropriate for a pope to be named after a Roman god, so he decreed that he would be known as John II. Since that time the pope has customarily chosen a new name for himself during his Pontificate; however, until the 16th century some men used their baptismal names.

The last pope to use his baptismal name was Pope Marcellus II. The names chosen by popes are not based on any system other than general honorifics. They have been based on immediate predecessors, mentors, political similarity, or even after family members — as was the case with Pope John XXIII. The practice of a man using his baptismal name as pope has not been ruled out and future popes could elect to continue using their baptismal names after being elected pope.

Often the man's choice of name upon being elected to the papacy is seen as a signal to the world of who the new pope will emulate, what policies he'll enact, or even the length of his reign. Such is the case with Benedict XVI - it was speculated that he chose the name because he wished to emulate the last Pope Benedict, and to also call attention to the fact that Benedict XV's reign was a relatively short one.

There has never been a Pope Peter II. Even though there is no specific prohibition against doing so, men elected to the Papacy have refrained from doing so. This is because of a tradition that only Saint Peter should have that honor. In the 10th century John XIV used the regnal name John because his given name was Peter. However several antipopes have taken the name Peter II, but their claims are not recognized and their following is so small as to be nearly non-existent.

Because of Antipope John XXIII, men avoided taking the regnal name John for over 600 years until the election of John XXIII.

In 1978, Albino Luciani became the first pope to use two names for his regnal name when he took the name John Paul I. He did this to honor both John XXIII and Paul VI. With the unexpected death of John Paul I a little over a month later, Karol Wojtyla took the name John Paul II to honor his immediate predecessor.

Antipopes also have regnal names, and also use the ordinal to show their position in the line of previous pontiffs with their names. For example, Lucian Pulvermacher took the name Pius XIII when he had been named pope by the True Catholic Church sect. If a future legitimate pope takes the name that the antipope used, the antipope would have no bearing on what ordinal the new pope used. Such would be the case if a future pope took the name Pius, as he would then be known as Pius XIII.

[edit]

United Kingdom

Image:George VI.jpg The monarchs in the United Kingdom have on three occasions used regnal names different from their first baptismal names.

Queen Victoria was christened Alexandrina Victoria, but was styled Princess Victoria from birth and took the throne under that name.

Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, her son, took the regnal name Edward VII when he became King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1901. This was in defiance of the wish of his late mother that her descendants would rule as double-barrelled Albert Edwards, Albert Victors, etc., indefinitely. The new King declared that he chose the name Edward as an honored name borne by six of his predecessors, and that he did not wish to diminish the status of his father with whom alone among royalty the name Albert should be associated. It is likely that personal conflicts with his parents influenced the king's decision,

In 1936, after the abdication crisis, Prince Albert, Duke of York, assumed the throne as King George VI. This was an effort to reinforce the stability of the monarchy, by using the name of his father King George V, as well as to continue Edward VII's tradition of not being King Albert.

However most British monarchs use their first baptismal name as their regnal name. When Princess Elizabeth as Heir Presumptive became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1952, she was asked what name she wished to use, and she responded, "Why, my own name; what else?" There had been speculation that she would leave the name Elizabeth as the unique possession of the earlier monarch who, as a consequence of the accession of Elizabeth II, has been since 1952 known as Elizabeth I of England. Had Elizabeth II not used that name, she might have taken the name of her grandmother, the queen consort Queen Mary, and reigned as Queen Mary III. (Her given names are Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.)

It is rumoured that Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor) wishes to assume the regnal name of "George VII" upon his accession to the throne, in light of the unpopularity of the two previous British kings who reigned using the name Charles. Charles I was beheaded for treason, and his son Charles II is not remembered fondly. The regnal name George is dynastically acceptable to the Windsor family. It is also rumoured that Prince William of Wales will take a regnal name different from his own, as would Prince Harry in the event that he would assume the throne. Both Charles and William have a middle name "Arthur", leading some to suggest that a real king of that mythical name might reign some day.

[edit]

Regnal names in fiction

[edit]

See also

de:Papstname fr:Nom_de_règne_des_papes

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/Regnal_name"