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{{Short description|Federation of states with a single main monarch and different state leaders}} 
{{distinguish|Federated state{{!}}Federated monarchy}}

{{Monarchism|expanded=types}}
{{Forms of government}}

A '''federal monarchy''' is a [[federation]] of [[Country|states]] with a single monarch as overall head of the federation, but retaining [[Non-sovereign monarchy|different monarchs]], or having a non-monarchical system of government, in the various states joined to the federation.

==As a term in political science==
The term was introduced into English political and historical discourse by [[Edward Augustus Freeman]], in his ''History of Federal Government'' (1863). Freeman himself thought a federal monarchy only possible in the abstract.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Freeman |first=Edward Augustus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9FYMAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22federal+Monarchy%22&pg=PA100 |title=History of Federal Government: From the Foundation of the Achaian League to the Disruption of the United States |date=1863 |publisher=Macmillan and Company |language=en}}</ref>

==Federal monarchies==

===Historically===
Historically, the most prominent example of a federal monarchy in the [[Western world]] was the [[German Empire]] (1871–1918) and, to a lesser extent, its predecessors ([[North German Confederation]] and [[German Confederation]]). The head of state of the federation was a monarch, the [[German Emperor]], who was also head of state of the largest constituent part to the federation as [[King of Prussia]]; other constituent monarchies, such as the kingdoms of [[Kingdom of Bavaria|Bavaria]], [[Kingdom of Saxony|Saxony]] and [[Kingdom of Württemberg|Württemberg]] and various grand duchies, duchies and principalities, retained their own monarchs and armies. Besides the 23 monarchies (22 constituent monarchies and the German emperor) there were also three republican [[city-state]]s – [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]], [[Hamburg]] and [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]] – and [[Alsace-Lorraine]], a semi-autonomous republic since 1912.

In the Eastern Hemisphere, an example is the system of government in [[Indian subcontinent|India]] in the 3rd century BCE [[Maurya Empire]], where regional rulers appointed by the emperor headed the regional administration that governed the distant regions of the empire. It was revived in 16th century under the rule of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Emperor [[Akbar]], in which the [[subah]]s (other than [[Delhi]]) were controlled by [[subahdar]]s appointed by the emperor and the regional kings. The emperor himself supervised the regional rulers and thus personally looked after the welfare of his people.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}{{dubious|date=September 2021}} The [[Sikh Empire]] of [[Punjab]] was also a federal monarchy in which [[misl]]dars and [[raja]]s controlled their respective misls and kingdoms under the [[Maharaja]] of Punjab.

The concept played a role in political debates in [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]] and [[Austria-Hungary]] in the nineteenth century and in [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] in the twentieth century, but it was not put into effect in any of the cases. For example, modern Italy had not unified until ''[[Risorgimento]]'' of the late 19th century, with the several smaller kingdoms, duchies, republics, etc., each headed by a different dynasty or ruling class, being disestablished in favor of a unitary monarchy under the house of Savoy.

===Currently===
Currently, the term can be applied in the fullest sense to the [[United Arab Emirates]] and [[Malaysia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Is Malaysia an Islamic state? - The Malaysian Bar |url=https://www.malaysianbar.org.my/article/news/press-statements/press-statements/is-malaysia-an-islamic-state |access-date=2023-12-26 |website=www.malaysianbar.org.my}}</ref> In both, the head of state of the entire federation is selected from among the heads of states ([[Emir]], [[Sultan]] or [[Raja]], respectively) who rule the [[Federated state|constituent states]] of the federation.

While not officially declared as such, [[Spain]] has been referred to as a federal monarchy, due to having many [[Autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous communities]] helmed by presidents who all answer to the [[Spanish crown]].<ref>Ronald L. Watts, ''Comparing Federal Systems''. McGill-Queen's University Press, 2003. {{ISBN|0-88911-835-3}}</ref> Officially, Spain is a unitary state displaying a high degree of [[devolution]].

Several [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|Communities, regions and language areas]] constitute the [[Kingdom of Belgium]], a federal state with a constitutional monarchy.

==List of federal monarchies ==
 
There are currently only two countries which qualify as federal monarchies in the sense of this article, where the sovereign of the nation is a different person from the sovereigns of constituent states.

{| class="wikitable"
!Federation!!Subdivisions!!Number of subdivisions!!Monarch!!Head of government
|-
|-
| {{flag|Malaysia}}
|[[States of Malaysia]]
|13 states and 3 federal territories
|{{align|center|[[Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor|Sultan Ibrahim III]]}}
|{{align|center|[[Anwar Ibrahim]]}}
|-
|-
| {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|[[Emirates of the United Arab Emirates]]
|7 emirates
|{{align|center|[[Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan]]}}
|{{align|center|[[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]]}}
|}

==See also==
* [[Form of government]]
* [[List of monarchies]]
* [[Federal republic]]
* [[Non-sovereign monarchy]]
* [[Vassal]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Autonomous types of first-tier administration}}
[[Category:Federalism|Monarchy]]
[[Category:Federal monarchies| ]]
[[Category:Monarchy]]