FX.co ★ 5 most well-known dynasties

House of Bourbon

The House of Bourbon is one of the oldest European dynasties. It is a branch of the Capetian dynasty, which originated from Robert of Clermont, the youngest son of King Louis IX of France, in 1272. The history of the Bourbon family dates back to Louis I, Duke of Bourbon, who ruled in 1327-1342. Members of this house held thrones in France, Spain, and Italy. They were also dukes of Parma, and kings of Naples, Sicily, and Etruria. The living descendants of the Bourbon House rule Spain and Luxembourg.

House of Windsor

The House of Windsor is a British royal dynasty. It has held the throne since 1901. It used to be known as the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha until 1917. Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II, and Charles III have been the monarchs of the dynasty. The House of Windsor was founded by George V on July 17, 1917. The previous name of the dynasty, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was of German origin. The monarch had to change it due to high anti-German sentiment among people during World War I. In the early 19th century, the country was ruled by monarchs from the House of Hanover, which originated after the death of Queen Anne of England in 1714. In 1820, after the death of George III, his granddaughter Victoria, Prince Edward’s daughter, ascended the throne. Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in British history. During her sovereignty, dozens of prime ministers came and went, the Empire turned into the Commonwealth, and the country joined and withdrew from the European Union. After the queen’s death, her son Charles III ascended the throne.

Ming Dynasty

This dynasty was founded by Zhu Yuanzhang. Its members ruled China between 1368 and 1644. Notably, it is considered the last ethnic Chinese dynasty. The Ming family became a successor of the Mongol-led Yuna dynasty. The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang is called the Great Ming. It turned out to be the most stable period in China. The economy expanded rapidly. The country established relations and trade with other nations. The Ming dynasty incubated the first sprouts of capitalism and saw the development of commodity-money relations. The first factories opened, and production volumes of various goods increased during the Ming dynasty. Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, the first economic and cultural centers, came along. Later, the Ming dynasty was succeeded by the Qing dynasty.

House of Tudor

The House of Tudor was an English royal house of Welsh origin that held the throne from 1485 to 1603 after succeeding the House of York. The reign of the Tudors was a transition period in British history. At that time, Western Europe shifted from the ideals of the Middle Ages toward those of the Modern Era. Members of the Tudor House introduced changes in public administration, economic and trade relations as well as religion. The founding father of the dynasty, Henry VII, reigned between 1485 and 1509. His father was a member of a Welsh aristocratic family. His mother was a descendant of the Lancastrian branch of the House of Plantagenet. Tudor kings and queens were also Henry VIII (1509-1547), Edward VI (1547-1553), Mary I (1553-1558), and Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Members of this family are among the most well-known English monarchs.

House of Romanov

The Romanovs are a Russian boyar family that originated in the late 16th century. The reign of the Romanov dynasty began when Michael I (Mikhail Fyodorovich) ascended the throne in 1613 and ended with the last Emperor of Russia, Nicolas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich), in 1917. Since 1721, members of the House of Romanov had borne titles of the Emperors of all Russia, Kings of Poland, Grand Dukes of Lithuania and Finland, Dukes of Oldenburg and Holstein-Gottorp. Notably, abroad, there are still living descendants of the Romanovs. Some 200 of them have royal titles. However, were the monarchy to be restored in Russia, neither of them would have the right to claim the Russian throne. The House of Romanov has connections with almost all the royal dynasties of the world.