Reign

Reign is the period during which a sovereign holds supreme authority in a state or territory. The term is typically associated with monarchs—kings, queens, emperors, and empresses—but can also apply to rulers who hold ceremonial powers in constitutional systems. A reign ends when the ruler dies, abdicates, is deposed, or when a dynasty passes into extinction.

Etymology traces the word reign to the Old French regne, from Latin regnum meaning kingdom, power, or rule. The verb to reign shares the same root and has been used in English since the Middle Ages to describe the exercise of sovereign authority.

Reigns vary widely in length, from brief interregnums or disputed successions to centuries-long dynasties. In many historical records, the length of a reign is used as an organizing measure for timelines and dynastic histories. Regencies occur when a ruler is unable to govern; a regent acts in the name of the monarch.

Reigns can shape state policy, culture, law, and foreign relations. The personal authority of a ruler, as well as the political structures that support or constrain that authority, determine the impact of a reign. In some contexts, the term is used to describe a particular era or period tied to a ruler’s influence.

In modern constitutional monarchies, the sovereign’s reign is largely symbolic, with real political power vested in elected bodies and appointed officials. The term remains common in historical writing to denote a specific era, such as “the reign of Queen Victoria” or “the reign of a dynasty.”