King

A king is a special title for a male ruler of a country. He is the leader of a land and its people. He might have full power to make decisions, or his power might be limited by laws or a group of leaders called a parliament.

The title of king is used all over the world. In some places, rulers have other titles, such as emperor, grand prince, archduke, or grand duke in the West, and malik, sultan, emir, or hakim in Islamic countries. Sometimes, the husband of a ruling queen is also called a king. This is known as a king consort, though he is more often titled a prince consort.

Kings have played big roles in history. They have made laws, led groups of soldiers, and helped build wonderful cities and cultures. Even today, some countries still have kings, though their jobs are now often more about symbols than real power. Learning about kings helps us understand the past and how people lived long ago.

Etymology

The word king comes from an old English word called cyning, which means “ruler” or “leader.” It comes from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, kuningaz. Many languages have similar words for king, like Dutch koning, Old Norse konungr, Danish konge, and German König.

We’re not exactly sure where the word kuningaz came from, but one idea is that it might be linked to the old English word cynn, meaning “family” or “race.” This would mean that a king was once thought of as the “leader of the kin” or the “head of the people.” Another idea is that it might have meant someone “of noble descent,” connecting kings to special or royal families.

Further information: [Rex (title)](/wiki/Rex_(title) and Knyaz

Current kings

Further information: List of current sovereign monarchs, List of current reigning monarchies, and List of current constituent monarchs

As of 2023, there are eighteen kings who lead different countries. Most of these kings share power with elected governments. However, some kings, like the King of Saudi Arabia and the King of Eswatini, have full control over their nations.