regent

Other Definitions
regent (dict)

For the insecticide 'Regent', see Regent (insecticide)

A regent is an acting governor. In a monarchy, a regent usually rules due to the actual monarch's absence, incapacity, or minority. In the case of Finland and Hungary, military officers served as regents in the absence of a monarch, while in Iceland, the regent represented the King of Denmark as sovereign of Iceland until the country became a republic in 1944. In San Marino, an independent republic surrounded within Italy, the 'Captains Regent', or Capitani Reggenti, are two officials elected as joint heads of state. In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth kings were elected, which often led to relatively long interregna periods. It was the Polish primate (religion) who served as a regent, known at that time as an interrex (ruler between kings). Occasionally, the term regent refers to positions lower than the ruler of a country; for instance, some university managers in North America are called regents. In Indonesia, the term regent is used in English to mean a bupati or local government official.

Examples of regents in various countries :

It should be noted that those who held a regency briefly, for example during surgery, are not necessarily listed, particularly if they performed no official acts; this list is also not complete.

China

See Empress dowager and Grand Empress Dowager
2nd Prince Chun between 1908 and 1911 for Emperor Xuantong (aka Puyi)

Egypt

Hatshepsut of Egypt for Thutmose III of Egypt

Finland

France

Anne of Kiev, during the minority of her son Philip I
Catherine de Medici:

While her husband Henry II of France left the kingdom for the campaign of Metz.
Later during the minority of her son Francis II of France
Again during the minority of her second son, Charles IX of France.

Anne of Austria, during the minority of Louis XIV
Philippe II of Orlans (1715-1723), during the minority of Louis XV; often called "the Regent", since he was the last regent of France. The related erea is commonly referred to as the Rgence.
Louis-Stanislas-Xavier, while living in exile, self-declared Regent for his nephew Louis XVII of France after the 1793 guillotining of King Louis XVI.
Empress Eugenie, three times for her husband, Napoleon III

Liechtenstein

Alois is Regent from August 15, 2004.

Monaco

Prince Albert was Regent from March 31, 2005 to April 6, 2005, when he succeeded as Albert Ii of Monaco

Netherlands

Queen Emma, during the minority of her daughter Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Norway

King Magnus Eriksson after stepping down from the throne in favour of his son Haakon Magnusson
Crown Prince Haakon, during the illness of his father King Harald

Scotland

Mary of Guise, during the minority of her daughter Mary Stuart
James Stuart, 1st Earl of Moray, during the absence of his half-sister Mary Stuart
James Stuart, 1st Earl of Moray, then Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, then John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar then James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, all during the minority of James VI of Scotland

Spain

Cardinal Cisneros, twice regent of Spain in the late 15th and early 16th century.

Sweden

Sten Sture the Elder the longest serving regent during the Kalmar Union
Duke Charles after ousting the Catholic king Sigismund
Axel Oxenstierna during the minority of Christina of Sweden
Crown Prince Charles (Bernadotte) for his adoptive father Charles XIII

United Kingdom

Queen Caroline during the absence of her husband, George II, when he was on trips to Hanover.
George IV, Prince Regent during the incapacity of his father, George III.