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Royalty in the 20th Century (Part 1)

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At the dawn of the 20th century, Queen Victoria still reigned over the British Empire. Russia was ruled by an all-powerful tsar. China had an emperor, as did Ethiopia and Germany. Greece, Italy and Portugal all had kings. Serbia was an independent kingdom. The kingdom of Jordan did not yet exist.

Obviously, a lot has changed in 100 years. Yet royalty plays a larger role in the modern world than you might think. Who are today's monarchs, and how did they manage to emerge from the tumult of the 20th century with their crowns intact?

BAHRAIN has been ruled by the al Khalifa dynasty since 1783. It became a British protectorate in the 19th century, and declared its independence in 1971. The country is a traditional monarchy with no political parties or elections. It did briefly have a constitution which allowed for an elected parliament, but both were suspended in 1975. The emir, Sheik Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, died suddenly of a heart attack on March 6, 1999. He was 66 years old and had ruled Bahrain since 1961. His son, 49-year-old Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, immediately assumed the throne.

BELGIUM: When Germany invaded Belgium in 1914, King Albert I took personal command of his army. Finally, in 1918, with the help of French and British forces, Albert defeated the Germans at the Battle of Flanders and drove them out of Belgium. His son and successor, Leopold III, cooperated with the Nazis during World War II and became so unpopular that he was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Baudouin. King Baudouin died in 1993 and was succeeded by his brother, King Albert II, who continues to reign today. The king of Belgium does not actually govern and cannot take any official action without the approval of a minister.

BHUTAN's king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, assumed the throne in 1974. He is the fourth king in the Wangchuck dynasty, which was established in 1907 when his great-grandfather was elected to the position of absolute monarch. Today's king has been moving the country toward a more democratic form of government. The king has said, "A monarchy is not the best form government because a king is chosen by birth and not by merit. The people of Bhutan must be able to establish a system which works for them."

BRUNEI has been ruled since 1967 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, whose royal dynasty dates back to the 4th century. Once a British protectorate, Brunei became independent in 1984. The sultan controls all branches of Brunei's government and is also the country's religious leader. The country's oil reserves have made the sultan of Brunei the world's wealthiest head of state, with a fortune estimated at $30 billion.

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