Kings

A king is a male monarch, typically of a kingdom or empire. The term refers to the male sovereign ruler of a state or territory, and is distinguished from other titles such as emperor, prince, or duke, often by either the size of the territory ruled or by the prestige of the position. The term king is derived from the Old English cyning, which itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic *kuningaz. In Hebrew, the word for king is melech (מלך), while in Arabic, it is malik (ملك). In many cultures, kingship is hereditary, often following the principle of primogeniture, but other succession methods, such as election or selection, have also been used. Historically, kings have held a variety of powers, including military command, legislative authority, and the right to levy taxes. In modern contexts, many kings retain ceremonial and symbolic roles, with actual governing power vested in elected officials or other bodies.