What Is A Regicide?
Regicide, as with any term ending in “cide” has to do with death or ending something, depending on the prefix. So, regicide refers to the death or killing of someone who is regal or is a regent. In the most common sense, regicide refers to the murder of a monarch, a king or queen. There is another meaning for this term, however, as some have used it to describe the person who commits or is the victim of the act.
In either case, there have been a number of instances of regicide throughout history, as men and women battled for power and control of the riches of a country. In some cases, the term applies to the death of monarchs who were killed after certain legal action was taken to formally remove them from the throne. Mary Queen of Scots and Charles I were both killed in actions that qualify as regicide. One was the victim of a single person ordered the death, the other was killed through the actions of a group conspiracy.
Sometimes the citizens of a country have benefitted greatly from a regicide, as a tyrant is removed from the throne and a more beneficent ruler takes the position. In other situations, the country is more violent and more chaotic, which results in poverty conditions for a large number of people.
Of course the death of the Tsar of Russia, Nicholas, would be considered a regicide, as he was killed along with his family during the Bolshevik Revolution. Kings have been killed in France, African countries and other nations as well, all of which fall under the heading of regicide.
The word regicide has roots in the Latin “rex” or “regis” which refers to a king or monarch. The last portion of the word “cide” comes via a long route from “caedere” which means to kill. The word has been applied to legendary kings as well, as many who are familiar with the Arthurian legend know that the young king was the target of regicide plans.
The act can be considered a supreme criminal act, even an act against God since kings and queens generally rule by divine right. This relationship between monarchs and various gods, in many cultures, dates back many centuries, with kings and queens in such countries as England, France and Spain regularly invoking the divine right of kings during their reign.
This meant that regicide was punished severely, as opposed to the punishment that might be dealt out for the killing of a commoner or a lesser noble who lived at court. One of the more interesting and complex regicides was that of Charles I, because when many of those guilty of acts of treason and opposition to the government were pardoned. However, those involved in the Charles I conspiracy were not. Ten of these were immediately convicted and hanged.
Regicide is often associated with early history and medieval times, but there have been several instances in the 20th century, including two since 1975.
Category: History, Government & Society