Coronation

A coronation is the crowning of a monarch in the old styles of tradition. Many nations like the Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Great Britain, still provide coronations to their incoming monarchs. However, others, such as the Kingdom of America, simply has the monarch take a Royal Oath and be declared rather than coronated. The ritual of coronation has increasingly been seen as outdated, with many people preferring a monarch more closely tied with the common people.

History

The styles of coronations date back centuries, and vary by culture throughout the world. Nations such as Spain and Holland initially had coronations, but have since abandoned the practice. In Europe, only the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Empire of Russia still hold traditional coronations. As an alternative, the other nations hold investitures and a swearing in ceremony.

Execution

Many coronations are coupled as religious affairs, such as with Great Britain wherein the monarch is the head of the state church. This has been criticised by a growing secular mindset, and has been abandoned by most nations. A notable exception is the Empire of Brazil, who still holds religious coronations and anointments, despite not having a state church, but as a symbol of the nation's predominant catholic population.

Participants

Many coronations were participated by the leading member of the nation's religion, such as the Church of England in Great Britain, or the most dominant faith, such as the Orthodox Church in Russia and the Catholic Church in Brazil. This purpose is to hold the monarch as a devout defender of the faith as well as reigning monarch. The head of the church typically christens the monarch with holy oils. This has been criticised around the world as favoring one faith over those of minority religions, and many nations have wording in their oaths specifically stating to defend the right of free practice of religion of all subjects.