Interregnum
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An '''interregnum''' is a period between monarchs, between Pope|popes of the Roman Catholic Church, or between consul|consuls of the Roman Republic. It can also refer to the period between the pastorates of ministers in some Protestant churches, or generally, any gap in the continuity of a government, organization, or social order.
Particular historical periods known as interregna include:
The 1254-1273 period in the Holy Roman Empire between the end of Hohenstaufen rule and the beginning of Habsburg rule.
List of Monarchs of Scotland
First Scottish Interregnum 1290-1292
Second Scottish Interregnum 1296-1306
The 1332-1340 period in Denmark when the country was mortgaged to a few German counts.
The 1383-1385 Crisis in Portugal
The 1402-1413 Ottoman Interregnum
The 1481–1483 in Norway
The English Interregnum from 1649–1660 was a republican period in Britain, comprising the Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth and the the Protectorate|Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell after the regicide of Charles I of England|Charles I and before the English Restoration|restoration of Charles II of England|Charles II
In some monarchies, such as the United Kingdom, an interregnum is usually avoided due to a rule described as "the king is dead, long live the king", i.e. the heir to the throne becomes a new monarch immediately on his predecessor's death or abdication. This is not so in other monarchies where the new monarch's reign begins only with coronation or some other formal or traditional event. In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for instance, kings were elected, which often led to relatively long interregna. During that time it was the Polish Primate (religion)|primate who served as an interrex (ruler between kings).
An interregnum occurs also upon the death of the Roman Catholic Pope, though this is generally known as a ''sede vacante'' (vacant seat). The interregnum ends immediately upon Papal election|election of the new Pope by the College of Cardinals.
See also
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Interregnum of Severus, see also Libius Severus
Saxon Interregnum
Regent
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