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Suthan Krishnarajan

Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe

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Standard

Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. / Kokkonen, Andrej; Krishnarajan, Suthan; Møller, Jørgen et al.

In: The Journal of Politics, Vol. 83, No. 4, 10.2021, p. 1246-1259.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Kokkonen, A, Krishnarajan, S, Møller, J & Sundell, A 2021, 'Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe', The Journal of Politics, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 1246-1259. https://doi.org/10.1086/715065

APA

Kokkonen, A., Krishnarajan, S., Møller, J., & Sundell, A. (2021). Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. The Journal of Politics, 83(4), 1246-1259. https://doi.org/10.1086/715065

CBE

Kokkonen A, Krishnarajan S, Møller J, Sundell A. 2021. Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. The Journal of Politics. 83(4):1246-1259. https://doi.org/10.1086/715065

MLA

Kokkonen, Andrej et al. "Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe". The Journal of Politics. 2021, 83(4). 1246-1259. https://doi.org/10.1086/715065

Vancouver

Kokkonen A, Krishnarajan S, Møller J, Sundell A. Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. The Journal of Politics. 2021 Oct;83(4):1246-1259. Epub 2021. doi: 10.1086/715065

Author

Kokkonen, Andrej ; Krishnarajan, Suthan ; Møller, Jørgen et al. / Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. In: The Journal of Politics. 2021 ; Vol. 83, No. 4. pp. 1246-1259.

Bibtex

@article{a504738473324edfa30a4badecf32c86,
title = "Blood is Thicker than Water:: Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe",
abstract = "Are large families a liability or an asset for an autocratic ruler? In this article, we show that in medieval and early modern Europe, relatives protected monarchs from challenges from their elite groups, thus reducing their risk of being deposed. Women reduced the risk of both depositions from outside and from within the family, whereas men primarily reduced the risk of outside depositions (as well as the risk of civil wars breaking out). This is demonstrated in a statistical analysis of 27 European monarchies spanning the time period 1000–1799, which enlists new data on royal offspring, siblings, and paternal uncles and aunts. These findings not only elucidate power dynamics in the medieval and early modern world of dynastic politics but also have implications for present-day authoritarian states where institutions are weak and personal relationships retain their importance.",
keywords = "CONFLICT, DEPENDENCE, POWER, RISE, STABILITY, TIME, authoritarianism, delegation, family, leader survival, monarchy",
author = "Andrej Kokkonen and Suthan Krishnarajan and J{\o}rgen M{\o}ller and Anders Sundell",
year = "2021",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1086/715065",
language = "English",
volume = "83",
pages = "1246--1259",
journal = "Journal of Politics",
issn = "0022-3816",
publisher = "The University of Chicago Press",
number = "4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood is Thicker than Water:

T2 - Family Size and Leader Deposition in Medieval and Early Modern Europe

AU - Kokkonen, Andrej

AU - Krishnarajan, Suthan

AU - Møller, Jørgen

AU - Sundell, Anders

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Are large families a liability or an asset for an autocratic ruler? In this article, we show that in medieval and early modern Europe, relatives protected monarchs from challenges from their elite groups, thus reducing their risk of being deposed. Women reduced the risk of both depositions from outside and from within the family, whereas men primarily reduced the risk of outside depositions (as well as the risk of civil wars breaking out). This is demonstrated in a statistical analysis of 27 European monarchies spanning the time period 1000–1799, which enlists new data on royal offspring, siblings, and paternal uncles and aunts. These findings not only elucidate power dynamics in the medieval and early modern world of dynastic politics but also have implications for present-day authoritarian states where institutions are weak and personal relationships retain their importance.

AB - Are large families a liability or an asset for an autocratic ruler? In this article, we show that in medieval and early modern Europe, relatives protected monarchs from challenges from their elite groups, thus reducing their risk of being deposed. Women reduced the risk of both depositions from outside and from within the family, whereas men primarily reduced the risk of outside depositions (as well as the risk of civil wars breaking out). This is demonstrated in a statistical analysis of 27 European monarchies spanning the time period 1000–1799, which enlists new data on royal offspring, siblings, and paternal uncles and aunts. These findings not only elucidate power dynamics in the medieval and early modern world of dynastic politics but also have implications for present-day authoritarian states where institutions are weak and personal relationships retain their importance.

KW - CONFLICT

KW - DEPENDENCE

KW - POWER

KW - RISE

KW - STABILITY

KW - TIME

KW - authoritarianism

KW - delegation

KW - family

KW - leader survival

KW - monarchy

U2 - 10.1086/715065

DO - 10.1086/715065

M3 - Journal article

VL - 83

SP - 1246

EP - 1259

JO - Journal of Politics

JF - Journal of Politics

SN - 0022-3816

IS - 4

ER -