Regent is the one who actually controls

In church vocabulary the term "regent" is used. The same word is also used in politics, meaning the VRI of the monarch. The meaning of the regency is explained by the Latin source (regentis or regents), meaning "ruling" or "ruling". In the clergy and politicians, it means different things.

Church Regents

Manage the choir, conduct it and achieve the desired sound - it's not an easy thing. It is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the timbres of the voices of each of its participants, connecting in some places the scores of those who are at the moment most appropriate. Spiritual singing is very difficult in itself. Create a prayerful atmosphere in which each of the parishioners draws their soul to God - a real art that requires talent and inspiration. The church regent sets himself the task of forming a choir in this way, selecting the singers, teaching them the peculiarities of the vocals, and achieving a harmonious performance of quite complicated parts in the musical sense. Previously, before the XVIII century, this post was called otherwise - "charterer". The Russian root of the term meant the installation or statement of the whole part of the sacrament performed outside the altar. The choir's regent is a specialty that has always been taught in special classes (St. Petersburg) and the Moscow Synodal School of Church Singing. To enter these institutions, you need both outstanding musical data, and Orthodox beliefs, and true faith, without which it will not work.

Why there is no regency in democracy

It is possible to manage not only the church choir, but also the state, in particular, having a monarchical structure. Under the republican system, presidential-parliamentary or, conversely, parliamentary-presidential, all possible cases are taken into account by the constitution, that is the main law. In the event that the president can not perform his duties for some reason (for example, because of a serious illness or death), there will always be a high-level official who will assume responsibility for the fate of the country. Example: after the murder of JF Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, the vice president, almost immediately took the oath and began to act as head of state.

Regents under the monarchy

Another thing is if the power belongs to a monarchical dynasty according to the principle of divine origin (or any special relationship with the Most High) of its representatives. Here, say, the autocrat died (the king, the king, the sheik or the sultan), and elections are not stipulated by law, and the heir did not grow up to the throne, the scepter and the state. And in this case there is a way out. The regent of the Sultanate is that person who will rule (but not rule) in an exotic Asian or North African country until the legal heir is at the age of sixteen. The same was true (and in some states such arrangements have survived to this day with the kings) and European monarchies. But there were cases in history when quite adult autocrats attracted to the management of regents, for the good of the cause.

Superior Regents

Widowed after the death of Peter the Great, Catherine the First was forced to deal with public affairs. She did not have enough experience, she knew the country and even the Russian language at that time not well enough. But, being a smart woman, she realized that it would be a good thing to turn to a certain advisory body, through which it would be possible to make decisions, weighed and wise, taking into account all aspects of the arising problems. One regent is good, but where is the guarantee that he will show due competence in all matters? No, the body should be a collective, consisting of those statesmen who have shown themselves well with the late sovereign. Taking in this council (supreme and secret) of her son-in-law, Karl Holstein, the empress did not forget Apraksin, Golovkin, Osterman, Golitsyn, Tolstoy and, of course, Menshikov. These seven people gave Catherine, and later Anna Ioannovna, valuable advice as long as the need for them was not exhausted, namely, until 1830. For all its usefulness, its members encroached on the main monarchical privilege - autocracy. They dared to suggest the empress to sign certain "conditions", according to which she became virtually powerless, for which they paid. All were exiled, and far away.

Russian Regency Institute and its traditions

There were other cases of regency in Russian history. For example, during the childhood and early youth of Dmitry (later received the title "Donskoy"), the country was ruled by Alexius, Metropolitan. Until Vasily Vasilyevich grew up, his royal duties were performed by his own mother - Sophia. Ivan the Terrible also did not manage in his childhood without a temporary deputy, also his parent. Later, he created a regency council, headed by Boris Godunov. For this post they fought, sometimes mercilessly, showing treachery, because the regent is the actual ruler, and his post promises great opportunities to quench the passion for ambitiousness and enrichment.

Regents of all countries

Both in Europe and in Asia, the regency traditions also have a long and dramatic history. Catherine and Maria Medici at various times performed these difficult but sweet duties for them during the early childhood of their sons, Charles IX and Louis XIII respectively. Anne of Austria also wasted time regenting in anticipation of the maturity of Louis XIV. There were other examples.

In the twentieth century Europe, the Hungarian regent scandalized. It was Hitler's ally in the Second World War - Horthy, who took advantage of the king's absence (he was simply not in the kingdom at all), and became a dictator of extreme nationalist persuasion. It lasted 24 years, before the arrival of Soviet troops in 1944.

But the citizens of Siam were lucky. A illegitimate daughter of Rama IV, Salvabha, the mother of nine children herself, the first regent queen in the history of this country, did much for the people's education and women (previously almost without rights). She was a talented, wise and kind ruler.