prince regent

plural prince regents · plural princes regent · plural princes regents

1. A prince who rules a country as a regent in place of a monarch who is unfit to rule for a particular reason.

   Accord betwixt D. Raymond Berenger, Prince Regent of Arragon, with the Templers and Hospitaliers, vpon the teſtament of King D. Alphonſo.

   1612, Lewis de Mayerne Turquet [i.e., Louis Turquet de Mayerne], “The Contents of the Ninth Booke”, in Edward Grimeston, transl., The General Historie of Spaine, […], London: […] A[dam] Islip, and G[eorge] Eld, →OCLC, page 269

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   As to the propoſition for a Prince Regent, it was argued, that this was as much againſt Monarchy, or rather more, than what they moved for. If a King's ill government did give the people a right in any caſe to take his power from him, and to lodge it with another, owning that the right to it remained ſtill with him, this might have every whit as bad conſequences, as the other ſeemed to have: For recourſe might be had to this violent remedy too often, and too raſhly.

   a. 1716 (date written), [Gilbert] Burnet, “Book IV. Of the Reign of King James II.”, in [Gilbert Burnet Jr.], editor, Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time. […], volume I, London: […] Thomas Ward […], published 1724, →OCLC, page 813

   And if there be ſeveral Princes of that Family, one of the younger Brothers ſhall be choſen and preſented to that Biſhoprick; and if the younger Brothers fail, one of the Princes Regent ſhall be choſen: […]

   1732, “A Treaty of Peace between the Empire and Sweden, Concluded and Sign’d at Osnabrug the 24th of October, 1648. The King of France was Comprehended in this Treaty as an Ally of Sweden.”, in A General Collection of Treatys, Manifesto’s, Contracts of Marriage, Renunciations, and Other Publick Papers, from the Year 1495, to the Year 1712, 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] J. J. and P. Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 434

   It happened farther, that ſome Noblemen of Great Poland (among whom One was a Woywode (one of the Princes Regents), and Two Counts, James de Oſtrorog, and Raphael de Leſzno), being deſirous to know fully all relating to the Brethren, took a Journey to them as they were about to hold a Synod in the Heart of Moravia; […]

   1749, “[Appendix of the Most Material Vouchers and Papers, Referred to in the Report.] Rationale of the Brethrens Liturgies.”, in Report from the Committee to whom the Petition of the Deputies of the United Moravian Churches, in Behalf of Themselves and Their United Brethren, was Referred: […] (Acta Fratrum Unitatis in Anglia), London: [Samuel Richardson], →OCLC, part II (The Brethrens Method of Preaching the Gospel, […]), page 106

   We cannot determine whether it was the king [Charles VI of France] that acted himſelf upon this occaſion, or whether it was his council, or the princes regents of the kingdom: the hiſtorians ſay only ſimply the king.

   1752, [Vincent-Claude] Chalons, “Charles VI”, in [anonymous], transl., The History of France: From the Establishment of that Monarchy under Pharamond, to the Death of Lewis XIII. […], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 420

   [A]fter returning thanks to Heaven for the re-establishment of His Highness's health,—an event of incalculable importance to the interests of the afflicted Church, which never stood in greater need to virtuous Princes Regent (des Princes Regens vertueux)—[…] [From The Times.]

   1813 August 5, Historicus [pseudonym], “Ancient Scandal”, in The Spirit of the Public Journals for 1813. […], volume XVII, London: […] [S. Gosnell] for James Ridgway, […], published 1814, →OCLC, paragraph XIII.4, page 196