Puppet ruler facts for kids

A puppet ruler is someone who holds a title that indicates they have power, but is loyal to or controlled by outside persons or groups. A foreign government can control such a ruler, and the puppet ruler's territory is then called a puppet state. Sometimes, people within the country who were not elected might also control the ruler. A figurehead ruler, who is seen as a source of rightful power and sometimes even chosen by a higher power, has been used in many places throughout history.

There are two main ways rulers can become "puppets":

• Controlled by people inside their own country: Here, the ruler is a figurehead, meaning they are the official leader, but another person or group in the country makes all the real decisions.
• Controlled by a foreign power: In this case, another country or empire tells the ruler what to do.

For example, the Emperors of Japan were often controlled by the shōguns (military leaders) of Japan. Also, some kings in the Frankish kingdom were controlled by the Mayor of Palace, who held the real power. Examples of rulers controlled by foreign powers include client kingdoms under the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Another example is the relationship between the British Empire and King Farouk of Egypt in the 1950s, where Britain had a lot of influence.

What is a Puppet Ruler?

A puppet ruler is like a person playing a role in a play. They wear the crown and sit on the throne, but someone else is telling them what to say and do. This "someone else" could be a powerful group inside their own country or a strong foreign government. The puppet ruler might have a fancy title like King, Queen, or Emperor, but they don't have true control. Their job is often to make the rule of the real power look more acceptable or traditional.

Famous Puppet Rulers in History

Throughout history, many rulers have been controlled by others. Here are some examples from different time periods:

Ancient Times

• Qin Er Shi: He was an Emperor of China's Qin Empire. However, a powerful official named Zhao Gao controlled him.
• Emperor Xian of Han: This Chinese Emperor was controlled by warlords like Dong Zhuo. Later, he was forced to give up his throne to the Wei Kingdom.
• Philip II Philoromaeus: He was a king of Syria who ruled as a client king for the Roman Republic and the Roman general Pompey. This means Rome had the real power over him.

Later Roman Empire

During the late Roman Empire, some emperors were chosen and controlled by powerful generals:

• Leo I the Thracian: A Roman emperor chosen by a general named Aspar, but Leo later managed to gain his own power.
• Libius Severus: The second Roman emperor chosen by a powerful general named Ricimer.
• Olybrius: The third Roman emperor appointed by Ricimer.
• Glycerius: A Roman emperor chosen by Ricimer's nephew, Gundobad.
• Romulus Augustulus: The last Western Roman Emperor, who was put on the throne by his own general father, Orestes.

Middle Ages

• Ecgberht I of Northumbria: He was a ruler in England who was controlled by the Danes (Vikings).
• Baldwin I, Latin Emperor: He was made emperor of the Latin Empire by the Republic of Venice after the Fourth Crusade. Venice had a lot of control over him.
• John, King of England: After 1213, he was officially a vassal (a ruler who owes loyalty and service) to Pope Innocent III. This meant the Pope had some control over him.
• John Balliol: He was the King of Scotland, but he was a puppet king for King Edward I of England.
• Musa: A puppet ruler of the Ilkhanate (a Mongol kingdom in Persia).
• Henry VI of England: He was largely controlled by his advisors, including Queen Margaret of Anjou and William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk.

Early Modern Period

• John Sigismund Zápolya: He was an Ottoman puppet king of Hungary, fighting against the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I.
• Manco Inca: He was the Sapa Inca (Emperor) of the Tawantinsuyu. The Spanish Empire put him in power, but he later rebelled.
• Simeon Bekbulatovich: He was a Russian Tsar for one year, acting as a puppet ruler for Ivan the Terrible.
• Moctezuma II: The Tlatoani (Emperor) of Tenochtitlan and the Aztec Triple Empire. He was controlled by the Spanish conquerors.
• Joseph Nasi: An Ottoman puppet manager of the Duchy of Naxos.

Napoleonic Era

During the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, he placed many of his family members and allies on thrones across Europe, making them puppet rulers:

• Elisa Bonaparte: Napoleon's sister, who ruled as Grand Duchess of Tuscany and Princess of Lucca.
• Louis Bonaparte: Napoleon's brother, who became King of the Kingdom of Holland.
• Jérôme Bonaparte: Another brother of Napoleon, who ruled the Kingdom of Westphalia, a state created by Napoleon.
• Joseph Bonaparte: Napoleon's brother, who was made King of Napoleonic Spain and earlier the Neapolitan Kingdom.
• Frederick Augustus I of Saxony: He was made the Napoleonic Duke of Warsaw (parts of modern-day Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania).

Late Modern Period

• Indian Princely States: Rulers of the princely states of India were under the control of the East India Company and later the British Raj.
• Hussein Shah of Johor: The British Empire made him Sultan of Johor during a time of disagreement over who should rule.
• Mubarak al-Sabah: He signed an agreement with the British Empire that made the Sheikhdom of Kuwait a British protectorate, meaning Britain protected and controlled it.
• Pedro V of Kongo: He ruled the Kingdom of Kongo as a client king for the Portuguese Empire.
• Gungunhana: A Portuguese client ruler of the Gaza Empire, who was later exiled after trying to rebel against Portuguese rule.
• Osman Mahamuud: A client king of the Majeerteen Sultanate for the Italian Empire.
• Muhammad Rahim Bahadur II and Isfandiyar Jurji Bahadur: These were Russian client rulers of the Khanate of Khiva.
• Emperor Gojong and Sunjong of Korea: They were controlled by the Japanese Empire after the Russo-Japanese War.
• Aimone of Savoy: He was made King of Croatia by Fascist Italy to be a figurehead for the Ustaše regime.
• Aisin-Gioro Puyi: The former Emperor of China, he was appointed by Japan to lead their puppet state of Manchukuo.
• Bảo Đại: He was the Emperor of the French protectorate of Annam and later Japanese-occupied Vietnam.
• Sisavang Vong: King of Luang Phrabang, who was a client king of the French protectorate of Laos.
• Tashi Namgyal and Palden Thondup Namgyal: They ruled Sikkim as a protectorate of India after 1950.
• Sisowath Monivong: King of Cambodia, who was king of the French protectorate of Cambodia.

Puppet Governments

Sometimes, an entire government can be a "puppet," not just one ruler. This means the whole government is controlled by someone else, often a foreign power. For example, the government of Manchukuo was completely controlled by the Japanese government.