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A '''Consul''' was the highest magistrate of the Roman Republic. There were alawys two Consuls, elected for a single year term, equal in power and able to veto each other's actions, in order to prevent a tyranny. |
A '''Consul''' was the highest magistrate of the Roman Republic. There were alawys two Consuls, elected for a single year term, equal in power and able to veto each other's actions, in order to prevent a tyranny. |
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| − | Under the Roman Empire the Emperor served as one of the Consuls |
+ | Under the Roman Empire the Emperor served as one of the Consuls. Being chosen as the second Consul, the Emperor's colleague, was a great honour but carried little real power. |
During the late Middle Ages, Italian city states revived the title "Consul" for their magistrates, not always restricted to the highest. From such usage in Genoa developed the modern use of "Consul" as a diplomatic officer lower than Ambassador. |
During the late Middle Ages, Italian city states revived the title "Consul" for their magistrates, not always restricted to the highest. From such usage in Genoa developed the modern use of "Consul" as a diplomatic officer lower than Ambassador. |
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Revision as of 22:49, 7 March 2011
A Consul was the highest magistrate of the Roman Republic. There were alawys two Consuls, elected for a single year term, equal in power and able to veto each other's actions, in order to prevent a tyranny.
Under the Roman Empire the Emperor served as one of the Consuls. Being chosen as the second Consul, the Emperor's colleague, was a great honour but carried little real power.
During the late Middle Ages, Italian city states revived the title "Consul" for their magistrates, not always restricted to the highest. From such usage in Genoa developed the modern use of "Consul" as a diplomatic officer lower than Ambassador.
In the late 18th and early 19th Century some regimes and reulers used "Consul" as the title of the Head of State, the most well known being Napoleon Bonaparte who was "First Consul" before crowning himself Emperor. However, this usage did not catch up, modern states prefering "President" or "Prime Minister".
Consul in the The Disunited States of America
After the United States fell apart in the early 19th Century, many of the states which assumed full independance empahsized this role by promoting the heads of their Executive Branches from "Governor" to "Consul". This usage remained widespread nearly three hundred years later.