noun
- political doctrines or movements supporting the restoration or maintenance of legitimate rulers or traditional forms of government
Usage: political science; historical
Examples
- The various legitimisms of 19th-century Europe sought to restore deposed monarchs.
- French legitimism advocated for the return of the Bourbon dynasty.
- These legitimisms opposed democratic and revolutionary movements.
- Historians study the different legitimisms that emerged after Napoleon’s defeat.
- The legitimisms of the period reflected deep divisions about political authority.
- Conservative legitimisms emphasized divine right and hereditary succession.