The following is a list of usurpers – illegitimate or controversial claimants to the throne in a monarchy. The word

usurper A usurper is an illegitimate or controversial claimant to power, often but not always in a monarchy. In other words, one who takes the power of a country, city, or established region for oneself, without any formal or legal right to claim it as ...

is a derogatory term, and as such not easily definable, as the person seizing power normally will try to legitimise his position, while denigrating that of his predecessor.

Belgium

China

Egypt

England

France

Gwynedd (Wales)

Hawaii

:''See also

Aliʻi nui of Hawaii The following is a list of ''Alii nui'' of Hawaii. The ''alii nui'' is the supreme ruler (sometimes called the "King" or ''Moi'') of the island. '' Alii'' refers to the ruling class of Hawaii prior to the formation of the united kingdom. Here, "Ha ...

.''

Holy Roman Empire

India

Iran (Persia)

Japan

Korea

Mesopotamia

Netherlands

Norway

Roman Empire

Russia

Sweden

Thailand

Vietnam

{, class="wikitable" !width="125", Usurper !width="125", Predecessor !width="90", Reign !width="460", Comments , - ,

Dương Tam Kha Dương Tam Kha ( 楊三哥), formally King Ping of Yang ( 楊平王), later known as the Duke of Chương Dương (章陽公) (died 10 August 980), was king of the Ngô dynasty from 944 to 950.''Đại Việt sử lược'', vol. 1''Nguyễn ...

Ngô Quyền Ngô Quyền ( vi-hantu, 吳權) (April 17, 898 – February 14, 944), often referred to as Tiền Ngô Vương (前吳王; "First King of Ngô"), was a warlord who later became the founding king of the Ngô dynasty of Vietnam. He reigned from ...

, 944–950 , , - ,

Ngô Xương Văn Ngô Xương Văn ( vi-hantu, 吳昌文, 935–965), formally King of Nam Tấn (南晉王), was a king of the Vietnamese Ngô dynasty. He was the second son of Ngô Quyền, the dynastic founder. Background Ngô Xương Văn was born in 935. ...

, 951–965 , , - ,

Mạc Đăng Dung Mạc Đăng Dung ( chữ Hán; 莫登庸; 23 November 1483 – 22 August 1541), also known by his temple name Mạc Thái Tổ (), was an emperor of Vietnam and the founder of the Mạc dynasty. Previously a captain of the imperial guard (Praet ...

, Le Chieu Tong , 1527–1529 , , - Usurpers Usurpers