. ABDICATION is the act of giving up an office, generally the office of ruler or sover eign. It is rarely done out of pure preference of a private station, but is generally the result of vexation and disappointment. It was perhaps voluntarily, and from being wearied with dominion, that Dioch tiara, and along with loin Maxiinian, abdicated (305). Christina of Sweden retired from the throne (1654) out of preference for the freedom of private life, but wished still to exercise the rights of a sovereign. Charles V. laid down the crown (1556) because his great schemes had failed. Philip V. of Spain did so (1794) in a fit of melancholy, but resumed it ou the death of his sou. Amadeus of Savoy abdicated (1494) to become a priest. Victor Amadeus of Sardinia, who abdi cated in 1730, wished to recall the step, but was not allowed. Louis Bonaparte resigned the crown of Holland, because he would not consent to .treat that country as a province of France. Charles Emanuel of Sardinia retired from the throne in 1;02, not finding, himself equal to the crisis; and the same was the ease with Victor Emanuel in 1819. William I. of the Netherlands resigned (1S40), as his policy had become impossible from the turn of affairs in Belgium. Foreign force compelled the abdication of Augustus of Poland (1707), and later, that of Stanislaus Leszczynski (1735) and of Poniatowski (1795): as well as that of Charles IV. of Spain (1808), and of Napoleon (1814.and 1815). Insur rections have been the most frequent cause of forced abdications. The early history of the Scandinavian kingdomsabounds in instances. In England, the compulsory abdication of Richard II. (1399) is an early example. In the case of James II. it was disputed whether the king had " abdicated " or " deserted." More recent times saw Charles X. (1830) and Louis Philippe (1848) retire before the storm of revolution, without the condi tions they made being regarded. The abdication of Ferdinand of Austria (184S) was an
indirect consequence of the events of the year of revolutions; that of Charles Albert of Sardinia (1849), of the battle of Novara. Of several cases among German princes, the chief is that of Ludwig of Bavaria (1848). A late instance is that of Amadeus, king of Spain, who felt himself oblifred to give up his crown on the 1 lth of February, 1873.
In some countries, the king can abdicate whenever he pleases; but in England, the constitutional relation between the crown and the nation being of the nature of a con tract, the king or queen, it is considered, cannot abdicate without the consent of parlia ment.. It is, however, said that the king does abdicate, or, to speak perhaps more correctly, an A. may be presumed, and acted on by the people, if his conduct politically and overtly is inconsistent with, and subversive of, the system of constitutional govern ment, of which the qualified monarchy of his office forms part.
At the conference between the two houses of parliament previous to the passing of the statute which settled the crown on William ILL, it would appear that the word " abdicated" with reference to king .James II. was advisedly used instead of " deserted"— the meaning, it is presumed, bebig that king James had not only deserted his office. but that by his acts and deeds, of which the said desertion formed part, lie had. in view of the constitution, ceased to have right to the throne. From this it may be inferred that A. was considered to have a twofold political signification. involving maladministration as well as desertion. The ,Scotch convention, however, more .vigorpusly and distinctly resolved that king James " had forefaulted [forfeited] the crown, and the throne was become vacant."