Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societies, abdication was a regular event and helped maintain stability during political succession.
Napoleon's first abdication, signed at the Palace of Fontainebleau 4 April 1814
Dom Pedro I, founder and emperor of the Empire of Brazil, delivers his abdication letter on 7 April 1831
Queen Christina of Sweden shocked Europe by abdicating to move to Rome and serve the pope.
A papal renunciation also called a papal abdication, occurs when the current pope of the Catholic Church voluntarily resigns his position. As a pope's time in office has conventionally lasted from his election until his death, a papal renunciation is an uncommon event. Before the 21st century, only five popes unambiguously resigned with historical certainty, all between the 10th and 15th centuries. Additionally, there are disputed claims of four popes having resigned, dating from the 3rd to the 11th centuries; a fifth disputed case may have involved an antipope.
Image: Pope Sylvester III – Nuremberg chronicles f 188v 1
Image: B Gregor VI
Image: Giulio cesare bedeschini, san pietro celestino, 1613, dall'arcivescovado dell'aquila (cropped)
Image: Benedykt XVI (2010 10 17) 4