Kingmaker

Kingmaker

"Kingmaker" is a term originally applied to the activities of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick during the Wars of the Roses in England. The term has come to be applied more generally to a person or group that has great influence in a royal or political succession, without being a viable candidate. Kingmakers may use political, monetary, religious, and/or military means to interfere in the succession. Examples include:

*Warwick, the Kingmaker.
*Nogai Khan who influenced succession in the Golden Horde.

In game theory

In game theory, a kingmaker is a player who lacks sufficient resources or position to win at a given game, but possesses enough remaining resources to decide which of the remaining viable players will eventually win.

Contemporary usage

By analogy, "Kingmaker" is also used in some countries to refer to those with the ability to influence the selection of political leaders.

Modern politicians known as "Kingmaker" include:
*James Farley who orchestrated the gubernatorial and presidential elections of Franklin D. Roosevelt 1928-1940.
*K. Kamaraj was instrumental in making Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi as Prime Ministers of India in the year 1964 and 1966 respectively.
*Sonia Gandhi who seems to many the de facto Prime Minister of India; named as a kingmaker on numerous occasions, TIME naming her as such while also calling her India's leader in all but title.
*Dick Morris who orchestrated the gubernatorial and presidential elections of Bill Clinton.
*Kakuei Tanaka in Japanese politics.
*Graham Richardson in Australian politics.

In fiction

* The character Leon Fortunato from the "Left Behind" series of novels is often described as a kingmaker.


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  • kingmaker — king‧mak‧er [ˈkɪŋˌmeɪkə ǁ ər] noun [countable] JOURNALISM someone who influences the choice of person for an important job or position: • He will not run for office if he thinks he might lose; instead he will seek to be a kingmaker. * * *… …   Financial and business terms

  • kingmaker — ► NOUN ▪ a person who brings leaders to power through the exercise of political influence. ORIGIN used originally with reference to the Earl of Warwick (1428 71), known as Warwick the Kingmaker …   English terms dictionary

  • kingmaker — (n.) also king maker, 1590s, originally in reference to the 15c. Earl of Warwick …   Etymology dictionary

  • kingmaker — [kiŋ′māk΄ər] n. a politically powerful person who is instrumental in getting candidates into office …   English World dictionary

  • kingmaker — UK [ˈkɪŋˌmeɪkə(r)] / US [ˈkɪŋˌmeɪkər] noun [countable] Word forms kingmaker : singular kingmaker plural kingmakers mainly journalism someone who helps to choose people for important or powerful jobs …   English dictionary

  • kingmaker — king|mak|er [ˈkıŋˌmeıkə US ər] n someone who influences the choice of people for important jobs ▪ Her death thrust Newman into the position of kingmaker …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • kingmaker — noun a person who brings leaders to power through the exercise of political influence. Origin used orig. with ref. to the Earl of Warwick (1428–71), known as Warwick the Kingmaker …   English new terms dictionary

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  • Kingmaker (board game) — Infobox Game subject name=Kingmaker image link= image caption=Cover of the original British version of Kingmaker designer=Andrew McNeil publisher=PhilMar Ltd. Avalon Hill players=2 ndash;6 ages= teen to adult setup time= 10 minutes playing time=… …   Wikipedia

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