dynasty
dynasty, a family or line of rulers, a succession of sovereigns of a country belonging to a single family or tracing their descent to a common ancestor (Greek dynadeia, "sovereignty").
The term is particularly used in the history of ancient Egypt as a convenient means of arranging the chronology.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.
Citation Information
Article Title:
dynasty
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
19 October 2026
Access Date:
November 13, 2026