Dynasty in modern German intellectual history many concepts, or none?

This article analyses the conceptual use of terms describing dynastic rule in modern German thought. It examines three topics in which the term ‘dynasty’ specifically appears: with reference to the non-European empires, European states, and the future of democracy in Germany around 1918. Looking at a range of key thinkers with Max Weber’s work as a central reference point, it engages with the question why, despite this wide usage, the influential dictionary Geschichtliche Grundbegriffe does not cover any term describing hereditary rule. The conclusion provides a range of possible explanations for the absence.