Usurper
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"And, sure enough, one fine morning the keepers found themselves pinioned hand and foot, and thrown into the cells, where they were attended, as if they were the lunatics, by the lunatics themselves, who had usurped the offices of the keepers."--"The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" (1845) by Edgar Allan Poe |
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Usurper (lat. usurpare = to seize for use, to use) is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally. It may also be applied to an official acting ultra vires, outside his authority or jurisdiction.
Some famous examples considered usurpers are Henry IV of England, Miguel of Portugal and Habibullah Ghazi of Afghanistan.
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