duumvirate

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A duumvirate is an alliance between two equally powerful political or military leaders. The term can also be used to describe a state with two different military leaders who both declare themselves to be the sole leader of the state.

The tiny European nation of Andorra is nominally a duumvirate, as it is ruled by two co-princes, one of whom is the President of France, the other of whom is Joan Enric Vives i Sicília, Bishop of the Diocese of Urgell, although the Andorran prime minister wields de facto power as the head of government. Duumvirates in history include the city-states of Carthage, ruled by two mayors (Suffets), and Ancient Rome, ruled by two Consuls.

In the fictional Middle-earth legendarium of author J.R.R. Tolkien, the Black Númenóreans' coastal city of Umbar was typically ruled by a duumvirate.

Some political parties have duumvirates, sometimes, such as is the case of Lindsey German and John Rees in the Socialist Workers Party in Britain.

The First Whitlam Ministry in Australia is sometimes called the "Duumvirate" because it consisted entirely of the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, and his deputy, Lance Barnard, who between them split up all ministerial and quasi-ministerial position for two weeks in December 1972.

See also

• Diarchy - rule by two people
• Duoviri - ancient Roman magistracy of two men
• Triumvirate - the equivalent term for three people
• Decemvirate - the equivalent term for ten people
• Coregency - rule by two regents