The Father of the Nation is an honorific title given to a person considered the driving force behind the establishment of a country, state, or nation. Pater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae), also seen as Parens Patriae, was a Roman honorific meaning the "Father of the Fatherland", bestowed by the Senate on heroes, and later on emperors. In monarchies, the monarch is often considered the "father/mother of the nation" or as a patriarch to guide his family. This concept is expressed in the divine right of kings espoused in some monarchies, while in others it is codified into constitutional law.
In Spain, the monarch is considered the personification and embodiment, the symbol of unity and permanence of the nation. In Thailand, the monarch is given the same recognition, and any person who expresses disrespect toward the reigning monarch faces severe criminal penalties.
Many dictators bestow titles upon themselves, which rarely survive the end of their regime. Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo's titles included "father of the nation", "older brother", and "Guide of the People".[1]Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire's included "Father of the nation", "the Guide", "the Messiah", "the Leopard", "the Sun-President", and "the Cock who Jumps on Anything That Moves".[2] In postcolonialAfrica, "father of the nation" was a title used by many leaders both to refer to their role in the independence movement as a source of legitimacy, and to use paternalist symbolism as a source of continued popularity.[3] On Joseph Stalin's seventieth birthday in 1949, he was bestowed with the title "Father of Nations" for his establishment of "people's democracies" in countries occupied by the USSR after World War II.[4]
Important officer in the Argentine Army during the War of Independence, referred to as the "Mother of the Homeland" since her lifetime. In 1829, the Chamber of Representatives of the province of Buenos Aires named her "Mother of the Homeland" and granted her the position of sergeant major.[14][15]
The third and final premier of Barbados, serving from 1961 to 1966, who lead Barbados to independence from the British Empire in 1966. He became the first prime minister and served three terms (1966–76, 1986–87) dying in office of illness during his third.[21]
Стваральнік беларускага народу (Stvaralnik bielaruskaha narodu)
Creator of the Belarusian Nation
Used among other titles. Military and political leader during the January Uprising.[22][23] Usage opposed by those who view Kalinowski's nationality as Polish, rather than Belarusian.[24]
Father of the Nation and Patriarch of Independence
Founder and the first Emperor of Brazil (1822) during the independence of Brazil. Maria Leopoldina was the first Empress of Brazil. Bonifácio was the advisor of Pedro I.
Foremost of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic and the key leader responsible for shaping the modern revolutionary ideology that opposed all foreign rule.
Father(s) of the Nation The Proclamators Duumvirate
Main leaders of the Indonesian National Revolution, wrote and signed the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, as well as served as the first President and Vice President of Indonesia, respectively.
Leader of Libya from 1969 to 2011. He styled himself as the Father of the Nation, in addition to using other titles.[45][46] He was also styled as such by Libyan state media.[47]
A Maltese statesman and leading politician. He twice served as Prime Minister of Malta (from 1955 to 1958, and from 1974 to 1984) as the Leader of the Labour Party, a position he held from 1949 to 1984. In 1974, with him as Prime Minister, Malta negotiated a series of constitutional reforms leading to the establishment of the Maltese Republic and the removal of the British monarch as head of state. In 1979, the last Royal Navy ships left Malta, marking the country's transformation into a fully independent nation. Mintoff is also credited with the establishment of the Maltese welfare state and the socialist-style nationalisation and collectivisation of various key industries.
Father of the Mongols, Founding Father of Mongolia[52]
After unifying the many nomadic tribes of northeastern Asian steppe peoples, Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire and became the first Great Khan and Emperor. He eventually led a conquest of the majority of Eurasia, and his unified homeland would become Mongolia.
Father of Nation,[55][56] Father of Independence, Father of Tatmadaw (Burmese Army)
He was the founder of Tatmadaw (Burmese Army) and he was the 5th Prime Minister of Burma in British Era from 1946 to 1947. He was instrumental in Myanmar's struggle for independence from British rule, but he was assassinated just six months before his goal was realized.
Political Leader of the Philippine Revolution, which saw armed resistance against the Spanish Empire. His birthday, 30 November 1863, is a national holiday.
Colloquially known as the "National Hero". Rizal's works and writings–which helped start the Philippine Revolution–are part of the national curriculum as mandated by Republic Act No. 1425. The anniversary of his 30 December 1896 execution by the Spanish colonial government is a national holiday.[67]
After World War I six fathers of independence jointly took advantage of the favorable conditions and led to the birth of the Second Polish Republic.[68]
Leader of the Polisario Front, First President of the SADR. Fought against Spanish colonial army & against the invasion of the Moroccan and Mauritanian armies in the Western Sahara conflict.
Founder of a chapel and monastery in central Italy, in 301 (traditional date: 3 September). From this initial community the state of San Marino later grew.[71]
Unified the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and established the modern Saudi state. He descended from the noble House of Saud, the dynasty which had ruled most of Arabia in the 18th century. His son King Salman is the current head of state of Saudi Arabia. Five other older sons – Saud, Faisal, Khalid, Fahd and Abdullah – served as former heads of state.
Reyes Católicos de los reinos de Castilla y Aragón
Catholic Monarchs of the Kingdoms of Castille and Aragon
The unifiers of Spain. They unified the territories of Castille, Aragon and Al-Andalus, all the territories of the Iberian Peninsula, except Portugal. During their reign America was discovered and started the Spanish Empire.
^"The death of Jeffrey Thompson". Freeport News. The Nassau Guardian (1844) Ltd. 20 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2009. it has been well documented that Sir Lynden Pindling was the leader of the political movement that led to the attainment of majority rule on January 10, 1967, and that he is recognized as the ৭ of the Nation — the man who was the country's leader when The Bahamas obtained its independence from the United Kingdom on July 10, 1973.
^"Rt. Hon. George Price". CARICOM.com. CARICOM. 20 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2009. Rt. Honourable George Cadle Price, "Father of the Nation" of Belize
^
Hautrive, Iliana (10 October 2004). "Cuba commemorates the 136 anniversary of the beginning of its wars of independence". Trabajadores. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2009. Cuba commemorates this Sunday the beginning of its wars of independence, the 10 of October of 1868, when the insigne patriotic Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, considered the Father of the Motherland, gave the freedom to his slaves to begin the fight by the liberation of the Nation.
^Jaiswal, Anuja (20 January 2020). "Mahatma Gandhi was never declared 'Father of Nation', reveals RTI reply". The Times of India. Mahatma Gandhi was never accorded the 'Father of the Nation' title by Government of India and no rule or ordinance was ever passed in this regard. ... Article 18 (1) of the Constitution does not permit any titles except education and military ones. ... a bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant, had observed, 'Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation and people hold him in high esteem, beyond any formal recognition'.
^Sarti, Roland (2003). "Giuseppe Mazzini e la tradizione repubblicana". Almanacco della Repubblica: storia d'Italia attraverso le tradizioni, le istituzioni e le simbologie repubblicane (in Italian). Pearson. ISBN978-88-424-9499-7.
^Ugolini, Romano. Cento anni del Vittoriano 1911-2011 (in Italian). Gangemi.
^Perfetti, Francesco (2011). "I padri della Patria". Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. p. 2.
^"Centenary of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam". Mauritius Post Museum. Mauritius Post. 2004. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2009. Known as the "Father of the Nation", Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam has throughout his political career from 1940 to 1982 been closely associated with the significant emancipation of the people of Mauritius and has led the struggle for Independence.
^"Quaid's 60th death anniversary being marked today". The News International. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008. Today the nation marks the 60th Death anniversary of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, known as Quaid-e-Azam, meaning "Great Leader" and Baba-e-Qaum meaning Father of the Nation.[permanent dead link]
^
Anisimov, Evgeniy Viktorovich (1993). The Reforms of Peter the Great: Progress Through Coercion in Russia. translator John T. Alexander. M.E. Sharpe. p. 143. ISBN1-56324-047-5.
^Branko Pešić (1988). Spomen hram Sv. Save na Vračaru u Beogradu: 1895–1988. Sveti arhijerejski sinod Srpske pravoslavne crkve. Отац Отаџбине Св. Сава је надахнуо Немањи- ну државу идеалима хришћанског патриотизма и створио слободну цркву у слободној држави. Држа- ва је Отечество – земља мојих ота- ца. Држава не сме да буде импери- ја, јер где ...
^Omar, Mohamed (2001). The Scramble in the Horn of Africa. p. 402. This letter is sent by all the Dervishes, the Amir, and all the Dolbahanta to the Ruler of Berbera ... We are a Government, we have a Sultan, an Amir, and Chiefs, and subjects ... (reply) In his last letter the Mullah pretends to speak in the name of the Dervishes, their Amir (himself), and the Dolbahanta tribes. This letter shows his object is to establish himself as the Ruler of the Dolbahanta
^"Abu Dhabi's Zayed Mosque tours to take on special Ramadan significance" (Press release). 20 August 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2009. His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, a man affectionately known as 'The Father of The Nation' for his work as an architect of the UAE Federation.
^Wheeler, Julia (2 November 2004). "Obituary: Sheikh Zayed". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2009. He was frequently referred to as the father of the nation.
^"Efemérides Culturales Argentinas: Junio 19" (in Spanish). Ministry of Education, Argentina. 2009. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2009. 1764: Nace en Montevideo (Uruguay) José Gervasio Artigas, iniciador rioplatense del federalismo y padre de la independencia uruguaya. Falleció cerca de Asunción el 23 de septiembre de 1850.
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Edelmann, Alexander Taylor (1965). Latin American Government and Politics: The Dynamics of a Revolutionary Society. Dorsey Press. p. 309. José Gervasio Artigas, who doggedly led his guerrilla bands against the Spanish armies and raised the flag of a free Uruguay, is affectionately remembered by his fellow countrymen as "the father of Uruguayan independence.
^Phillips, Ioan (20 July 2021). "Morgan, Hywel Rhodri (1939-2017), gwleidydd" [Morgan, Hywel Rhodri (1939-2017), politician]. Y Bywngraffiadur [Dictionary of Welsh Biography] (in Welsh). Retrieved 12 October 2024.
