Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin Maiestas, meaning Greatness.
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Origin
Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else. This was crucially defined by the existence of a specific crime, called laesa maiestatis, literally "Violated Majesty" (in English law Lese majesty, via the French Lèse-majesté), consisting of the violation of this supreme status. Various acts such as celebrating a party on a day of public mourning, contempt of the various rites of the state and disloyalty in word or act were punished as crimes against the majesty of the republic. However, later, under the Empire, it came to mean an offence against the dignity of the Emperor. Even indirect actions such as paying for a service in a brothel with a coin bearing the portrait of the emperor could be punished as an act aganst this "maiestas".
Western style monarch's address
After the fall of Rome, Majesty was used to describe a Monarch of the very highest rank - indeed, it was generally applied to God. The title was then also assumed by Monarchs of great powers as an attempt at self-praise and despite a supposed lower royal style as a King or Queen, who would thus often be called "His or Her Royal Majesty." The first English king to be styled Majesty was Henry VIII - earlier monarchs had used the form His Grace. Eventually the title became enshrined in law, and it was thus that all of the Kings and Queens of Europe bear the title to this day. Variations include His Catholic Majesty for Spain and Her Britannic Majesty for the United Kingdom. The Monarchs of Principalities were considered lesser, so they generally did not take the title, opting for either His Highness or His Serene Highness. On a similar note almost all rulers of princely states in the British Empire were denied the Majesty style, only being recognised as His Highness, a style commonly used for sons (and other relatives) of a Majesty, since they were not sovereigns in their own right.
Usage in Africa
In most of Africa where there may be Kings and Queens or Chiefs, they use His/Her Majesty, instead of Highness or Royal Highness regardless of whether the Kings or Chiefs are sovereign over any land or not, since most are heads of the tribes within the various countries of Africa.
Imperial monarch's address
In the case of Emperors and Empresses, the style "His (or Her) Imperial Majesty" is used instead, where there may be several monarchs (Kings or Queens) that are considered to be under the jurisdiction of the Emperor/Empress.
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| Reigning monarchs | Apostolic Majesty (HAM) • His Holiness (HH) • Imperial and Royal Majesty (HI&RM) • Imperial Majesty (HIM) • Majesty (HM) • Catholic Majesty (HCM) • Most Christian Majesty (HCM) • Most Faithful Majesty (HFM) • Royal Highness (HRH) • Highness (HH) • Serene Highness (HSH) |  of the Austrian Empire |
| Members of sovereign and noble families |
Imperial and Royal Highness (HI&RH) • Imperial Highness (HIH) • Royal Highness (HRH) • Grand Ducal Highness (HGDH) • Highness (HH) • Ducal Serene Highness (HDSH) • Serene Highness (HSH) • Illustrious Highness (HIll.H) | |
