The Monarchomachs were a group of political theorists, primarily French Huguenots, who emerged in the late 16th century to challenge the growing power of absolute monarchy. They are most notable for developing sophisticated legal and theological arguments to justify tyrannicide, asserting that rulers who violated the laws of God or the people could be rightfully removed.
The term itself was coined in 1600 by the Scottish royalist William Barclay as a pejorative label. Derived from the Greek words for monarch and to fight, the name literally translates to those who fight against monarchs, reflecting the intense ideological conflict between proponents of royal absolutism and those advocating for constitutional limits on power.