[1] Some scholars claim that, in Britain, primogeniture, the growth of conciliar government, and the emergence of the Parliament as a representative and administrative force all occurred within the context of the minority reigns.
The succession of child-turned-adult emperors led to the so-called infantilization of the imperial office, which had taken hold during the long reign of Honorius, Valentinian's predecessor.
[3] Here, the imperial office operated within a severely curtailed system compared to its authority a century prior.
For example, during the minority reign of Theodosius II, power was wielded by Anthemius before his sister Pulcheria was appointed the regent.
[4] In many instances, the advent of a royal minority led to fierce competition for any regency office, and in England only one actual regent was ever appointed: In October 1216 William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke became regent for the nine-year-old Henry III on the death of King John.