In the wake of Juan Carlos's recent abdication, passing his reign to his son Philip, we have wondered who else in history has had to abdicate the throne because of political, financial, aesthetic, family or strategic reasons.

Here is a glance at some of the Kings and Queens of Commonwealth countries who have had to relinquish their throne, from 1399 to 1936.

1399: In September, Richard II of England was forced to relinquish his throne; Richard was abroad when his cousin Henry Bolingbroke seized power and took control.

1688: During what was called the "Glorious Revolution," James II of England and VII of Scotland -- he had two titles -- had fled to France. Upon fleeing he had dropped what was known as the "Great Seal of the Realm" into the Thames river. As a result, a question was raised in Parliament if James II of England and VII of Scotland had indeed forfeited the throne, or had he abdicated? It was agreed upon that it was the latter, despite James' protest in the full assembly of the Houses of Lords and Commons.

1724: This resignation from the throne is a little tricky. Philip V, the King of Spain, was King from Nov. 1 1700 to January 1724. He was reportedly removed because some people favored his son Louis. Then by Sept. 6 of the same year, Philip resumed the throne once more after his son's death. Then Philip relinquished his throne once again to his eldest son. It is believed that King Philip V was perhaps mentally unfit, so the court kept trying to change who was ruling Spain at the time.

1808: Double abdication. On March 19, another Spanish King, Charles IV, had to give up his powers because of riots and revolts. Charles IV was replaced by his son Ferdinand. Ferdinand took to the throne as Ferdinand VII, but he could not be trusted, especially by Napoleon, who controlled thousands of soldiers at that time.

Both Kings were summoned by Napoleon, and both Charles and Ferdinand tried to appeal their case to no avail. Napoleon forced both Charles and his son to give up the throne. Napoleon then declared the Bourbon dynasty dethroned, and installed his brother Joseph Bonaparte as King Joseph I of Spain.

1870: Isabella II was Queen of Spain, from 1833 until 1868; she became queen as an infant. But not only because of her age, but also her gender angered some of those in power. Similarly, she was deposed in the "Glorious Revolution of 1868." Two years later she officially removed herself from the throne. Her son Alfonso XII became king in 1874.

1936: This is one of the most notable abdications from the throne. King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, had relinquished his throne in the interest of perhaps love. King Edward VIII wanted to marry a divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson; it was unheard of to marry a divorced woman, much less an American, and a person who had no nobility.

Despite the many objections by the British establishment, the governments of the Commonwealth and the Church of England, it was the first time in "modern" history that any British or English person had voluntarily relinquished the crown.