A hereditary monarchy is a type of government where a king or queen is chosen from the same family, or dynasty, generation after generation. In this system, the responsibility for ruling and governing a country is typically passed down from parent to child. This means that the king or queen then has a duty to take care of their people and ensure the country is protected and prosperous. The king or queen is usually the official head of state and will often have a lot of power to make laws and control the court or government.