▁of ▁the ▁seven ▁imperial ▁elect ors ▁were ▁prince - arch b ish ops ▁( T rier , ▁Main z ▁and ▁C ologne ). ▁After ▁the ▁Peace ▁of ▁West phal ia ▁certain ▁prince - bishop rics ▁became ▁bi - conf essional ▁and ▁altern ated ▁between ▁Catholic ▁b ish ops ▁and ▁Protest ant ▁administr ators . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁English ▁Re formation , ▁English ▁and ▁British ▁monarch s ▁have ▁held ▁the ▁title ▁supre me ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England , ▁sign ifying ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁church . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁personal ▁and ▁legal ▁un ions ▁with ▁Wales , ▁Scotland ▁and ▁Ireland ▁did ▁not ▁extend ▁Ang lic an ism ' s ▁status ▁of ▁state ▁church ▁to ▁these ▁lands . ▁Thus ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁the ▁monarch ▁is ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁church ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁its ▁Crown ▁dependencies . ▁ ▁The ▁supre me ▁leader ▁of ▁Iran ▁is ▁elected ▁for ▁life ▁by ▁a ▁body ▁consisting ▁of ▁senior ▁Tw el ver ▁cler ics . ▁The ▁supre me ▁leader , ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁ay atol lah , ▁is ▁the ▁spiritual ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁powerful ▁political ▁figure ▁with ▁wide - r anging ▁powers ▁and ▁his ▁own ▁military ▁force . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁past , ▁Tib et ▁was ▁ruled ▁by ▁the ▁Dal ai ▁Lam as , ▁political ▁leaders ▁who ▁were ▁symbol ic ▁religious ▁leaders ▁but ▁had ▁no ▁formal ▁position ▁in ▁religious ▁organis ations , ▁so ▁not ▁being ▁sac erd otal . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : Christ