Final answer:
The correct term to describe a European king with very little power is 'figurehead'. Figureheads hold titles lacking in actual authority, often in contrast to the complete control seen in dictatorships.
Step-by-step explanation:
In many areas in Europe, the king was in reality only a figurehead, a ruler with very little power. The correct answer to the fill-in-the-blank question is (a) figurehead. A figurehead is a person who holds a significant position or title but lacks real power or authority. The term often refers to a head of state or monarch in a constitutional monarchy, where the individual's powers are largely ceremonial and actual political power rests with other branches of the government, such as the legislature or an elected prime minister.
Historically, the shift from absolute monarchies to constitutional or ceremonial roles resulted in monarchs becoming figureheads. Absolute monarchies were governments wherein a monarch had absolute power over the state and its people. However, many monarchies transformed into constitutional monarchies, where monarchs must abide by the laws of a greater constitution, which often considerably limit their powers.
In contrast to figureheads, a dictatorship is a form of government where a single person or a very small group wields complete and absolute authority over a government or populace. The dictator often rises to power through economic or military might and maintains authority through various means, including intimidation, violence, and control of resources.