A succession of rulers from the same family or lineage. Used for historical ruling families both in Japan (particularly the Heian period court) and abroad.
Dynasties have risen and fallen repeatedly in this region over hundreds of years.
Usage
In Japanese historical contexts, 王朝 often refers specifically to the Heian-period imperial court and its culture. 王朝文学 (court literature) includes masterworks like 源氏物語 and 枕草子. For foreign history, it refers to ruling dynasties in the usual sense.