A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire. Much of European political history is dominated by dynasties such as the Carolingians, the Capetians, the Bourbons, the Habsburgs, the Stuarts, the Hohenzollerns and the Romanovs. Until the 19th century, it was taken for granted that a legitimate function of a monarch was to aggrandize his dynasty; that is, to increase the territory, wealth and power of family members.

A dynasty is also often called a house (e.g., House of Saud and House of Windsor), and may be described as imperial, royal, ducal or comital depending upon the chief title borne by its rulers. Dynasty is also used to refer to the era during which a family reigned, as well as events, trends and artifacts of that period (e.g. "Ming dynasty vase"). In such cases, often "dynasty" is dropped, while the name is used adjectivally; e.g., Tudor style, Ottoman expansion, Romanov decadence, etc.

Ernie Sims III (born December 23, 1984) is an American football linebacker who is Free Agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.

Sims has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sims was an athletic standout at North Florida Christian High School, beginning his football career there by earning a varsity letter on the high school football team while only in the eighth grade, a feat not often heard of. He led his team to four state championships from 1998–2001. Coming out of North Florida Christian High School, in Tallahassee, Sims was considered by most college football publications to be one of the best high school football players, and the best linebacker, in the country. Rivals.com, a high school football recruiting service, named Sims the number one overall high school football player in the country ahead of Reggie Bush. Sims chose to play for Florida State over Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and Southern California.

Juaquin Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), better known by his stage name Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper signed to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. He is a Southern hip hop artist best known for his singles "O Let's Do It", "Hard in da Paint" & "No Hands", along with his debut album, Flockaveli. Waka Flocka Flame has announced that his second album, Triple F Life: Friends, Fans and Family, will be released during the spring of 2012.

Juaquin Malphurs was born in South Jamaica, Queens, New York in 1986. His family eventually settled in Riverdale, Georgia. He is the son of Debra Antney, Gucci Mane's former manager and CEO of So Icey/Mizay Entertainment. The name "Waka" was given to him by his cousin, after the Muppets character Fozzie Bear's catch phrase, "Waka Waka". The name "Flocka Flame" was given to him by rapper Gucci Mane. Waka Flocka posed for a nude but unrevealing picture for the company PETA to boycott killing animals. The picture says "Ink not Mink". The picture design is similar to Waka Flocka Flame's album Flockaveli. Waka Flocka Flame said that he has known Gucci Mane since he was 19