King of Hyrule

King of Hyrule is the title given to the various ruling monarchs of Hyrule in the Legend of Zelda series. The King of Hyrule is the head of the Royal Family of Hyrule and is the father to a Princess Zelda in most of his incarnations.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The first mention of a King of Hyrule comes in the backstory for The Adventure of Link, where it is explained that he once possessed all three pieces of the Triforce. This great King, whose tomb is a landmark in the game, concealed the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace and established the challenges that the future hero would need to complete in order to reclaim the lost Triforce. His daughter, Princess Zelda, lies in an enchanted sleep for many years following his death, and can only be awakened by the hero who recovers the Triforce of Courage.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
An unnamed King of Hyrule, he is seen only during the closing credits montage. Another unnamed king is said to have commanded the Seven Sages to place a seal on the Dark World, though this king is never seen.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The King of Hyrule is often mentioned in the game. When Link has sought out Princess Zelda in the Castle Courtyard, the two spy on Ganondorf's meeting with the King of Hyrule. The royal guard is visible and Ganondorf is seen kneeling before the king; however, the small window they are peering through obscures their vision and the king cannot be spotted. It is implied (much more heavily in the manga) that the King dies around the time of the Great Cataclysm in the middle of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Wind Waker marks the first time a King of Hyrule given a specific name. Link's companion throughout the game, the King of Red Lions, is revealed to be king Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule may be a spiritual being like the Sages, as he is still in existence long after Hyrule was flooded, and he can teleport around the area at will. At the end of the game, the King wishes to the Triforce for Hyrule to be drowned, and stays with the kingdom as it is flooded.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Both the ruling king of Hyrule, King Daltus, and a ghost of one of his ancestors, King Gustaf, appear in this game. King Daltus is portrayed as a kind king who is good to his people until he is captured and replaced by Vaati halfway through the game. The people then see him as a cruel figure who is greedy and forces the soldiers of Hyrule to find the mystical Light Force. King Gustaf appears twice. The first, after completing the Temple of Droplets, in which he tells Link to visit his tomb and again in his tomb where he gives Link a Kinstone piece necessary to climb Veil Falls.

Non-canonical appearances
In many non-canonical mediums, such as the animated series and the CD-i games, the ruler of Hyrule is King Harkinian.