Voltaire

During lasts nights reading on the Enlightenment and it's great thinkers, I found one part particularly interesting. Though Voltaire held the idea's and politics of England in high regard, he still viewed a monarchy as the best form of government. This idea just seemed so contradictory to me. I know that politics and philosophy are two different things, but in respecting the ideas of a society wouldn't you also respect the government of said society that allowed these ideas to flourish. Voltaire's explanation for his view also made me think. He stated that the reason that he preferred a monarchy is because human beings are so rarely capable of ruling themselves. So, the reason Voltaire prefers a monarchy is because he views these monarchs as the few that are fit to rule? But these monarchs were chosen from powerful families, who gained their power through force at some point in time. Isn't this contradictory to Voltaire's own statement that knowledge is to be valued over brute force? Please share your ideas.