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===Male-preference (cognatic) primogeniture===
[[File:Male-preference primogeniture diagram.svg|thumb|Male-preference primogeniture diagram. Legend: {{unordered list|Grey: incumbent|Square: male|Circle: female|Black: deceased|Diagonal: cannot be displaced (see [[heir apparent]])}}]]
In male-preference [[primogeniture]] (in the past called cognatic primogeniture) the monarch's eldest son and his descendants take precedence over his siblings and their descendants. Elder sons take precedence over younger sons, but all sons take precedence over daughters. A female member of a dynasty can succeed to the throne if and only if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants. Children represent their deceased ancestors, and the senior line of descent always takes precedence over the junior line, within each gender. The right of succession belongs to the eldest son of the reigning sovereign (see [[heir apparent]]), and next to the eldest son of the eldest son. This is the system in [[Spain]] and [[Monaco]], and was the system used in the Great Britain and later, the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Commonwealth realm]]s between 1707 and 2011, and before 1707, to the separate thrones of [[England]] and [[Scotland]] (Although during the Middle Ages, Scotland also supported [[Tanistry|tanistry]] and [[Proximity by blood|proximity of blood], both through the male and female lines, due to the intermingling of [[Picts|Pictish]] and Gaelic succession rules). It was also practised in almost all of the ancient kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Ages.
 
{{See also|List of female monarchs}}
Fiefs or titles granted "in tail general" or to "heirs general" follow this system for sons, but daughters are considered equal co-heirs to each other, at least in recent British practice. This can result in the condition known as [[abeyance]]. In the medieval period, actual practice varied with local custom. While women could inherit manors, power was usually exercised by their husbands (''[[jure uxoris]]'') or their sons (''[[jure matris]]'').
 
In male-preference [[primogeniture]] (in the past called cognatic primogeniture) the monarch's eldest son and his descendants take precedence over his siblings and their descendants. Elder sons take precedence over younger sons, but all sons take precedence over daughters. A female member of a dynasty can succeed to the throne if and only if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants. Children represent their deceased ancestors, and the senior line of descent always takes precedence over the junior line, within each gender. The right of succession belongs to the eldest son of the reigning sovereign (see [[heir apparent]]), and next to the eldest son of the eldest son. This is the system in [[Spain]] and [[Monaco]], and was the system used in the Great Britain and later, the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Commonwealth realm]]s between 1707 and 2011, and before 1707, to the separate thrones of [[England]] and [[Scotland]] (Although during the Middle Ages, Scotland also supported [[Tanistry|tanistry]] and [[Proximity by blood|proximity of blood], both through the male and female lines, due to the intermingling of [[Picts|Pictish]] and Gaelic succession rules). It was also practised in almost all of the ancient kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Ages.
 
This is the system in [[Spain]] and [[Monaco]], and was the system used in the ancient kingdoms of [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] and later, the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] and finally, the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Commonwealth realm]]s (although, during the Middle Ages, Scotland also supported [[tanistry]] and [[proximity of blood]], both through the male and female lines, due to the intermingling of [[Picts|Pictish]] and Gaelic succession rules).
 
With respect to [[hereditary title]]s, it is usually the rule everywhere in Scotland and [[Hereditary peer#Writs of summons|baronies by writ]] in the United Kingdom, but usually these English baronies by writ go into [[abeyance]] when the last male titleholder dies leaving more than one surviving sister or more than one descendant in the legitimate female line of the original titleholder. In England, Fiefs or titles granted "in tail general" or to "heirs general" follow this system for sons, but daughters are considered equal co-heirs to each other, which can result in abeyance. In the medieval period, actual practice varied with local custom. While women could inherit manors, power was usually exercised by their husbands (''[[jure uxoris]]'') or their sons (''[[jure matris]]''). However, in Scotland, Salic law or any of its variations have never been practised, and all the hereditary titles are inherited through male-preference primogeniture, where in the extinction of a male line, the eldest sister automatically receives the titles, and rules in her own right, not in the right of her son. A famous example of this is [[Marjorie, Countess of Carrick]], mother of [[Robert the Bruce]], who was the Countess of Carrick in her own right.
 
It was also practised in many of the kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent from the Middle Ages to the [[Indian independence movement]]. In many of these kingdoms, adoption was allowed from a relative if a monarch did not have children, and the adopted child could succeed to the throne at the death of the monarch. An example of a king who was adopted was [[Rajaram II of Satara]], who was adopted by [[Shahu I]] (Rajaram II in turn adopted a son, [[Shahu II of Satara|Shahu II]] who ruled as the next king). Often, the wife or mother of a childless king were allowed to succeed to the throne as well and allowed to rule as queen regnants in their own right, until their death, after which the throne passed to the next closest relative. An example of this [[Didda|Queen Didda of Kashmir]], who ascended the throne of Kashmir in 980 CE after the death of her grandson and ruled until 1003 CE. Another example is [[Qudsia Begum, Begum of Bhopal|Qudsia Begum]] who became the [[Nawabs of Bhopal|Nawab of Bhopal]] in 1819 CE after the death of her husband and ruled until 1837 CE. Other famous queens include [[Rudrama Devi]], [[Keladi Chennamma]], [[Ahilyabai Holkar]] and [[Velu Nachiyar]]. [[Razia Sultana]] was a rare example of a queen who succeeded her father even when her brothers were alive. She ruled the [[Delhi Sultanate]] from 1236 to 1240 CE.
 
===Absolute cognatic primogeniture===
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{{main|Patrilineality#Agnatic succession}}
[[File:Agnatic primogeniture diagram.svg|thumb|Agnatic primogeniture diagram. Legend: {{unordered list|Grey: incumbent|Square: male|Black: deceased|Diagonal: cannot be displaced}}]]
The [[Salic law]], or agnatic succession, restricted the pool of potential heirs to males of the patrilineage, and altogether excluded females of the dynasty and their descendants from the succession, unless there were no living males to inherit. The Salic law applied to the former royal or imperial houses of [[Albania]], [[France]], [[Italy]], [[Romania]], [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]], and [[Prussia]]/[[German Empire]]. It currently applies to the house of [[Princely Family of Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein]], and the [[Chrysanthemum Throne]] of [[Japan]].
 
In 1830 in Spain the question whether or not the Salic law applied – and therefore, whether [[Ferdinand VII of Spain|Ferdinand VII]] should be followed by his daughter [[Isabella II of Spain|Isabella]] or by his brother [[Infante Carlos, Count of Molina|Charles]] – led to a series of [[Carlist Wars|civil wars]] and the formation of a pretender rival dynasty which still exists.
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Some cultures pass honours down through the female line. A man's wealth and title are inherited by his sister's children, and his children receive their inheritance from their maternal uncles.
 
In Kerala, southern India, thisa custom is known as [[Marumakkathayam]]. It iswas practiced by the [[Nair]] nobility and royal families. Through this system, descent and the inheritance of property were passed from the maternal uncle to nephews or nieces. The Maharajahright of the child was with the maternal uncle or the mother's family rather than the father or the father's family. Through this bloodline, surnames, titles, properties, and everything of the child are inherited from his uncle or mother. Almost all the monarchs in Kerala practised this system, including the monarchs of the [[Kingdom of Travancore]], is[[Zamorin#Caste thereforeand succeededline byof succession|Sammothiris]] who were the monarchs of the [[Kingdom of Calicut]], monarchs of the [[Kingdom of Cochin#List of Maharajas of Cochin|Kingdom of Cochin]] as well as the [[Kolathiri|Kolathiris]], the kings of [[Kolathunadu]] as well as in the [[Kingdom of Valluvanad]]. The [[Arakkal kingdom#Ali Rajas and Arakkal Beevis|Arakkal kingdom]] followed a similar matrilineal system of descent: the eldest member of the family, whether male or female, became its head and ruler. While male rulers were called Ali Rajah, female rulers were known as Arakkal Beevis. Usually after one king, his nephew through his sister's sonsucceeded to the throne, and his own son receives a [[courtesy title]] but has no place in the line of succession. In the absence of nephews, nieces could also succeed to the kingdom, as in the case of Queen [[Gowri Lakshmi Bayi]] who was the queen regnant from 1810 to 1813. Since Indian Independence and the passing of several acts such as the [[Hindu Succession Act]] (1956), this form of inheritance is no longer recognised by law. Regardless, the pretender to the Travancore throne is still determined by matrilinear succession.
 
The [[Akan_peopleAkan people#Matrilineality|Akans]] of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, West Africa have similar matrilineal succession and as such [[OtumfourOtumfuo Nana Osei- Tutu II]], [[Asantehene]] inherited the [[Golden Stool]] (the throne) through his mother (the [[Asantehemaa]]) [[Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II]].
 
===Ultimogeniture===
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[[File:Proximity of blood diagram.svg|thumb|Proximity of blood diagram. Legend: {{unordered list|Grey: incumbent|Square: male|Circle: female|Black: deceased|Diagonal: cannot be displaced}}]]
{{main|Proximity of blood}}
[[Proximity of blood]] is a system wherein the person closest in degree of kinship to the sovereign succeeds, preferring males over females and elder over younger siblings. This is sometimes used as a gloss for "pragmatic" successions in Europe; it had somewhat more standing during the [[Middle Ages]] everywhere in Europe. In [[Outremer]] it was often used to choose regents, and it figured in some of the succession disputes over the [[Kingdom of Jerusalem]]. It was also recognized in that kingdom for the succession of fiefs, under special circumstances: if a fief was lost to the [[Saracen]]s and subsequently re-conquered, it was to be assigned to the heir in proximity of blood of the last fief-holder.

In Scotland, [[Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale|Robert de Brus]] tried to claim the Scottish crown by order of proximity,. butHe was not successful. However, but his grandson [[Robertlater thesuccessfully Bruce]]claimed wasthe able to succeedcrown as [[Robert the KingBruce|Robert I of Scots later onScotland]].
====Partible inheritance====
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=== Tanistry ===
{{main|Tanistry}}
The '''Tanistry''' is a [[Gaels|Gaelic]] system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the '''Tanist''' ({{lang-ga|[[Tánaiste]]}}; {{lang-gd|Tànaiste}}; {{lang-gv|Tanishtey}}) is the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the (royal) Gaelic [[patrilineal]] dynasties of [[Ireland]], [[Scotland]] and [[Isle of Man|Mann]], to succeed to the [[Chiefs of the Name|chieftainship]] or to the [[kingship]].
The '''Tanistry''' is a [[Gaels|Gaelic]] system for passing on titles and lands.
 
Historically the tanist was chosen from among the heads of the ''roydammna'' or "righdamhna" (literally, those of ''kingly material'') or, alternatively, among all males of the ''[[Sept (social)|sept]]'', and elected by them in full assembly. The eligibility was based on descent from a king to a few degrees of proximity. Usually descent from the male lines of a king was the norm, however in Scotland, descent through the female lines of a king was also accepted, possibly because of an intermingling with the Pictish succession rules. An example of this is King [[Eochaid ab Rhun|Eochaid]] who claimed the Scottish throne as the son of the daughter of [[Kenneth MacAlpin|Kenneth I]].
 
The composition and the governance of the clan were built upon descent from a similar ancestor. The office was noted from the beginning of recorded history in Ireland, and probably pre-dates it. A story about [[Cormac mac Airt]] refers to his eldest son as his tanist. Following his murder by a member of the [[Deisi]], another ''roydammna'', [[Eochaid Gonnat]], succeeded as king.
 
The royal succession in Celtic Scotland was limited to the elective succession of the male descendants of ''Siol Alpein'' ([[House of Alpin]]) until the accession of [[Malcolm II of Scotland|King Malcolm II]] in 1005, who introduced the concept of hereditary monarchy in Scotland. He did so to try to eliminate the strife caused by the [[elective monarchy|elective law]], which encouraged rival claimants to fight for the throne. The earlier [[Picts|Pictish kingdoms]] had allowed female-line succession to the throne and in middle age Scotland, Pictish and Gaelic succession rules were intermingled. Since Malcolm had only daughters, the throne passed to his grandson through his eldest daughter and later, their descendants. The Irish monarchies, for their part, never at any stage allowed for female line succession.
 
==Elective succession==
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==Succession crises==
{{Further|War of succession}}
When a monarch dies without a clear successor, a succession crisis often ensues, frequently resulting in a [[war of succession]]. For example, when King [[Charles IV of France]] died, the [[Hundred Years War]] erupted between Charles' cousin, [[Philip VI of France]], and Charles' nephew, [[Edward III of England]], to determine who would succeed Charles as the [[King of France]]. When the [[Kingdom of Scotland|crown of Scotland]] became vacant in September 1290 on the death of the seven-year-old [[Margaret, Maid of Norway|Queen Margaret]], 13 claimants to the throne came forward. Where the line of succession is clear, it has sometimes happened that a [[pretender]] with a weak or spurious claim but military or political power [[Usurpation|usurps]] the throne.
 
In recent years researchers have found significant connections between the types of rules governing succession in monarchies and autocracies and the frequency with which coups or succession crises occur.<ref>Kurrild-Klitgaard, Peter (2000). "The constitutional economics of autocratic succession", ''Public Choice'', 103(1/2), pp. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1005078532251 63–84].</ref>
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==Republics==
{{Presidential orders of succession}}
In [[republic]]s, the requirement to ensure [[continuity of government]] at all times has resulted in most offices having some formalized order of succession. In a country with [[fixed-term election]]s, the [[head of state]] (president) is often succeeded following death, resignation, or impeachment by the [[vice president]], [[Speaker (politics)| parliament speaker]], [[chancellor]], or [[prime minister]], in turn followed by various office holders of the [[legislative assembly]] or other [[government minister]]s. In many republics, a new election takes place some time after the "presidency" becomes unexpectedly vacant.
 
In states or provinces within a country, frequently a lieutenant governor or deputy governor is elected to fill a vacancy in the office of the governor.
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;Example of succession
*If the [[President of the United States]] is unable to serve, the [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] takes over if able to serve. If not, the order of succession is [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]], [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|President pro tempore of the Senate]], [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]], and other cabinet officials as listed in the article ''[[United States presidential line of succession]]''.
*In [[Republic of Korea]], If the president is unable to serve, the prime minister takes over if able to serve. If not, the order of succession is the minister of Economy and Finance, minister of Education etc. There is no vice president, and a new president has to be elected if the president dies or resigns.
*In [[Finland]], the president's temporary successor is the prime minister and then the ministers in the order of days spent in office, instead of in order of ministry. There is no vice president, and a new president has to be elected if the president dies or resigns.
*In [[Israel]], the president's temporary successor is the [[List of Knesset speakers|Speaker of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament)]], with the new president being elected by the parliament if the president dies or resigns.
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[[Category:Succession|*]]
[[Category:Sibling]]
[[Category:Order of succession| ]]