Order of succession: Difference between revisions

In Kerala, southern India, a custom known as [[Marumakkathayam]] was practiced by the [[Nair]] nobility and royal families. [[Marumakkathayam]] was a system of matrilineal inheritance prevalent in regions of the Indian state of Kerala. Through this system, descent and the inheritance of property were passed from the maternal uncle to nephews or nieces. The right 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. TheAlmost all the monarchs in Kerala practised this system, including the monarchs of the [[Kingdom of Travancore]], [[Zamorin#Caste and line of succession|Sammothiris]] who were the monarchs of the [[Kingdom of TravancoreCalicut]], practisedmonarchs thisof the [[Kingdom of Cochin#List of Maharajas of Cochin|Kingdom of Cochin]] as well as the kings of [[Kolathunadu]]. The [[Arakkal kingdom#Ali Rajas and Arakkal Beevis|Arakkal kingdom]] followed a similar matrilineal system of descent: the eldest member of the family, wherewhether 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 succeeded 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.