Order of succession
Encyclopedia
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.
the order of succession determines who becomes the new monarch
when the incumbent sovereign dies or vacates the throne. Such orders of succession generally specify a selection process, by law or tradition, which is applied to indicate which relative
of the previous monarch, or other person, has the strongest claim to succeed, and will therefore assume the throne when the vacancy occurs.
Often, the line of succession is restricted to persons of the blood royal
(but see morganatic marriage
), that is, to those legally recognized as born into or descended from the reign
ing dynasty
or a previous sovereign. The persons in line to succeed to the throne are called "dynasts". Constitutions, statutes, house law
s, and norms may regulate the sequence and eligibility of potential successors to the throne.
In the past, the order of succession was sometimes superseded or reinforced by the coronation
of a selected heir as co-monarch during the life of the reigning monarch. Examples include Henry the Young King
and the heirs of elective monarchies
, such as the use of the title King of the Romans
for the Habsburg
emperors. In the partially elective system of tanistry
, the heir or tanist was elected from the qualified males of the royal family.
Different monarchies use different algorithms or formulas to determine the line of succession. Chief among the lineal mechanisms are:
Hereditary monarchies have used a variety of methods and algorithms to calculate the order of succession among possible candidates related by blood or marriage. An advantage of employing such formulae is that dynasts may, from early youth, receive grooming, education, protection, resources and retainers suitable for the future dignity and responsibilities associated with the crown of a particular nation or people. Such systems may also enhance political stability by establishing clear, public expectations about the sequence of rulers, potentially reducing competition and channeling cadets
into other roles or endeavors.
Some hereditary monarchies have had unique selection processes, particularly upon the accession of a new dynasty. Imperial France
established male primogeniture within the descent of Napoleon I
, but failing male issue the constitution allowed the emperors to choose who among their brothers or nephews would follow them upon the throne. The Kingdom of Italy
was designated a secundogeniture
for the second surviving son of Napoleon I Bonaparte but, failing such, provided for the emperor's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais
to succeed, even though the latter had no blood relationship
to the House of Bonaparte. Serbia's monarchy was hereditary by primogeniture for male descendants in the male line of Prince Alexander I, but upon extinction of that line, the reigning king could choose any among his male relatives of the House of Karađorđević. In Romania, on the other hand, upon extinction of the male line descended from Carol I of Romania
, the constitution stipulated that the male-line of his brother, Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern, would inherit the throne and, failing other male line issue of that family, a prince of a "Western European" dynasty was to be chosen by the Romanian king and parliament. By contrast, older European monarchies tended to rely upon succession criteria that only called to the throne descendants of past monarchs according to fixed rules rooted in one or another pattern of laws or traditions..
(or more precisely male 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 all daughters. 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 then to the eldest son of the eldest son. This is the system in the Commonwealth realm
s, Spain
, and Monaco
.
Fiefs or titles granted "in tail general" or to "heirs general" follow this system for sons, but daughters are considered equal co-heirs, at least in modern 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
).
(since 1980), the Netherlands (since 1983), Norway
(since 1990), Belgium
(since 1991) and
Denmark
(since 2009). The Succession to the Crown Bill
of 2004 proposed changing the rules of succession to the British throne
to absolute primogeniture. In October 2011 it was agreed that absolute primogeniture will be introduced in the Commonwealth realm
s at a future date.
of descent: descendants through females were ineligible to inherit unless no males of the patrilineage
remained alive.
In this form of succession, the succession is reserved firstly to all the male dynastic descendants of all the eligible branches by order of primogeniture
, then upon total extinction of these male descendants to a female member of the dynasty. Current monarchies that operate under semi-Salic law include Luxembourg
. Former monarchies that operated under semi-Salic law included Austria (later Austria-Hungary
), Bavaria
, Hanover
, Württemberg
, Russia
, Saxony
, Tuscany
, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
.
If a female descendant should take the throne, she will not necessarily be the senior heiress by primogeniture, but usually the nearest relative to the last male monarch of the dynasty by proximity of blood
. Examples include Christian I of Denmark
's succession to Schleswig-Holstein, Maria Theresa of Austria
(although her right ultimately was confirmed in consequence of her victory in the War of the Austrian Succession
launched over her accession), Marie-Adelaide and Charlotte of Luxembourg, Anne of Brittany
and Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, as well as Christian IX of Denmark
's succession in the right of his wife, Louise of Hesse.
, a form of agnatic succession, restricted the pool of potential heirs to males of the patrilineage, altogether excluding females of the dynasty and their descendants from the succession. The Salic law applied to the former royal or imperial houses of Albania
, France
, Italy
, Romania
, Yugoslavia
, and Prussia
/German Empire
. It currently applies to the houses of Liechtenstein
.
In 1830 in Spain the question whether or not the Salic law applied - and therefore, should Ferdinand VII be followed by his daughter Isabella
or by his brother Charles
- led to a series of civil wars
and the formation of a pretender rival dynasty which exists up to the present.
Generally, hereditary monarchies that operate under the Salic law also use primogeniture
among male descendants in the male line to determine the rightful successor, although in earlier history agnatic seniority
was more usual than primogeniture. Fiefs and titles granted "in tail
male" or to "heirs male" follow this primogenitural form of succession. (Those granted to "heirs male of the body" are limited to the male-line descendants of the grantee; those to "heirs male general" may be inherited, after the extinction of the grantee's male-line descendants, by the male-line descendants of his father, paternal grandfather, etc.)
and later Appanage and early Muscovite Russia.
In this system the throne passed not linearly from father to son, but laterally from brother to brother (usually to the fourth brother) and then to the eldest son of the eldest brother who had held the throne. The system was begun by Yaroslav the Wise, who assigned each of his sons a principality based on seniority. When the Grand Prince died, the next most senior prince moved to Kiev and all others moved to the principality next up the ladder.
In history, quite often, but not always, appointments and elections favored, or were limited to, members of a certain dynasty or extended family. There may have been genealogical rules to determine who all are entitled to succeed, and who will be favored. This has led sometimes to an order of succession that balances branches of a dynasty by rotation
.
It currently applies, with variations, to the Holy See
, Malaysia, Cambodia
, Kuwait
, the UAE, Andorra
, Swaziland
, and Samoa
.
under the Merovingian and Carolingian
dynasties.
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.
is an order of succession where the subject is succeeded by the youngest son (or youngest child). This serves the circumstances where the youngest is "keeping the hearth", taking care of the parents and continuing at home, whereas elder children have had time to succeed "out in the world" and provide for themselves.
and Ögedei Khan
, immediately stopped the Mongol western campaigns because of the upcoming elections.
In the East Asia, the Lateral succession system is first recorded in the pre-historical period starting with the late Shang Dynasty
's Wai Bing succeeding his brother Da Ding, and then in connection with a conquest by the Zhou of the Yin Shang
, when Wu Ding was succeeded by his brother Zu Geng in 1189 BC and then by another brother Zu Jia in 1178 BC.
A drawback of the lateral succession is that, while ensuring a most competent leadership for the moment, the system inherently created derelict prince lines not eligible for succession. Any scion of an eligible heir that did not live long enough to ascend to the throne was cast aside as not eligible, creating a pool of discontented pretenders called Tegin
in Turkic and Izgoi in Rus dynastic lines. The unsettled pool of derelict princes was eventually bringing havoc to the succession order, and dismemberment to the state.
by the Nair
nobility and royal families, a man's wealth and title is inherited by his sister's children, and his own children receive their inheritance from their own maternal uncles. The Maharajah of Travancore
is therefore succeeded by his sister's son, and his own son receives a courtesy title
but has no place in the line of succession. 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.
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.
s with fixed-term election
s, the national president
is sometimes succeeded following death or resignation by the vice president
, in turn followed by various office holders of the parliament
or congress
, and/or members of the cabinet. For example, if both the President of the United States
and Vice President of the United States
are unable to serve, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
takes over as acting President. Next in line is the President pro tempore of the United States Senate
, who is followed by the Secretary of State
, and other cabinet officials. In many republics, however, a new election takes place some period after the demise of the incumbent president. For more information on the succession process in the United States of America, see United States presidential line of succession
. In contrast, 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 a prefixed order. Since there is no vice president, a new president has to be elected if the president dies or resigns.
Monarchies and nobility
In hereditary monarchiesHereditary monarchy
A hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy and is the form that is used by almost all of the world's existing monarchies.Under a hereditary monarchy, all the monarchs come from the same family, and the crown is passed down from one member to another member of the family...
the order of succession determines who becomes the new monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
when the incumbent sovereign dies or vacates the throne. Such orders of succession generally specify a selection process, by law or tradition, which is applied to indicate which relative
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
of the previous monarch, or other person, has the strongest claim to succeed, and will therefore assume the throne when the vacancy occurs.
Often, the line of succession is restricted to persons of the blood royal
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
(but see morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
), that is, to those legally recognized as born into or descended from the reign
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
ing dynasty
Dynasty
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...
or a previous sovereign. The persons in line to succeed to the throne are called "dynasts". Constitutions, statutes, house law
House law
House law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
s, and norms may regulate the sequence and eligibility of potential successors to the throne.
In the past, the order of succession was sometimes superseded or reinforced by the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of a selected heir as co-monarch during the life of the reigning monarch. Examples include Henry the Young King
Henry the Young King
Henry, known as the Young King was the second of five sons of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine but the first to survive infancy. He was officially King of England; Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine.-Early life:Little is known of the young prince Henry before the events...
and the heirs of elective monarchies
Elective monarchy
An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected rather than hereditary monarch. The manner of election, the nature of the candidacy and the electors vary from case to case...
, such as the use of the title King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
for the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
emperors. In the partially elective system of tanistry
Tanistry
Tanistry was a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist was the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland, Scotland and Man, to succeed to the chieftainship or to the kingship.-Origins:The Tanist was chosen from...
, the heir or tanist was elected from the qualified males of the royal family.
Different monarchies use different algorithms or formulas to determine the line of succession. Chief among the lineal mechanisms are:
Hereditary monarchies have used a variety of methods and algorithms to calculate the order of succession among possible candidates related by blood or marriage. An advantage of employing such formulae is that dynasts may, from early youth, receive grooming, education, protection, resources and retainers suitable for the future dignity and responsibilities associated with the crown of a particular nation or people. Such systems may also enhance political stability by establishing clear, public expectations about the sequence of rulers, potentially reducing competition and channeling cadets
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
into other roles or endeavors.
Some hereditary monarchies have had unique selection processes, particularly upon the accession of a new dynasty. Imperial France
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
established male primogeniture within the descent of Napoleon I
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, but failing male issue the constitution allowed the emperors to choose who among their brothers or nephews would follow them upon the throne. The Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state founded in Northern Italy by Napoleon, fully influenced by revolutionary France, that ended with his defeat and fall.-Constitutional statutes:...
was designated a secundogeniture
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
for the second surviving son of Napoleon I Bonaparte but, failing such, provided for the emperor's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Prince Français, Prince of Venice, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Hereditary Grand Duke of Frankfurt, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and 1st Prince of Eichstätt ad personam was the first child and only son of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la...
to succeed, even though the latter had no blood relationship
Proximity of blood
Proximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
to the House of Bonaparte. Serbia's monarchy was hereditary by primogeniture for male descendants in the male line of Prince Alexander I, but upon extinction of that line, the reigning king could choose any among his male relatives of the House of Karađorđević. In Romania, on the other hand, upon extinction of the male line descended from Carol I of Romania
Carol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
, the constitution stipulated that the male-line of his brother, Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern, would inherit the throne and, failing other male line issue of that family, a prince of a "Western European" dynasty was to be chosen by the Romanian king and parliament. By contrast, older European monarchies tended to rely upon succession criteria that only called to the throne descendants of past monarchs according to fixed rules rooted in one or another pattern of laws or traditions..
Primogeniture
In primogeniturePrimogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
(or more precisely male 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 all daughters. 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
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
), and then to the eldest son of the eldest son. This is the system in the Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
.
Fiefs or titles granted "in tail general" or to "heirs general" follow this system for sons, but daughters are considered equal co-heirs, at least in modern British practice. This can result in the condition known as abeyance
Abeyance
Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...
. In the medieval period, actual practice varied with local custom. While women could inherit manors, power was usually exercised by their husbands (jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
) or their sons (jure matris
Jure matris
Jure matris is a Latin phrase meaning "by right of his mother" or "in right of his mother".It is commonly encountered in the law of Inheritance when a noble title or other right passes from mother to son. It is also used in the context of monarchy in cases where a woman holds a title in her own...
).
Absolute primogeniture
Absolute primogeniture is a law in which the eldest child of the sovereign succeeds to the throne, regardless of gender, and where females (and their descendants) enjoy the same right of succession as males. This is currently the system in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(since 1980), the Netherlands (since 1983), Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(since 1990), Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(since 1991) and
Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
(since 2009). The Succession to the Crown Bill
Succession to the Crown Bill
The Succession to the Crown Bill was a British Private Member's Bill aimed at reforming the manner of succession to the British Monarchy published in the House of Lords by Labour peer Lord Dubs on 9 December 2004, and withdrawn by him on 14 January 2005, after the Government said that it would...
of 2004 proposed changing the rules of succession to the British throne
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
to absolute primogeniture. In October 2011 it was agreed that absolute primogeniture will be introduced in the Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s at a future date.
Agnatic succession
Agnatic (or semi-Salic) succession, prevalent in much of Europe since ancient times, is the restriction of succession to those descended from or related to a past or current monarch exclusively through the male linePatrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
of descent: descendants through females were ineligible to inherit unless no males of the patrilineage
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
remained alive.
In this form of succession, the succession is reserved firstly to all the male dynastic descendants of all the eligible branches by order of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, then upon total extinction of these male descendants to a female member of the dynasty. Current monarchies that operate under semi-Salic law include Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. Former monarchies that operated under semi-Salic law included Austria (later Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
), Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
.
If a female descendant should take the throne, she will not necessarily be the senior heiress by primogeniture, but usually the nearest relative to the last male monarch of the dynasty by proximity of blood
Proximity of blood
Proximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
. Examples include Christian I of Denmark
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
's succession to Schleswig-Holstein, Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
(although her right ultimately was confirmed in consequence of her victory in the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
launched over her accession), Marie-Adelaide and Charlotte of Luxembourg, Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
and Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, as well as Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...
's succession in the right of his wife, Louise of Hesse.
Salic law
The Salic lawSalic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
, a form of agnatic succession, restricted the pool of potential heirs to males of the patrilineage, altogether excluding females of the dynasty and their descendants from the succession. The Salic law applied to the former royal or imperial houses of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, and Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
/German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. It currently applies to the houses of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
.
In 1830 in Spain the question whether or not the Salic law applied - and therefore, should Ferdinand VII be followed by his daughter Isabella
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
or by his brother Charles
Infante Carlos, Count of Molina
The Infante Carlos of Spain was the second surviving son of King Charles IV of Spain and of his wife, Maria Luisa of Parma. As Carlos V he was the first of the Carlist claimants to the throne of Spain...
- led to a series of civil wars
Carlist Wars
The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which contenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. Several times during the period from 1833 to 1876 the Carlists — followers of Infante Carlos and his descendants — rallied to the cry of "God, Country, and King" and...
and the formation of a pretender rival dynasty which exists up to the present.
Generally, hereditary monarchies that operate under the Salic law also use primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
among male descendants in the male line to determine the rightful successor, although in earlier history agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority is a patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children succeed only after the males of the elder generation have all been exhausted...
was more usual than primogeniture. Fiefs and titles granted "in tail
Fee tail
At common law, fee tail or entail is an estate of inheritance in real property which cannot be sold, devised by will, or otherwise alienated by the owner, but which passes by operation of law to the owner's heirs upon his death...
male" or to "heirs male" follow this primogenitural form of succession. (Those granted to "heirs male of the body" are limited to the male-line descendants of the grantee; those to "heirs male general" may be inherited, after the extinction of the grantee's male-line descendants, by the male-line descendants of his father, paternal grandfather, etc.)
Rota system
The rota system, from the Old Church Slavic word for "ladder" or "staircase", was a system of collateral succession practiced (though imperfectly) in Kievan Rus'Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
and later Appanage and early Muscovite Russia.
In this system the throne passed not linearly from father to son, but laterally from brother to brother (usually to the fourth brother) and then to the eldest son of the eldest brother who had held the throne. The system was begun by Yaroslav the Wise, who assigned each of his sons a principality based on seniority. When the Grand Prince died, the next most senior prince moved to Kiev and all others moved to the principality next up the ladder.
Appointment, election, tanistry, and rotation
Order of succession can be arranged by appointment: either the incumbent monarch or some electoral body appoints an heir or a list of heirs before vacancy occurs. A monarchy may be generally elective, although in a way that the next holder will be elected only after it becomes vacant.In history, quite often, but not always, appointments and elections favored, or were limited to, members of a certain dynasty or extended family. There may have been genealogical rules to determine who all are entitled to succeed, and who will be favored. This has led sometimes to an order of succession that balances branches of a dynasty by rotation
Rotation
A rotation is a circular movement of an object around a center of rotation. A three-dimensional object rotates always around an imaginary line called a rotation axis. If the axis is within the body, and passes through its center of mass the body is said to rotate upon itself, or spin. A rotation...
.
It currently applies, with variations, to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, Malaysia, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, the UAE, Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
, Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, and Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
.
Seniority
In seniority successions, a monarch's or fiefholder's next sibling, actually it means almost always brother, succeeds; not his children. And, if the royal house is more extensive, (male) cousins and so forth succeed, in order of seniority, which may depend upon actual age or upon the seniority between their fathers.Partible inheritance
In some societies, a monarchy or a fief was inherited in a way that all entitled heirs had a right to a share of it. The most prominent examples of this practice are the multiple divisions of the Frankish EmpireFrankish Empire
Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire , Frankish Kingdom , Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from the 3rd to the 10th century...
under the Merovingian and Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
dynasties.
Proximity of blood
Proximity of bloodProximity of blood
Proximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
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
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
everywhere in Europe. In Outremer
Outremer
Outremer, French for "overseas", was a general name given to the Crusader states established after the First Crusade: the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli and especially the Kingdom of Jerusalem...
it was often used to choose regents, and it figured in some of the succession disputes over the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
. It was also recognized in that kingdom for the succession of fiefs, under special circumstances: if a fief was lost to the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s and subsequently re-conquered, it was to be assigned to the heir in proximity of blood of the last fief-holder.
Ultimogeniture
UltimogenitureUltimogeniture
Ultimogeniture, also known as postremogeniture or junior right, is the tradition of inheritance by the last-born of the entirety of, or a privileged position in, a parent's wealth, estate or office...
is an order of succession where the subject is succeeded by the youngest son (or youngest child). This serves the circumstances where the youngest is "keeping the hearth", taking care of the parents and continuing at home, whereas elder children have had time to succeed "out in the world" and provide for themselves.
Lateral succession
Lateral or fraternal system of succession mandates principles of seniority among members of a dynasty or dynastic clan, with a purpose of election a best qualified candidate for the leadership. The leaders are elected as being the most mature elders of the clan, already in possession of military power and competence. Fraternal succession is preferred to ensure that mature leaders are in charge, removing a need for regents. The lateral system of succession may or may not exclude male descendants in the female line from succession. In practice, when no male heir is mature enough, a female heir is usually determined "pragmatically", by proximity to the last monarch, like Boariks of the Caucasian Huns or Tamiris of Massagetes in Middle Asia. The lateral monarch is generally elected after the leadership throne becomes vacant. In the early years of the Mongol empire, the death of the ruling monarchs, Genghis KhanGenghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
and Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan, born Ögedei was the third son of Genghis Khan and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire by succeeding his father...
, immediately stopped the Mongol western campaigns because of the upcoming elections.
In the East Asia, the Lateral succession system is first recorded in the pre-historical period starting with the late Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
's Wai Bing succeeding his brother Da Ding, and then in connection with a conquest by the Zhou of the Yin Shang
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
, when Wu Ding was succeeded by his brother Zu Geng in 1189 BC and then by another brother Zu Jia in 1178 BC.
A drawback of the lateral succession is that, while ensuring a most competent leadership for the moment, the system inherently created derelict prince lines not eligible for succession. Any scion of an eligible heir that did not live long enough to ascend to the throne was cast aside as not eligible, creating a pool of discontented pretenders called Tegin
Tegin
Tegin is a Turkic title, commonly attachable to the names of the junior members of the Khan family. History recorded many personages carrying the title Tegin, from incidentally noted to heading their own states. The most known are Kül Tegin Tegin (aka tigin, tiğin, Pin. teqin, tiin 特勤, erroneous...
in Turkic and Izgoi in Rus dynastic lines. The unsettled pool of derelict princes was eventually bringing havoc to the succession order, and dismemberment to the state.
Matrilinear succession
In matrilinear succession (also known as Marumakathayam), practiced in KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
by the Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
nobility and royal families, a man's wealth and title is inherited by his sister's children, and his own children receive their inheritance from their own maternal uncles. The Maharajah of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
is therefore succeeded by his sister's son, and his own son receives a courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
but has no place in the line of succession. 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.
Succession crises
When a monarch dies without a clear successor, a succession crisis often results. For example, when King Charles IV of FranceCharles IV of France
Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
died, the Hundred Years War erupted between Charles' cousin, Philip VI of France
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
, and Charles' nephew, Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
, to determine who would succeed Charles as the King of France.
Republics
In politics, a desire to ensure a continuity of operations at all times has resulted in most offices having some formalized order of succession. In republicRepublic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
s with fixed-term election
Fixed-term election
A Fixed-term election is an election that occurs on a set date, and cannot be changed by the incumbent politician.Fixed-term elections are common for most mayors and for directly elected governors and presidents, but less common for prime ministers and parliaments in a parliamentary system of...
s, the national president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
is sometimes succeeded following death or resignation by the vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, in turn followed by various office holders of the parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
or congress
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different nations, constituent states, independent organizations , or groups....
, and/or members of the cabinet. For example, if both the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
are unable to serve, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
takes over as acting President. Next in line is the President pro tempore of the United States Senate
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
The President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...
, who is followed by the Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
, and other cabinet officials. In many republics, however, a new election takes place some period after the demise of the incumbent president. For more information on the succession process in the United States of America, see United States presidential line of succession
United States presidential line of succession
The United States presidential line of succession defines who may become or act as President of the United States upon the incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office of a sitting president or a president-elect.- Current order :This is a list of the current presidential line of...
. In contrast, in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the president's temporary successor is the prime minister and then the ministers in the order of days spent in office, instead of a prefixed order. Since there is no vice president, a new president has to be elected if the president dies or resigns.
Lines of succession in states around the world
- Line of succession to the Albanian throneLine of succession to the Albanian ThroneThe Albanian monarchy was overthrown in 1939 when King Zog fled the country following an invasion by Mussolini's Italy. The pretender and head of the House of Zogu since the death of King Zog in 1961 is Zog's son Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, Leka has one son:...
- Line of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throneLine of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throneThe dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary was abolished in 1918. The current Head of the House of Habsburg is Archduke Karl. The succession law used is Semi-Salic.-Equal marriages:...
- Line of succession to the Baden throne
- Line of succession to the Bavarian throneLine of succession to the Bavarian ThroneThe Monarchy of Bavaria was abolished in 1918. The current Head of the formerly ruling House of Wittelsbach is Franz, Duke of Bavaria.The succession is determined by Article 2 of Title 2 of the 1818 Constitution of the Kingdom of Bavaria, which states "The crown is hereditary among the male...
- Line of succession to the Belgian throneLine of succession to the Belgian ThroneSince 1991, Belgium practises absolute cognatic primogeniture but this only applies to the descendants of King Albert II, effectively barring the female descended offspring of Leopold II, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, Albert I and Leopold III from the throne...
- Line of succession to the Brazilian throneLine of succession to the Brazilian throneThe Brazilian monarchy came to an end on November 15, 1889, following a military coup which overthrew Emperor Dom Pedro II. The current Brazilian Imperial Family is split into two branches: the Petrópolis and the Vassouras...
- Line of succession to the British throneLine of succession to the British ThroneThe line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
- Line of succession to the Bulgarian throneLine of succession to the Bulgarian ThroneThe Bulgarian monarchy was abolished in 1946. The last reigning monarch was HM Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, who is now the currect head of the Bulgarian Royal Family. The law of succession of the family is agnatic primogeniture...
- Line of succession to the Danish throneLine of succession to the Danish ThroneDenmark used a system of male-preference primogeniture until 2009. The male preference cognatic primogeniture was changed in favour of an absolute primogeniture...
- Line of succession to the Dutch throneLine of succession to the Dutch ThroneThe 1814 constitution stated that the oldest son of the monarch would succeed him , followed by the monarch's brother or his son. Only when there would be a complete lack of males in his near family, would the oldest daughter of the monarch succeed him...
- Line of succession to the Ethiopian throneLine of succession to the Ethiopian ThroneThe line of succession to the Ethiopian throne is described in the first section of the 1955 Revised Constitution of Ethiopia.In brief, the title of Emperor may pass only through male descendants of HIM Haile Selassie I, through the oldest male line before the younger...
- Line of succession to the French monarchy (Bonapartist, Legitimist and Orleanist)History of the French line of successionA history of the French line of succession, from Hugh Capet to Napoléon III, showing its state at the death of each monarch. For the current lines of succession to the French throne, see the links section below. Normally, only the first ten heirs are listed, if possible...
- Line of succession to the German throneLine of succession to the German throneThe German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia were abolished in 1918. The current head - and first in line of succession - of the former ruling House of Hohenzollern is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia...
- Line of succession to the Greek throneLine of succession to the Greek ThroneThe Greek monarchy was abolished by the then-ruling military regime on 1 June 1973, an act that was confirmed by plebiscite on 8 December 1974 after the regime's fall. The title of king is used by the last reigning monarch, Constantine II...
- Line of succession to the Hanoverian throneLine of succession to the Hanoverian ThroneThe Kingdom of Hanover was abolished in 1866 and the Duchy of Brunswick in 1918. The Hanoverian royal family was also deprived of the Dukedom of Cumberland in 1919. The current senior male-line descendant of George III of the United Kingdom and head of the House of Hanover is Ernst August V, Prince...
- Line of succession to the Hessian throneLine of succession to the Hessian throneThe Electorate of Hesse was abolished in 1866 when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia, while the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine came to an end in 1918...
- Line of succession to the Japanese throneLine of succession to the Japanese throneThe line of succession to the Japanese throne is the list of all people that may once become Emperor of Japan.The following is the current order of succession to the Japanese throne:...
- Line of succession to the Montenegrin throneLine of succession to the Montenegrin ThroneThe monarchy in Montenegro came to an end in 1918 when the illegal Podgorica Assembly voted to unite Montenegro with the Kingdom of Serbia under the Serbian dynasty. The current pretender and head of the Royal house is Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, who is the great grandson of the last King,...
- Line of succession to the Norwegian throneLine of succession to the Norwegian ThroneSince 1990, absolute primogeniture has been applied in Norway. Crown Prince Haakon Magnus is currently the heir apparent.-Law of succession:In 1990 the Norwegian constitution was altered, granting absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender,...
- Line of succession to the Ottoman throneLine of succession to the Ottoman throneThe Ottoman Dynasty, which completely excluded females from the throne, had unusual succession practices compared to other monarchies. Those succession practices changed over time, and ultimately the sultanate was abolished in 1922.-Succession practices:...
- Line of succession to the Portuguese throneLine of succession to the Portuguese throneThe Portuguese monarchy was abolished on the 5 October 1910 when King Manuel II was deposed following a republican revolution. The present head of the House of Braganza the former ruling house is, Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza a position he has held since the death of his father Duarte Nuno in 1976...
- Line of succession to the Romanian throneLine of succession to the Romanian throneThe succession order to the throne of Romania depends on the interpretation of the applicable laws, either the Romanian kingdom's last democratic constitution, that of 1923, or the new Statute of the Royal House of Romania, named Fundamental Rules of the Romanian Royal House, privately enacted by...
- Line of succession to the Russian throneLine of succession to the Russian ThroneThe Monarchy of Russia was abolished in 1917 following the February Revolution, which forced Emperor Nicholas II to abdicate. The issue of who is the current Pretender is open to debate.-Line of succession in March 1917:...
- Line of succession to the Saudi Arabian throneLine of succession to the Saudi Arabian ThroneThe order of succession to the throne of Saudi Arabia is determined by, and within, the House of Saud. It follows agnatic seniority, but a prince may be surpassed or another elevated. The Allegiance Council was created in 2006 to facilitate the royal transfer of power.King Abdullah is the current...
- Line of succession to the Saxon throneLine of succession to the Saxon throne-Royal House of Saxony:The Kingdom of Saxony was abolished in 1918 when King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony abdicated. The current head of the royal house is Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen; he is dynastically married but has no children. The succession law until the abolition of the monarchy...
- Line of succession to the Serbian throne
- Line of succession to the Spanish throneLine of succession to the Spanish ThroneSpain uses the system of primogeniture. Male children succeed before female, and otherwise in order of age. If descent from male children does not exist , a female and her heirs succeed. Dynasts who marry against the express prohibition of the king or the Cortes are excluded from the succession...
- Line of succession to the Swedish throneLine of succession to the Swedish ThroneThe line of succession to the Swedish throne is determined by the Swedish Act of Succession. In 1980 Sweden adopted equal primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession...
- Line of succession to the Tuscan throneLine of succession to the Tuscan throneThe present head of the Grand Ducal House of Tuscany is Archduke Sigismund, Grand Duke of Tuscany.#Archduke Amadeo, Grand Prince of Tuscany #Archduke Maximilian, Prince of Tuscany #Archduke Guntram, Prince of Tuscany...
- Line of succession to the Two Sicilies throneLine of succession to the throne of the Two SiciliesThe Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was unified with the Kingdom of Italy in 1860. The headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies has been disputed since the death of claimant Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria on 7 January 1960 between Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria and his descendants and...
- Line of succession to the Württemberg throneLine of succession to the Württemberg throneThe monarchy of Württemberg came to an end in 1918 along with the rest of the monarchies that made up the German Empire. The last sovereign King of Württemberg was William II....
- Line of succession to the Yugoslavian throneLine of succession to the Yugoslavian throneThe Monarchy of Yugoslavia was abolished in 1945. The current pretender to the thrones of Serbia and Yugoslavia is Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia....
Miscellaneous
- Order of precedenceOrder of precedenceAn order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
- Continuity of governmentContinuity of governmentContinuity of government is the principle of establishing defined procedures that allow a government to continue its essential operations in case of nuclear war or other catastrophic event....
- Shadow governmentShadow governmentShadow government may refer to:*An opposition government in a parliamentary system, see Shadow Cabinet*A term for plans for an emergency government that takes over in the event of a disaster, see continuity of government...
- Royal HouseRoyal HouseA royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
- House lawHouse lawHouse law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
- Royal familyRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
- Crown princeCrown PrinceA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
- Proximity of bloodProximity of bloodProximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
- Posthumous birthPosthumous birthA posthumous birth is a birth of a child after the death of a parent. A person born in these circumstances is called a posthumous child or a posthumously born person...
- Salic lawSalic lawSalic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
- TanistryTanistryTanistry was a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist was the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland, Scotland and Man, to succeed to the chieftainship or to the kingship.-Origins:The Tanist was chosen from...
- BayaaBayaaThe bayaa ceremony is performed in Islamic societies, as a means to formally endorse the rule of a newly-appointed Caliph, Imam, Sultan or other leader, by a pledge of allegiance.- Overview :...