Secundogeniture
Encyclopedia
A secundogeniture was a dependent territory given to a younger son of a princely house and his descendants, creating a cadet branch
. This was a special form of inheritance
. in which the second and younger son received more possessions and prestige than the severance payment which was usual in principalities practising primogeniture
.
The creation of a secundogeniture was often regulated by a house law
. The younger sons would receive some territory, but much less than the older brother, and they would not be sovereign. Examples of such house laws would be
A secondogeniture is different from a partition
. A partition creates two (or more) separate, largely independent states. An example of a partition would be the division of Hesse
after the death of Philip I of Hesse
. Nevertheless, there have been intermediate cases between a secundogeniture and a proper partition.
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...
. This was a special form of inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
. in which the second and younger son received more possessions and prestige than the severance payment which was usual in principalities practising 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...
.
The creation of a secundogeniture was often regulated by a 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...
. The younger sons would receive some territory, but much less than the older brother, and they would not be sovereign. Examples of such house laws would be
- the House Treaty of GeraHouse Treaty of GeraThe House Treaty of Gera was a House law of the House of Hohenzollern on the succession in Brandenburg and in the Franconian territories at the end of the 16th Century binding rules. The Treaty and came about because Elector John George of Brandenburg had violated the requirements made in...
in Brandenburg - the testament of John George I of SaxonyJohn George I, Elector of SaxonyJohn George I was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656.-Biography:Born in Dresden, he was the second son of the Elector Christian I and Sophie of Brandenburg....
and the of 1657, in which John George I's sons regulated the details
A secondogeniture is different from a partition
Partition (politics)
In politics, a partition is a change of political borders cutting through at least one territory considered a homeland by some community. That change is done primarily by diplomatic means, and use of military force is negligible....
. A partition creates two (or more) separate, largely independent states. An example of a partition would be the division of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
after the death of Philip I of Hesse
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Philip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....
. Nevertheless, there have been intermediate cases between a secundogeniture and a proper partition.
Examples
- ArmeniaArsacid Dynasty of ArmeniaThe Arsacid dynasty or Arshakuni dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 AD to 428 AD. Formerly a branch of the Iranian Parthian Arsacids, they became a distinctly Armenian dynasty. Arsacid Kings reigned intermittently throughout the chaotic years following the fall of the Artaxiad Dynasty...
in 63 AD - Brandenburg-Küstrin
- Brandenburg-SchwedtBrandenburg-SchwedtBrandenburg-Schwedt was a cadet line of the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg-Prussia who administered territories in the north of the Margraviate of Brandenburg...
- Habsburg-Tuscany
- Hesse-HomburgHesse-HomburgHesse-Homburg was formed into a separate landgraviate in 1622 by the landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt to be ruled by his son, although it did not become independent of Hesse-Darmstadt until 1668....
- Hesse-Rotenburg
- Palatinate-Birkenfeld
- Palatinate-SulzbachPalatinate-SulzbachPalatinate-Sulzbach was the name of two separate states of the Holy Roman Empire located in modern Amberg-Sulzbach, Bavaria, Germany.-Palatinate-Sulzbach :...
- Saxe-MerseburgSaxe-MerseburgTheDuchy of Saxe-Merseburg was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation with Merseburg as its capital. It existed from 1656/57 to 1738 and was owned by the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.- Emergence :...
- Saxe-WeissenfelsSaxe-WeissenfelsSaxe-Weissenfels was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire from 1656/7 until 1746 with its residence at Weißenfels. Ruled by a cadet branch of the Albertine House of Wettin, the duchy passed to the Electorate of Saxony upon the extinction of the line....
- Saxe-ZeitzSaxe-ZeitzThe Duchy of Saxe-Zeitz was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation from 1656/57 to 1718. Its capital was Zeitz. It was owned by the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.- History :...
- Schleswig-Holstein-SonderburgSchleswig-Holstein-SonderburgSchleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg was the name of a branch line of the House of Oldenburg as well as the name of their land. It existed from 1564 until 1668 and was a titular duchy under the King of Denmark, rather than a true territorial dukedom in its own right...
- Württemberg-Mömpelgard
See also
- AppanageAppanageAn 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...
- Partitioned-off dukePartitioned-off dukethumb | upright | John III was the first of the partitioned-off Dukes. After his death his territory was divided into several partitioned off [[microstates]]...
- PrimogeniturePrimogeniturePrimogeniture 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...