Primogeniture

But the privileges of inheritance corresponding to this spiritual primacy are very variously defined in the law-books, and, even when they approach somewhat to modern primogeniture, they are still very unlike it.

According to some systems of mediæval customary law, daughters succeeded, either in order of primogeniture or in a group, when sons had failed.

Yet Primogeniture—to which as a political institution I may observe that the human race has been deeply indebted—did not at first appear in anything like the shape in which we are familiar with it;

The rule of primogeniture, which once applied only to knightly holdings, came to apply to the great bulk of English tenures, except the Gavelkind of Kent and some others of merely local importance.

The rule of primogeniture was of exceptional application, and was for the most part confined to lands held by knightly tenure;

The status of the Chief has thus left us one bequest in the rule of Primogeniture, which, however, has long lost its most ancient form;

The examples of succession by Primogeniture which were found among the Benefices may, therefore, have been imitated from a system of family-government known to the invading races, though not in general use.

Although in India the possessions of a parent are divisible at his death, and may be divisible during his life, among all his male children in equal shares, and though this principle of the equal distribution of property extends to every part of the Hindoo institutions, yet wherever public office or political power devolves at the decease of the last Incumbent, the succession is nearly universally …

The mention of Primogeniture introduces one of the most difficult problems of historical jurisprudence.