Primogeniture

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

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.

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

The diffusion of Primogeniture is usually accounted for by assigning what are called Feudal reasons for it.

Primogeniture did not belong to the Customs which the barbarians practised on their first establishment within the Roman Empire.