6 ms·
Actually, not true. What you're referring to is known as primogeniture succession, but there were also elective monarchies and tanistry, and probably more that
by mattmanser 6y ago
Actually, not true. What you're referring to is known as primogeniture succession, but there were also elective monarchies and tanistry, and probably more that I don't know about. Sometimes succession was limited to the immediate family, sometimes a 'bloodline', sometimes any eligible nobles.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_succession https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_succession
For example that article mentions the Kingdom of Italy was briefly had this as the succession law:
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
- Veen 6y ago> Actually, not true. Actually, it is true but not exhaustive. Nor was it intended to be. I was addressing the context of monarchy in the UK, as the rest of the comment makes clear.
- mattmanser 6y agoThe GP was asking in general, so your straightforward answer is explicitly wrong and must be read in that context, whether the UK's one happen to evolve into one is a bit irrelevant. Then again, even in 'recent' history, William of Orange was invited to take the English crown without primogeniture.