Primogeniture

Abstract

Primogeniture literally means “first born,” but is nearly always linked to the legal or customary right of inheritance of property (land), titles, and/or offices by the first‐born son. The system appears nearly as old as heritable property, when lineage and descent becomes a real or fictive determinant of the maintenance of “family” property. Primogeniture reaches its zenith in agrarian or feudal societies and, typically speaking, is less and less important in urban societies; as has been the case in many European states, it may become legally prohibited.