Primogenitur

the Primogenitur is a succession principle, with which only the Erstgeborene the inheritance start and all recent lines of a dynasty remain unconsidered.

The principle of the priority of the Erstgeborenen is already alttestamentlich occupied, approximately in the rivalry Esaus and Jakob around the inheritance Isaaks.Because of the special meaning of the Erstgeborenen there is also straight these, in the 10. Troubles the Egyptians to be taken.

The principle was not by any means undisputed nevertheless in the early Middle Ages. In some prince sexes, for instance the Karolingern and the Askaniern the rule among the living sons becamedivided. Also different attacks on the position of the Erstgeborenen became - apart from the again and again discussed question of the female succession discusses: Thus Heinrich I. tried. to legitimize rebellions repeated by Bavaria its against the rule of its brother of Otto of the large one by the fact that those thatErstgeborene - Primogenitus - is, it, Heinrich, but was born, when its father already carried - Porphyrogenitus (in the magenta the born) - while Otto as a duke son the light of the world had only seen.

Special meaning attained the Primogenitur in the holy Roman realm,after the transmission of numerous king rights to the Feudalherren and after the absence for many decades of an imperial central power during inter+rain around from numerous almost sovereigns territorial states existed. For the avoidance of a further splintering many German prince houses the introduction of the Primogenitur erstrebten. The golden bull of 1356 guaranteed the cure principalities the Primogenitur, which referred usually only to the firstborn son.

See also: Senioratsprinzip, entailed property, Primogeniturgesetz, magenta birth, Sekundogenitur.