While it doesn't necessarily have to be, naming patterns can be
influenced by inheritance patterns and patterns of exercise of power
(where the latter two can but need not be linked). Here's a summary of
some inheritance/power patterns that have been described as existing in
the real world or in published fiction:

1. Cognatic Primogeniture: Descent in the senior male line only. If the
line becomes extinct, go back to the most recent generation where the
heir had a brother, and follow the brother's line - through males only -
to the present day. This was a relatively common pattern among European
royalty. (An obvious variation on this could be FEMALE 'cognatic'
primogeniture - which appears to be the canonical [or at least
semi-canonical] mode for inheritance in the Matriarchy of Mora (and thus
for the Duchy of Mora).)

2. Agnatic Primogeniture: Descent may be through female lines, but
preference is given to male over female, even if the female is the
elder. In Absolute Agnatic Primogeniture, no preference for males is
recognized; the eldest is the heir, regardless of sex. Although not yet
codified in law in the Commonwealth, the Perth Agreement specifies that
all Commonwealth countries are to pass local legislation affirming
absolute agnatic primogeniture for the respective crowns, and all such
legislation will take effect simultaneously.

3. Discussion here and in other Traveller forums, and possibly attested
in canonical material, suggests that traditional Vilani (which may or
may not include Luriani /Mmarislusant/ - care to comment, Andrea?) use
absolute agnatic tercerogeniture - that is, the third child inherits
(per the referenced discussion, presumably the first becomes a shugilii,
the second goes into the military).

4. One possibilty that leaves inheritance an open question as long as
possible is ultimogeniture - the _last_ child (subject to e.g., cognatic
restrictions) is the one that inherits.

5. Matrilineal descent can complicate matters, especially if power vests
in the male. In matrilineal cognatic primogeniture, your son isn't your
heir; rather, it's your eldest sister's eldest son that's your heir -
and your son may be the heir of your wife's eldest brother. If it's not
_primogeniture_, it can get even more complex. Or reflect that -
patrilineal descent, but power vests in the female.

6. The way the Warrant of Restoration is written, there's no method
specified of determining the heir (trust me on this; I wrote the thing),
and the Moot pretty much is expected to confirm except in cases of
obvious incompetence. That implicitly leaves it up to the dynast to
decide, and the "current" Alkhalikoi dynasty appears to use absolute
agnatic primogeniture. There's nothing to say, though, that the heir
can't be determined simply by the Emperor nominating some individual he
deems appropriately deserving, or adopting such a person. The adoption
route wasn't unknown among the Romans, either; IIRC, Octavian was _not_
related by blood to Julius.

8. In the world of Randall Garrett's _Lord Darcy_, the Plantagenets
still rule the Angevin Empire, and reign over the Germanies and the
Italian States. Imperium for the latter was declared at some time in the
past to vest in the current Angevin king-emperor of the House of
Plantagenet, and while cognatic primogeniture was expected, technically,
the Angevin parliament could _choose_ one of the other Plantagenet
princes to become King-Emperor instead.

9. While it was in reality no doubt a bit messier than my description
makes it sound, the old Soviet system essentially named a premier for
life, and on his death - which might not have been natural - the Supreme
Soviet elected his replacement. Arguably, modern republics - and most
constitutional monarchies - use a more benign form of this. (Yes,
election is a legitimate method of determining inheritance. For
non-power inheritance, there's no reason that a family couldn't do
something similar, and a will naming heir(s) is, essentially, a
statement of election of heir(s) by an electorate of one.)

--
Jeff Zeitlin, Editor
Freelance Traveller
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