𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖳𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖫𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗌

𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬

We usually write royal families based on the modern or medieval ones of history. We almost always fall into the trap of Male to Male succession because... that's usually what is done. We get confused over who is next when you kill off a cast of characters or have a strong female lead and we fall into a whole. But no longer. Here are some succession systems you can use in your fantasy setting.

𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
This is when the firstborn son inherits everything outright from his dad. His son will inherit after him followed by his grandson and so on so forth. This is our main system of succession in real world history and fantasy. This can be an easy  one to work off since there are so many examples. However, just as the real world is run by genetics, so will your fantasy land. There is a 50-50 chance of having a daughter or a son. You can't always bank on having a son. And if you have a surplus of sons, it can lead to trouble down the road.

𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
There are some cultures that are strictly matrilineal, with inheritance passing to mother to daughter to granddaughter and so on. This can be another easy line to follow as it is basically the system up above just gender reverse. Examples of this succession can be found in Africa such as the role of Rain Queen where only females are eligible to take the throne and the Undangs of Negeri Sembilan in Asia. There are the same kind of issues such as the possibility that a daughter may not be born.

𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲
This is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. The Tanist/ Tánaiste is the title bestowed upon the candidate chosen to inherit the throne who acts as a second in command.  The eligible candidates would arrive at a chosen place and there would be a grand discussion on who gets to be named the heir. The candidates don't have to be a blood relative or even an ally of the current ruler. This was practised in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Mann and was also sort of practised in the Holy Roman Empire. The Vatican uses this to some extent though they might forgo all the drink... OK probably they do. There is no real issue with this, the best candidate is chosen and everyone has a say. Of course in politics, some force might be used in order of specific favourites to succeed but hey its nothing more than what's going on in modern politics.

𝐀𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲
This is another patrilineal inheritance system only this one is slightly more confusing. In this system, the succession goes from monarch to their younger brothers and then the monarch's own sons. The monarchs children don't inherit until the older generation have all died. Agnatic seniority bars all female descendants and their descendants from the throne.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 (𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲)
The Ottoman Empire had a fun succession order. Oh, perhaps not order. You see when a Sultan dies, his sons fight over who gets to be the next Sultan. The Şehzades (the male issue of the Sultan) will turn on one another, often having all their brothers and half brothers massacred by guards armed with bowstrings. This fratricidal system did work in the Sultan's favour as his throne was safe from claims of rivals. Yet if you get rid of all your heirs and you can't sire one and you die... well bye bye dynasty. The Şehzade who usually comes out on top will be the one who is backed by the military. This practise became less awful as years went by and the brothers of the Sultan were imprisoned in the harem in chambers called the Golden Cage or kafes. Some went insane and some actually succeeded the Sultanate.

𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
The Romans didn't follow blood but rather the surname. Like the tanistry, a Roman noble/emperor would take stock of their relatives or even perhaps acquaintances and pick the best one. They would be given everything in the will including the right to inherit. Julius Caesar picked his great-nephew Octavian and in turn Octavian, now Augustus Caesar, chose his step-son Tiberius. If you go back through the Judo-Claudian dynasty you will see that most the heirs were adopted and not all came from the same bloodline.

𝐜𝐫; 𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐲-𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐬