CARMARTHENSHIRE-L Archives

From: Thomas Roderick <>
Subject: [Cmn-L] Re Act of Union 1536
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 09:44:56 -0400
In-Reply-To: <000401c14a16$d7cda8c0$02000003@signup>

>The English
>principle of Primogeniture replaced the Welsh practice of paritable
>inheritance.
>Barrie.

With much appreciation for this insight. I read recently (cannot put my
hands on the reference) that the practice of paritable inheritance, which I
presume means equal dispersion of property, back then only among sons, was
a major reason the Welsh kingdoms were always so fractionated and weak in
defense of their lands. The smaller units of sons and grandsons were
disorganized in defense, and grandsons and great grandsons often squabbled
with each other to regain family territory instead of working as a unit to
fight off the Saxons and Normans. Primogeniture, as unfair as it seems to
individual families, does retain estates as integral units usually with
military advantage.

Tom Roderick
Bar Harbor

This thread:

• Re: [Cmn-L] Re Act of Union 1536 by "stephent" <>
  • RE: [Cmn-L] Re Act of Union 1536 by "barry s britzman" <>

  • [Cmn-L] Re Act of Union 1536 by Thomas Roderick <>