Following on in the series, at your family reunion, have something dividable, such as a cake or pie, or a pile of Monopoly money, to represent the estate. You could do the boring thing, and divid it equally amongst your guests, or maybe you could use gavelkind to divide & conquer....
Gavelkind was a method of inheritance in Ireland and Wales, by which the land was divided at the death of the holder amongst his sons. Illegitimate sons, but not daughters, were included in the division. The father normally prescribed the division before his death. Alternatively, the youngest son divided the land into equal parts. The eldest son chose first, followed by the second and so on until the youngest received the remaining land. This resulted in many petty kingdoms, and a similar system (only benefiting legitimate sons) reduced the Holy Roman Empire to over 300 princely states by the 19th century. If there were no male successors, the land was resumed to be re-divided amongst other surviving kin. Applying it to the Royal Family from 1901:
• King Edward VII (1901-1910) – kingdom to only surviving son:
• King George V (1910-1936) – kingdom quartered amongst sons:
o Prince Edward gains England
o Prince Albert gains Scotland – ( the late King George VI)
o Prince Henry gains Ireland
o Prince George gains Wales & the Isle of Man
• King George VI of Wales (1936-1942) dies, Wales is divided between his two sons:
o Prince Edward of Kent gains South Wales
o Prince Michael of Kent gains North Wales & The Isle of Man
• King Albert of Scotland (1936-1952) dies without a male heir, Scotland is divided amongst his brothers and nephews:
o King Edward VIII of England gains the Scottish Lowlands
o King Henry IX of Ireland gains the Scottish Highlands
o King Edward of South Wales gains the Northern Isles
o King Michael of North Wales gains the Western Isles
• King Edward VIII of England (1936-1972) dies without an heir, England and the Scottish Lowlands are divided amongst his brother and nephews
o King Henry IX of Ireland gains the Scottish Lowlands & Northern England
o HM King Edward of South Wales gains Southern England
o HM King Michael of North Wales gains the English Midlands
• King Henry IX of Ireland & Scotland (1936-1974) dies, realm inherited by
o HRH Prince Richard of Gloucester
HRH Prince Alexander (Heir Apparent)
So currently we have the following realms:
King Edward IX holds Southern England, South Wales, & the Northern Isles. His kingdom will be split between his two sons, Prince George & Prince on his death.
King Michael holds the English Midlands, North Wales, the Western Isles & the Isle of Man. They will be inherited by Prince Frederick.
King Richard IV holds Northern England, Scotland and Ireland. They will be inherited by Prince Alexander.
clear as mud?
