Quotes about Succession Rights

Elizabeth I

Your petition is to deal in the limitation of the succession. At this present it is not convenient, nor never shall be without some peril unto you, and certain danger unto me. But as soon as there may be a convenient time and that it may be done with least peril unto you, although never without great danger unto me, I will deal therein for your safety and offer it unto you as your prince and head without requests. For it is monstrous that the feet should direct the head.

She responded to the Lord Chief Justice and to Lord Cecil and asked them to so inform the Commons and the House of Lords. Cecil needed three drafts to convey the response but tone it down a little, thus performing the duties of a modern press secretary.

Jane Grey

The crown is not my right and pleases me not. Lady Mary is the heir.

King Henry VII had only 1 son, Edward who became king at age 9. But at the age 15 he became very ill and died with no children. Before his death however, Mary who would normally have been the next in line was a Catholic and Northumberland, the head of the Privy Counselor, and father of Jane’s Husband arranged for Edward to change his will before he died. Jane Grey riled for 9 days. Parliament then made Mary the Queen.

Elizabeth I

My seat has been the seat of kings, and I will have no rascal to succeed me.

Anatolia

If the husband of a woman die, his wife may take her husband's patrimony

Even into the 20th Century in some states women could not inherit property if there was a male child.

Abdulmecid I

In consequence, and as the zeal and sagacity by which thou art characterized, as likewise the experience and knowledge which thou hast acquired in the affairs of Egypt during the long space of time that thou hast held the post of Governor of Egypt, give reason to believe that thou hast acquired a title to the favour and to the confidence which I may grant to thee, that is to say, that thou wilt be sensible of their full extent, and all the gratitude which thou shouldst have for them, that thou wilt apply thyself to cause these feelings to descend to thy sons and thy nephews, I grant unto thee the Government of Egypt within its ancient boundaries, such as they are to be found in the map which is sent unto thee by my Grand Vizier now in office, … together with the additional privilege of hereditary succession

This is an amazing quotation in the sense that it shows the absolute manner in which the Ottoman Turkish Empire ruled the Islamic World in the Middle East and North Africa. The Sultan and Caliph had absolute rule over both the civil and religious areas of the Islamic world. In this decree, the Caliph actually gave an entire nation to his loyal servant, Muhammad Ali, who had acted as Governor of Egypt for the Sultan. Muhammad Ali was neither a Turk or an Egyptian. He was an Albanian, racially and ethnically totally different from the nation that became his. From then on, Muhammad Ali’s children would inherit the Egyptian throne. And they did and his dynasty lasted until the revolution in 1923. The Ottoman Empire was far more controlling and arbitrary than the British Empire and lasted much longer as the Ottoman Caliph controlled the Islamic religion as well as the civil nations.

Thomas Paine

In the first part of 'Rights of Man' I have endeavoured to show...that there does not exist a right to establish hereditary government...because hereditary government always means a government yet to come, and the case always is, that the people who are to live afterwards, have always the same right to choose a government for themselves, as the people had who have lived before them.

Manu

Property, the owner of which has disappeared, the king shall cause to be kept as a deposit during three years; within the period of three years the owner may claim it, after that term the king may take it.

Manava Dharma Shastra. This legal principle is operative in every one of the United States to this day, the only difference being a longer period of time. This text is a part of the Hindu Holy Texts. Hindus believe that Manu was a prophet whose text is revealed or inspired.

Edmund Burke

A point concerning property, which ought, for the reasons I have just mentioned, to be most speedily decided, frequently exercises the wit of successions of lawyers, for many generations .… But the question concerning a man’s life, that great question in which no delay ought to be counted tedious, is commonly determined in twenty-four hours at the utmost. It is not to be wondered at that injustice and absurdity should be inseparable companions.

In modern America, we have improved somewhat. Now both kinds of issues take many years.

James Boswell

My father had declared a predilection for heirs general, that is, males and females indiscriminately.... I, on the other hand, had a zealous partiality for heirs male, however remote.

Koxinga

This island was the dominion of my father and should descend to none other than myself. Foreigners must go.

Succession Rights Quotes