- Ordynat
Ordynat was the
title of the principalheir of "ordynacja" estates (landed property infideicommis ) in thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . According to the rules of ordynacja, which became a statute approved by theSejm , the estate was not to be divided between the heirs but inherited in full by the eldest son (primogeniture ). Women descendants were excluded from inheritance (Salic Law ), which meant that in case of a lack of male descendants in a particular line, the estate was to be given to the closest male cousin from a sub-branch of the family. The estate which formed a particular ordynacja was to be excluded from sales ormortgage . Ordynacja was similar to the French law ofmajorat or the Englishfee tail (or 'entail') or German and Scandinavianfideicommis ses, and succession to such resembles that of Britishpeerages .Ordynacja was introduced in late
16th century by kingStefan Batory . Many Polishmagnate s fortunes were based on "ordynacja", among them those ofRadziwiłł s,Zamoyski 's,Czartoryski 's,Potocki 's andLubomirski 's. Most important ordynacja were veritable littleprincipalities . "Ordynacja" was abolished by theagricultural reform in thePeople's Republic of Poland .ee also
*
Majorat
*Primogeniture
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