Factfile

Inheritance in Wales

Prior to Llewelyn Fawr's time, upon the death of the head of household, the estate was divided equally between the sons and illegitimate sons had equal rights provided the father had acknowledged them. This division of estates caused problems and brother often fought brother in order to bring the estate back together. Llewelyn Fawr broke with this tradition and brought into Wales the Primogeniture system of inheritance, namely the first born son gets everything. Llewelyn Fawr, however, made his second son his heir, not his eldest son.