The Roman Empire is the clearest example of adoption used deliberately to choose capable successors:
Nerva → Trajan
Nerva adopted Trajan, a respected general, who became emperor in 98 CE.
Trajan → Hadrian
Hadrian was adopted (likely on Trajan’s deathbed) and succeeded him.
Hadrian → Antoninus Pius → Marcus Aurelius
A chain of adoptions: Hadrian adopted Antoninus, who in turn adopted Marcus Aurelius.
👉 This era is often called the “Five Good Emperors,” largely because merit-based adoption worked better than hereditary succession.
13 Comments
fmtx@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 42 pts · 135d
mavu@discuss.tchncs.de · 18 pts · 135d
"That's a price i'd be willing to pay" as they say.
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 135d
How many would he have to marry tho.
Also, do monarchies recognize gay marriage?
Akasazh@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 134d
Difficult to create a successor that way, which is the core function of marriage in a monarchy.
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 134d
Or they could go hypermonarchist and have the child be genetically engineered from both parents.
That would have made the Middle Ages really weird.
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 134d
I think this is how you end up with the Hungarian Kwisatz-Haderach.
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 134d
The paprika must flow
captainlezbian@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 134d
This is the Habsburgs, they can afford a surrogate
Microw@piefed.zip · 1 pts · 134d
I see someone hasnt watched Young Royals
8oow3291d@feddit.dk · -3 pts · 134d
The Romans made it work, though. From ChatGPT:
greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 134d
And it ended because the stoic guy couldn't suck it up and just adopt someone better than his biological son.
dwemthy@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 135d
Marginally easier than the whole Blood Sultanate
clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 134d
Dammit, Donut.
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 135d
Shhh!
Don't say this too loud or someone will make a hoi4 mod out of this.