History glossary
hereditary
passed down through family inheritance, usually within a ruling house, noble lineage or office-holding family.
- Category
- Social and political concept
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- Varies
What it means
Hereditary status, power or office passes through family inheritance. Qin rulers attacked older hereditary privilege because inherited local authority could compete with the central state and recreate the regional rivalries that had weakened the Zhou world.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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The Tudor Dynasty
The Tudors strengthened royal power, drove religious change, and shaped early modern England.
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From the estates of Charlemagne's empire to the flowering of Gothic cathedrals, this story explores how feudal hierarchies, manorial agriculture, and Church authority shaped the lives of kings, knights, and peasants alike.
