Primogeniture, pry muh JEHN uh chur, is a system of inheritance widely used in Europe for hundreds of years. Under this system, the oldest child in a family, and often the oldest son, has the sole right to inherit land and other possessions from the parents. Primogeniture first developed under the feudal system (see Feudalism). In England and other countries, the oldest child in the royal family became the successor to the throne. The system kept the nobles' large landholdings from being broken up among their children into many small estates. It also preserved the social position and prestige of the noble families. Peasants and other landholders also practiced primogeniture.