The line of succession to the former throne of Travancore, a major Indian salute state, is notable for utilising a combination of matrilineal agnatic seniority and matrilineal agnatic primogeniture. The heir apparent is styled "Maharajkumar Sri (name) (personal name), Elaya Raja of Travancore." The monarchy was abolished in 1949, when the state fully acceded to India.
Succession
The royal family utilises an ancient Nair principle of matrilineal succession, known as Marumakkathayam, which proceeds as follows:
- The younger brothers of the Maharaja in order of age, and of the same mother.
- The nephews of the Maharaja through his sisters, in order of age; the sons of elder sisters succeed before those of younger sisters.
- The maternal first cousins of the Maharaja, from his eldest maternal aunt.
- The sons of the daughters of the eldest maternal aunt of the Maharaja, in order of age; the sons of elder daughters succeed before those of younger sisters.
As per the above principle of succession, the sons of a Maharaja or of those in the line of succession cannot succeed to the throne, nor, if those children bear sons, can those sons be in the line of succession. If the matriline fails, as happened in 1798 and 1924, daughters from another matriline can be adopted to continue the succession.