The Lombard Law of Rothari:
Succession of Legitimate and Natural Sons, c. 643
If any one should leave one son, that is an only son, and one or more natural sons, the
legitimate son shall have two thirds of his father's substance, and the natural sons the
remaining third. And if there be two legitimate sons, they shall have four parts and the
natural sons a fifth, however many there may be. And if there be three legitimate sons,
the natural sons shall have a seventh part. If there be four legitimate sons, the natural
sons shall have a ninth part. If there be five legitimate sons, the natural sons shall
have a twelfth part. But if there be more, they shall divide the substance of the father
by this number.
Source:
L. A. Muratori, ed., Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, (Milan, 1725), Tome I, Part
II, p. 26; reprinted in Roy C. Cave & Herbert H. Coulson, A Source Book for
Medieval Economic History, (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1936; reprint ed.,
New York: Biblo & Tannen, 1965), pp. 336-337.
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by
Prof. Arkenberg.
This text is part of the Internet
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© Paul Halsall, October 1998
halsall@fordham.edu
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