Cadet branch

noble house composed of descendants of a monarch's or aristocrat's younger children (cadets)

A cadet branch is the part of a family that is descended from a younger son (or daughter).[1] Cadet branches are important for royal succession because if the main royal branch runs out of people (or out of males, if females are not allowed to inherit the throne), then a cadet branch would inherit the throne.[2] However, sometimes there were also cases where a cadet branch acquired a throne before the main royal branch actually ran out of males, like when Louis-Philippe of France became French King after Charles X of France abdicated due to the Revolution of 1830 even though Charles X still had a surviving son and grandson of his own during this time.[2]

Louis-Philippe came from a cadet branch.

References

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  1. Allied. Chembers 21 Century Dictionary. Allied Publishers. ISBN 9788186062265 – via Google Books.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Kelley, Russell (1 March 2021). The Making of Paris. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781493050543 – via Google Books.