On the DWG board is the start of a new story in which E is a granddaughter of a duke and his heir. Linnea Eileen pointed out how unusual this was, and mentioned the example of the Duke of Marlborough, which Wikipedia says is the only current (English, British, ???) dukedom to allow female heirs to inherit. Obviously allowing the title to pass to any descendants is a pretty good way to make sure the title doesn't go extinct, but perpetuity seems to conflict with the interest of the Crown in getting bacl all that land back when there isn't a Duke to lead an army, but maybe having rich political allies of either sex forever was more valuable than land.
I am wondering if anyone knows more about the details of this particular title, and the general considerations that went in to specifying whether titles went to descendants of either sex, only along unbroken male lines, to male descendants through female descendants, etc. Also, does anyone know what rules were actually used? I doubt a rule that said only sons could inherit would be specified as the first earl might live to be 100 and by the time he died have only grandsons alive, but are there any peerages that go into 'trust' (or something) waiting for a male heir? That is, could the Duke of X die with only daughters who had only daughters who finally had a son, and have that son get the title, with no living Lord or Lady X for one generation? (Seems unlikely.) What about titles where the holder could bequeath the title as they saw fit? (I seem to recall a story where E became a Countess that way.)
