Line of Succession to the Ibutho Throne

The line of succession to the Ibutho throne is the ordered list of people eligible to succeed to the throne of Ibutho izulu. The succession is regulated by the Constitutional Reform: Succession, Membership in the Royal Family, and Styles Act of 3645. Passed in response to HM King Mlungisi's 3643 Lauza, the Act limits monarchical succession to matralineal descendants and antecedents of Queen Nomvula The Queen Mother, as determined by male-preference uterine, religion, and legitimate marriage.

Male-Preference Uterine

 * Uterine : Nephews succeed Uncles; Sons succeed Mothers; male-line descendants are always disqualified
 * Birth Order : Older Nephews always come before younger Nephews; Older Sons always come before young Sons
 * Proximity : Descendants of older Sisters always come before descendants of younger Sisters
 * Gender : Nephews always come before Nieces in the same line except as below; Sons always come before Daughters in the same line except as below; Rules applying to one gender apply equally to the other except as regards male-line descent and gender preference
 * Collateral Pairing : Once any sibling succeeds, Gender Preference is abandoned for Gender Pairing: the Regnant is paired to the eldest Sister and her descendants, the next eldest Brother is paired to the next eldest Sister and her descendants, and so on; Sisters paired to senior Brothers always come before Brothers paired to junior Sisters; Paired Sisters always come before unpaired Brothers
 * Exhaustion : Descendants of a paired Sister always come before such Sister; Descendants of a Sister with no Brothers always come before such Sister; Brothers and Sisters always come before Uncles and Aunts; the active line always comes before collateral lines

Religion

 * Esintsundu Sympathy : The monarch must be In Sympathy with the Inkolo Esintsundu Sizwe Syncretic faith at the time of accession.

Legitimate Marriage

 * Sovereign Permit : Historically, Ibutho nationals were barred from marriage without express consent of the monarch. Since the 3643 Lauza reforms, this policy applies only to Royals and the izinDuna.


 *  Isicoco : Ibutho monarchs historically granted the Isicoco to nationals who had completed military conscription. Under Ibutho law, marriage was disallowed prior to or during military service. Since the 3643 Lauza reforms, this policy applies only to Royals and the izinDuna.


 * Spousal Sympathy : Anyone who marries a spouse not In Sympathy with the Inkolo Esintsundu Sizwe Syncretic faith is permanently excluded from the succession.

Eligibility Prior to 3643
Under ancient Ibutho law, succession was by agnatic primogeniture and limited to male descendants of the Ranking House. The Ibutho nobility, historically polygamous, determined House Rank based on date of legitimate marriage. In reverse order, the House Ranks were Right-Hand House, Left-Hand Houses, Great House.

Right-Hand House
The Wife first-wed always lead the Right-Hand House. Descendants born to this House were barred from succession except by depletion of collateral lines within the Great House and all Left-Hand Houses. The Eldest Son of the Right-Hand served as Guardian of the Great House Heir. The Right-Hand House was responsible for the execution of state rituals and preservation of the monarch's heritage.

The Great House
The Wife wed at the pinnacle of the monarch's power lead the Great House. The Eldest Son within the Great House was born Heir Apparent. All other Sons within the Great House ranked behind the Eldest Son by primogeniture. The Wife of this House succeeded to the title Queen Mother upon her Son's succession. The reigning monarch, HM King Mlungisi, himself succeeded to the Shabangu throne by right of the Great House.

Left-Hand Houses
When the monarch wed three or more Wives, such Wives each led a Left-Hand House. All Left-Hand Houses were junior to the Great House and senior to the Right-Hand House. Between themselves, the Left-Hand Houses were ranked in descending order from the first-wed Wife immediately after the Great House Wife to the last-wed Wife, and thereafter in descending order from the last-wed Wife immediately before the Great Wife to the first-wed Wife.

Depletion
These laws of succession were operative in the House of Shabangu estates and throughout Ibutho with few exceptions until the mid-37th century. Prompted by the death and incapacitation of his second and eldest Sons respectively, and disqualification by illegitimate marriage, desertion of office, and expatriation his youngest Son and Heir Apparent, The King abandoned the House Ranking system in favor of his Sister's Sons in 3643.

Line of succession
The list below of persons eligible to succeed The King is limited to Queen Nomvula The Mother's matralineal descendants and matralineal descendants of Queen Nomvula's matralineal antecedents in the nearest collateral line, namely, the other eligible descendants of Queen Nomvula's mother (numbered 5 - ). Descendants and antecedents not eligible to succeed by reason of death and/or disqualification are listed in italics.

Any dynast's position in the line of succession may change as a result of events such as births or deaths.
 * Mother of Queen Nomvula The Queen Mother (deceased)
 * HM Queen Nomvula The Queen Mother (3529–3606)
 * Small_Gold_Crown.pngHM Mlungisi, King of Ibutho (born 3555)
 * HRH The Prince Zonke (b. 3609) 1 PD MwI
 * HRH The Prince Felokwakhe (3584-3603) 2 PD
 * HRH The Prince Xhegu (3572-3649) 3 PD
 * HRH The Princess Khulelaphi (b. 3578) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Qiniso (b. 3580) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Thabisa (b. 3581) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Slindile (b. 3582) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Khwezi (b. 3586) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Aphiwe (b. 3601) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Hleziphi (b. 3605) PD F
 * HRH The Princess Phumelela (b. 3613) PD F
 * (4) HM Queen Ethwasa The Queen Mother (born 3580)
 * (1) HRH Prince Andile The Heir Apparent (b. 3605)
 * (2) HH Prince Ncelebana of Emahlabatini (b. 3608)
 * (3) HRH Princess Philisile of Emahlabatini (b. 3620)
 * Sister of Queen Nomvula The Queen Mother (deceased)
 * (5 - ) Unknown Matralineal Decendants of Sister of Queen Nomvula The Queen Mother NM
 * HRH The Princess Thabisa of Kwelakubo (born 3566) PD F

Legend and notes:
 * 1 - 3 Rank in Line of Succession prior to 3643 Lauza Reforms.
 * PD Excluded by patralineal descent.
 * MwI Married without Isicoco.
 * F Excluded by reason of female gender under pre-Lauza Succession Law.
 * NM Not members of the Royal Family due to not bearing the rank of Prince. Therefore identities unknown as of 3650.