Legal Definitions - incestuosi

Incestuosi is a historical legal term that refers to children born from a relationship considered incestuous under the laws or social norms of a particular time period.

Historically, the concept of incest and its legal implications varied significantly across cultures and eras. Children labeled "incestuosi" often faced legal disadvantages, such as being deemed illegitimate, excluded from inheritance, or having their social standing diminished.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of this term:

• Example 1: Royal Succession in Ancient Kingdoms

  Imagine a fictional ancient kingdom where the royal lineage was strictly defined, and marriage or sexual relations between siblings were forbidden by both religious doctrine and state law. If a prince were to have a child with his full sister, that child would historically have been considered incestuosi. This designation would likely have barred the child from any claim to the throne, regardless of their birth order, due to the perceived illegitimacy stemming from the incestuous union.

• Example 2: Inheritance Laws in Medieval Europe

  Consider a wealthy landowning family in medieval Europe, where inheritance of property and titles was paramount and strictly followed patrilineal lines. If a man had a child with his niece, a relationship often prohibited by both canon law and secular law of the time, that child would have been classified as incestuosi. Consequently, this child would typically have been excluded from inheriting the family's lands or titles, as their birth was considered to be outside the bounds of legitimate procreation according to the prevailing legal and religious frameworks.

• Example 3: Social Standing in a Strict Religious Community

  In a historical community governed by strict religious laws that prohibited marriage or sexual relations between first cousins, any children born from such a union might have been historically labeled incestuosi within that specific legal or social system. While perhaps not always affecting property rights as severely as in other cases, this designation could have significantly impacted the children's social standing, marriage prospects, and acceptance within the community, reflecting the historical societal condemnation of such relationships.