In Crusader Kings 2, female rulers have the opportunity to marry "matrilineally". Did such a concept exist in real history, and if it did, what are some examples of its use?

by Eugene261
Patarknight

The male line of the Habsburgs went extinct with the death of Maria Theresa. She married Francis of Lorraine and their descendants down to the crowned heads dethroned post-WWI were technically of the House of Lorraine, though they styled themselves the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and are simply known by most as still being the Habsburgs.

SisulusGhost

I assume you're asking about this in a European context, but I will quickly answer by saying that many sub-Saharan African states, for long periods, featured matrilineal inheritance and accession to the throne. Often, this meant that a male would rule/inherit, but by dint of his connection to his mother's family, and not his fathers. In many cases, the elites of a state would be able to select a ruler from among a king's sisters' children (usually sons), thus continuing the matrilineal line.

GrandStaircase

as a followup: i've heard the picts in scotland in the hundred or so years before the earliest CK2 start (charlemaigne essentially) used matrilinial succession (the source being the history of Britain podcast if i remember correctly). can someone confirm/elaborate please?