parentela

In Germanic law, "parentela" refers to a system of tracing kinship and inheritance through one's ancestors. This concept was fundamental to how property was passed down, with a preference for male descendants. The law was largely unwritten and based on custom, with each person following the law of their specific tribe or nation.12

Early Germanic legal codes, known as the Leges Barbarorum, primarily recorded customs and dealt with specific issues like court procedures, compensation for violence, and succession upon death. The inheritance of property typically went to the nearest descendants, with males often prioritized. If there were no descendants, property might revert to the paternal or maternal side of the family. This system contrasts with modern legal frameworks where wills can alter succession and administrators often manage estates.23