1. shadwblitz

    shadwblitz New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2010
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Philippines

    Brain Storm: Royal Adoption

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by shadwblitz, Oct 31, 2010.

    With NaNoWriMo coming up, I've began planning on something, until I hit a really high fence that may need more than the usual effort I put in to go over it.

    Basically, I need a suitable reason as to -why- a royal family would adopt someone who is to become the inheritor of the throne.

    I've tried thinking of ways, like having the throne's heir have a certain ability, but this and all other reasons ultimately boil down to politics, something of which is a little bit too complex for my taste.

    I was just wondering if anyone could give their opinion on this, hopefully on a more simpler scale.

    On a side note, I totally don't know if this is the appropriate category to post in. :|
     
  2. w176

    w176 Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2010
    Messages:
    1,064
    Likes Received:
    52
    Location:
    LuleƄ, Sweden
    The old king is childless, and his second wife (first died in disease) have children from an earlier marriage. After a few years its apparent that the king will sire no child of his own and adopts one of his wifes children.

    Or a plague hes swept the county side leaving many children without parents our guardians. As a gesture compassion and to be a role model the king adopts a orphan. The king do in this scenario have other children, but they die for different reasons and the orphan becomes the heir.
     
  3. Taylee91

    Taylee91 Carpe Diem Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2010
    Messages:
    1,262
    Likes Received:
    75
    Location:
    The Bay State
    Perhaps your king and queen were unable to bear one of their own children. That would be a suitable reason to why they might adopt a child.
     
  4. Melzaar the Almighty

    Melzaar the Almighty Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2010
    Messages:
    1,789
    Likes Received:
    55
    Location:
    UK
    This would have to involve a lot of politics whether you want it to or not. Unless there was no one else on the planet who thought they had a right to inherit the throne - and let's face it, that's pretty unlikely - then adopting someone out of the bloodline and making them the heir would be a pretty bad move by a king. Unless the kid was old enough to have proved himself somehow and already have popularity, an opposing faction would find it extremely easy to get support against the new heir.
     
  5. Mallory

    Mallory Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    4,267
    Likes Received:
    199
    Location:
    Portland, Ore.
    As people have said, the king and queen would be unable to conceive on their own. Both the queen and king were only-children, or perhaps they only had siblings who are weak, frail, unable to conceive. This would rule out the possibility of neices/nephews who would rule.

    In order to produce an heir, maybe they took one of the servants' babies.

    You could spin this two ways: 1) The servant got pregnant out of wedlock and it was a huge disgrace at the time, and/or she couldn't afford a kid financially or psychologically, so the king/queen helped her out by taking the baby off her hands, and it was good for them, too.
    Or, 2) this woman actually did want to keep her child, but was forced by the royal authorities to hand the child over.

    Either way could work -- the 2nd could make for an interesting subplot.

    Hope I helped!
     
  6. Sham

    Sham New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2010
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The fifty first galaxy, planet Saura
    Maybe

    Maybe the King has a son, but he's too ambitious and with him wearing the crown, the lush, green countryside will be blood red. So he has to adopt a peace loving(But brave and reluctant to fight) son to take his face. I'm looking at a huge battle between the King's Son and the adopted son, but thats just me. Don't forget to add a dramatic love scene, because readers just eat that up.
     
  7. Mallory

    Mallory Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    4,267
    Likes Received:
    199
    Location:
    Portland, Ore.
    If there's an able-minded biological son, he'll get to be king even if he's a war monger. It's how things were then. But Sham's idea might work if your story is a fantasy, in which case you can create your own setting with its own customs -- it might be more believable that way.
     
  8. Sham

    Sham New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2010
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The fifty first galaxy, planet Saura
    Re:Maybe

    Perhaps the King even has a daughter whose a physic, but that might be too much of a fantasy. But I would include a daughter. Oh, maybe an evil wizard. But these are big plot milestones. So, yeah.... Good luck!
     
  9. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    10,742
    Likes Received:
    9,991
    Location:
    Near Sedro Woolley, Washington
    Maybe the child is actually the king's biological son, but is illegitimate. The king keeps the fact that he is really the boy's father a secret, and raises him as an adopted son. The truth only comes out on the king's deathbed.

    This works for comedy. It's way too hackneyed and preposterous for a serious story, I think.
     
  10. Mallory

    Mallory Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    4,267
    Likes Received:
    199
    Location:
    Portland, Ore.
    Lol why? It could be legit.
     
  11. Melzaar the Almighty

    Melzaar the Almighty Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2010
    Messages:
    1,789
    Likes Received:
    55
    Location:
    UK
    Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've heard of kings adopting their illegitimate sons as potential heirs and I'm a hardcore history student. :p
     
  12. shadwblitz

    shadwblitz New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2010
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Philippines
    After reading all of the suggestions, they seem to be pointing to one thing: having the king and queen unable to conceive their own child.


    I looked into what I have written so far and tried to pry out all the politics-related stuff. It actually worked without having to affect the story itself! Thanks a lot! Your point also proves about how I also need to write about how non-random their decision is, I guess.

    I like the way of how you expanded on -how- the child was adopted! I prefer the first point over the second, because I think my story already has too many things to angst on.

    Sham's idea would be totally plausible if the culture was actually written in a different way. Unfortunately, I totally suck with coming up with believable new systems.

    I agree, although my story does include fantasy elements, I don't want to use fantasy as a reason to actually make something work out.

    I actually also believe that it's possible, it just needs to be done well. Seeing as most suggestions point to the reason of being impotent, this brings me to my next point.

    Say they do adopt. Shouldn't I go about doing a different way for royalty to adopt a child because of their status, or it would make perfect sense that they go through the standard procedure?

    Also, do you think it would be better off that the adopted child was actually illegitimate, as opposed to having them be normal? The former, in my opinion, has the tendency to fall under "hidden royalty blood character," but offers the royalty a more appropriate reason to adopt.

    Thanks for the replies so far, everyone!
     
  13. Zombie_Chinchilla

    Zombie_Chinchilla New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2010
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    1
    If the setting of your story is mainly patriarch-based, maybe it could be that the King and Queen only bore females. This would then lead to the physiological effect on the daughter(s), and how the King feels towards them. Not to mention how the daughter(s) feel towards the new heir, which could add some interesting conflict.

    EDIT: Or maybe their only son is a bastard, and the Queen didn't want him to inherit to crown?
     
  14. Trilby

    Trilby Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2010
    Messages:
    2,097
    Likes Received:
    73
    Location:
    NE England
    Re. the British royal family. All heirs no matter how distant, have Royal (blue) blood.
    This moves out infinitely from the sons/daughters, siblings, Nephews/nieces, cousins, second cousins of the King or Queen in question.
    I do not know if even adopting a blood relative would make any difference to the line of succession. I believe it's statutory.
    But if you're writing fiction, it's up to you.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice