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Salic Law is a body of writing that is named for the Salian Franks who ruled what is now France and were put together in the 6th century during the reign of King Clovis. These laws went through a gradual evolution as the country itself changed and by the 12th century the Frankish dynasties were long gone and the laws themselves were vastly different from those originally laid down. The laws governed all the areas you would expect, crime, inheritance, murder, judgement systems, slaves, theft and even insults but it is the writings regarding succession of the monarchy that had the biggest impact on French history. Salic Law traditionally stated that the line of royal inheritance was not allowed to pass through the female line. However the fractured nature of the fiefdoms under the rule of the French king and the inconsistent way that the rule was applied by the minor nobility and would be heirs to the throne led to many problems.

The Carlist Wars in Spain and the War of the Austrian Succession derived from the conflicts over female inheritance laws. The most complex period of history to revolve around the problem was during the Hundred Years war where many claims and counterclaims were made regarding inheritance, the most famous player in the game being Henry V of England and the Battle of Agincourt being one of the results of the argument.

The Salic debate had further reaching effects than just the French succession when, on the death of William IV the British and Hanoverian thrones separated. The Hanoverians followed the old Salic law and the throne was then given to Williams's brother, Ernest. Meanwhile in Britain the more direct descendant was female and as Salic law has not followed in that country Victoria, one of Britain's best-known monarchs, ascended the throne.

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