Anc. Irish and Gaelic Law. Also 6 -istrye, 7 -estry, 7–8 thanistry. [f. TANIST + -RY.] A system of life-tenure among the ancient Irish and Gaels, whereby the succession to an estate or dignity was conferred by election upon the ‘eldest and worthiest’ among the surviving kinsmen of the deceased lord.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 611/2. All the Irish doe hold theyr landes by Tanistrye.
a. 1604. Hanmer, Chron. Irel. (1633), 17. The two sonnes were put beside, and the eldest of the sept (after the Irish Tanistrie) tooke place.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 6. The Irish Law of Tanistry (by which a man is preferred to a boy, and the Vncle to that Nephew whose Grandfather ouerliues the Father, and commonly the most actiue Knaue, not the next Heire, is chosen).
1663. Sir R. Gordon, Govt. Scotl., in Macfarlane’s Geogr. Collect. (S.H.S.), II. 391. The law of Tanistrie wes that a Prince dying and leaving behind him children in minority … the neerest male of the blood royall … tooke the government upon him.
1778. Phil. Surv. S. Irel., 396. Him they called Thanist, and the Custom Thanistry.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), III. xviii. 344. The law of tanistry, of which the principle is defined to be that the demesne lands and dignity of chieftainship descended to the eldest and most worthy of the same blood.
1904. Times, Lit. Supp., 22 July, 229/1. Despite tanistry … Scotland managed to have real Monarchs when Ireland had none.
b. The office of a tanist (= Gael. tanaisteachd).
1813. Scott, Rokeby, IV. vi. Against St. George’s cross blazed high The banners of his Tanistry.
