Page "Tanistry" Paragraph 21

* In the Deryni novel The Bishop's Heir by Katherine Kurtz, the character Dhugal MacArdry is Tanist of Clan MacArdry.

After his actual parentage becomes more widely known ( he is the only child of the secret marriage between then-Lord Duncan McLain and Lady Maryse MacArdry ) late in The King's Justice, Dhugal's gillie Ciard O Ruane tells Kelson and Cardiel: " I canna ' speak for the clan, Sair, but young Dhugal is my chief, an ' will be sae long as he lives, whether he's Caulay's son or only his grandson.

Th ' borders inherit by tanistry.

Dhugal was chosen as th ' next chief, an ' could hae been, even if he'd been nae blood relative to Caulay at all.

I dinna ' think yon Duke of Cassan can pass his title in th ' same manner, however.