“Issues of succession were the main cause of internal conflict.” With reference to two states, to what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that issues of succession were the main cause of internal conflict. The two states may or may not be from the same region. Causes may predate the timeframe, but they must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may discuss problems arising from the succession of minors and the role of regents, for example in the Togukawa Shogunate, or Philip Duke of Orleans’s regency in France. Succession might have been combined with religious conflict, for example between Shah Jahan’s sons in the Mughal Empire, or in late 17th century England. Conversely there may be discussion of states where laws and traditions enabled succession without confrontation, such as Portugal or the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example, tensions between modernizers and conservatives in Russia, or between Cuzco elite families in the Inca Empire. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that issues of succession were the main cause of internal conflict.