Levirate
Levirate is the practice of a
woman marrying one of her
husband's sons or brothers after her husband's
death, in order to continue his line. Levirate has been practiced by societies with a strong
clan structure in which
exogamous marriage outside the clan was forbidden. Groups that have practiced levirate include the
Israelites, the
Xiongnu, the
Mongols, and the
Tibetanss.