Succession to the kingship was through tanistry. When a man became king, a relative was elected to be his deputy or 'tanist' (Irish: "tánaiste", plural "tanaistí"). When the king died, his tanist would automatically succeed him. The tanist had to share the same "derbfine" and he was elected by other members of the "derbfine". Tanistry meant that the kingship usually went to whichever relative was deemed to be the most fitting. Sometimes there would be more than one tanist at a time and they would succeed each other in order of seniority. Some Anglo-Norman lordships later adopted tanistry from the Irish.