King's Law

King's Law - Lex Regia
Stored at the National Archives, this original copy was used at the anointing of Danish monarchs.
Overview
Original titleKongeloven - Lex Regia
JurisdictionRealm of Denmark-Norway
Created1664–1665
Presented14 November 1665
Copenhagen Castle
SystemAbsolute monarchy
RepealedNorway: 17 May 1814
Denmark: 5 June 1849 (two articles still applicable)
Location
Commissioned byFrederick III of Denmark and Norway
Author(s)Chiefly Count Peder Griffenfeld
SignatoriesEstates of the Realm

The King's Law (Danish: Kongeloven) or Lex Regia (also called the Danish Royal Law of 1665[1]) was the absolutist constitution of Denmark and Norway from 1665 until 1849 and 1814, respectively. It established complete hereditary and absolute monarchy and formalized the king's absolute power, and is regarded the most sovereign form[2] of all the European expressions of absolutism.[3][4][5] Danish professor in legal history of the University of Copenhagen, Jens Chr. V. Johansen, asserts that with Europe's least circumscribed form of absolutism, Denmark "may be considered the most absolute of all the absolute European monarchies".[6] It is the only formal constitution of any absolute monarchy,[7][8] and has therefore been the subject of considerable historical and academic attention.[9][10][11]

The King's Law comprises 40 articles and is divided into seven main chapters.[12][13] Articles 1 to 7 determine the royal absolute power, and the following articles contain rules on the king's authority and guardianship, on the king's accession and anointing, on the indivisibility of the kingdoms, on princes and princesses, on the king's duty to maintain absolute monarchy, and on the succession.[14]

In Denmark the King's Law was replaced in 1849 by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark (June constitution), although two Articles of the King's Law are still applicable:[15][16] firstly Article 21, requiring the king's permission for the departure and marriage of princes and princesses, and secondly Article 25, according to which princes and princesses of the blood can be criminally prosecuted only on the king's orders.[14][17]

The King's Law was read aloud during the king's coronation and anointing, but not officially published until 1709. Two original copies are currently accessible to the public, one at the Danish National Archives, and one at Rosenborg Castle (both in Copenhagen).[18] The copy at Rosenborg is King Frederik X's private property and is stored in the treasury vault along with the Danish Crown Regalia.[18]

  1. ^ Ekman, Ernst (1957). "The Danish Royal Law of 1665". The Journal of Modern History. 29 (2): 102–107. doi:10.1086/237987. ISSN 0022-2801. S2CID 145652129.
  2. ^ Allan., Tønnesen (2013). Magtens besegling : enevoldsarveregeringsakterne af 1661 og 1662 underskrevet og beseglet af stænderne i Danmark, Norge, Island og Færøerne. Heraldisk Selskab. pp. 11–20. ISBN 978-87-7674-661-2. OCLC 940258462.
  3. ^ Jensen, Mette Frisk (June 2014). "The Question of How Denmark got to be Denmark - Establishing Rule of Law and Fighting Corruption in the State of Denmark 1660 – 1900" (PDF). University of Gothenburg - Department of Political Science. © 2014 by Bo Rothstein.: 5. ISSN 1653-8919.
  4. ^ "Denmark - Danish absolutism". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  5. ^ Gunner, Lind (2000). Den heroiske tid? Administrationen under den tidlige enevælde 1660-1720. Djøf Forlag. pp. 160–165. OCLC 842680306.
  6. ^ Johansen, Jens Chr. V. (2006–2008). "Absolutism and the 'rule of law' in Denmark 1660– c . 1750". The Journal of Legal History. 27 (2): 153–173. doi:10.1080/01440360600831170. ISSN 0144-0365. S2CID 144393072.
  7. ^ Folketinget: The Constitution Archived 7 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Lex Regia/Kongeloven", The Oxford Companion to the Book, Oxford University Press, 2010-01-01, doi:10.1093/acref/9780198606536.013.2825 (inactive 1 November 2024), ISBN 978-0-19-860653-6, retrieved 2021-04-19{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  9. ^ Jespersen, Knud J. V. (1987-01-01). "Absolute monarchy in Denmark: Change and continuity". Scandinavian Journal of History. 12 (4): 307–316. doi:10.1080/03468758708579123. ISSN 0346-8755.
  10. ^ "Kongeloven af 1665". danmarkshistorien.dk (in Danish). University of Aarhus. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  11. ^ "Google Scholar: 1.360 results". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  12. ^ "Source Material: Kongeloven, 14. november 1665". danmarkshistorien.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  13. ^ Hvidtfeldt, Johan (1942-01-01). "Paul Johannes Jørgensen: Dansk Retshistorie. (Gads Forlag, 1940.)". Historie/Jyske Samlinger. 5: 146. ISSN 0107-4725.
  14. ^ a b "Kongeloven | lex.dk". Den Store Danske (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  15. ^ "Retsinformation - Lex Regia (Konge-Lov)". www.retsinformation.dk. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  16. ^ "Archive: Legal Affairs Committee, L 219 - Annex 8. Answer to Question No 15 of 19 April 2000. "(...) which remains legally applicable"". webarkiv.ft.dk. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  17. ^ "Kongeloven. Digital udgave". bjoerna.dk. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  18. ^ a b "Kongeloven af pergament, silke, guld og sølv på Rosenborg - Kongernes Samling". www.kongernessamling.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-04-19.