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A pragmatic sanction is a sovereign's solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law.[1] In the late history of the Holy Roman Empire, it referred more specifically to an edict issued by the Emperor.
When used as a proper noun, and the year is not mentioned, it usually refers to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, a legal mechanism designed to ensure that the Austrian throne and Habsburg lands would be inherited by Emperor Charles VI's daughter, Maria Theresa.[2]
Pragmatic sanctions tend to be issued at times in which the theoretically ideal situation is untenable, and a change of the rules is called for.
- ^ "pragmatic sanction", Merriam-Webster
- ^ Löffler, Klemens. "Pragmatic Sanction." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 9 August 2023
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
