The Age of the Democratic Revolution. A Political History of Europe and America, 1760-1800

APPENDIX III

EXCERPTS FROM CERTAIN

BASIC LEGAL DOCUMENTS

The following are excerpts from basic legal or constitutional documents of ten
countries between 1782 and 1791, chosen to illustrate provisions with respect to
nobility, hierarchy, corporate society, inheritance of legal status, equality or in-
equality of rights, and uniformity of citizenship.

I. RUSSIA: CATHERINE II’S CHARTER

1. The Russian Charter of Nobility,

1. The noble calling is the result, rising out of the qualities and virtues of men
   who held high office in the past, and distinguished themselves by their merits, by
   which they transformed the service itself into a dignity, and won for their descen-
   dants the noble appellation.


2. It is not only useful for the empire and the throne, but also just, to preserve
   and firmly establish the honorable estate of the well- born nobility; and hence the
   dignity of nobility shall remain inalienable from oldest times to the present, and
   for all time by inheritance to the descendants of those families that now enjoy it, as
   follows:


3. The nobleman transmits his noble status to his wife.


4. The nobleman transmits his well- born noble status by inheritance to his
   children.


5. Without judicial proceedings no well- born person can lose noble status.


6. Without judicial proceedings no well- born person can lose his honor.


7. Without judicial proceedings no well- born person can lose his life.


8. Without judicial proceedings no well- born person can lose his property.


9. The well- born person can be judged only by his peers.


10. Corporal punishment may not be inflicted on any well- born person.


11. Noblemen serving in the lower ranks of our Army shall be liable only to
    such punishments as our military regulations prescribe for higher officers.