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King's Law

Medieval and Early Modern Constitutional Charters

The King's Law, known in Danish and Norwegian as Kongeloven and in Latin as Lex Regia, was the absolutist constitution of the united kingdom of Denmark-Norway, in force in Denmark from 1665 to 1849 and in Norway until 1814. Commissioned by Frederick III after Denmark-Norway's 1660 military defeat by Sweden, it formalized hereditary absolute monarchy and vested the king with power independent of the nobility and other estates, a scope of absolutism scholars consider among the most extensive in Europe. Its forty articles, arranged in seven chapters, set out royal authority, succession by agnatic-cognatic primogeniture favoring male heirs, and rules governing the royal family, while keeping the Danish and Norwegian crowns unified.

Facts
Era
Era (category)
Early Modern (1500-1800) 1
Legal Status
Legal Status (category)
Historical / No Longer in Force 1
Sources
1. King's Law (Denmark-Norway) (Wikipedia)
Lead section
Quote, Lead section
The King's Law (Danish: Kongeloven) or Lex Regia (also called the Danish Royal Law of 1665) was the absolutist constitution of Denmark and Norway from 1665 until 1849 and 1814, respectively.
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