Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Civic rights
(2,142 words)

1. Origins and scope

Civic rights are the privileges and rights that are based on an individual's status as a member of a civic corporation or his “citizenship.” Special rights for the members of a civic corporation existed already under medieval town charters (cf. municipal law) that were guaranteed by monarchs or other sovereigns or had emerged from old unwritten traditions; these charters granted significant econo…

Cite this page
Fahrmeir, Andreas, “Civic rights”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_017925>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160907



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