Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Composition contract
(1,091 words)

1. Definition

A composition contract was a legal instrument (in criminal law) for dispute resolution. In terms of chronology, it was in use from the time people first lived under law (and thus settled wrongs) until the first two decades of the 17th century. When a crime (such as murder) had been committed, the parties of the perpetrator and victim (family, relatives, friends), who now stood in a relation…

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Lück, Heiner, “Composition contract”, 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_028526>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



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