Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Possession (law)
(898 words)

1. Conceptual development

Possession (Latin possessio) is (f)actual control of a thing, as distinct from legal ownership (Latin dominiumProperty). Roman law, the basis for theories of possession on the European continent, established as distinct from ownership the categories of possession in civil law (possessio civilis), which presupposed a legal entry into possession (iusta causa), and natural possession (possessio naturalis), whi…

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Haferkamp, Hans-Peter, “Possession (law)”, 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 01 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_017535>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20210107



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