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The idea of codification emerged during the age of enlightenment, when it was believed that all spheres of life could be dealt with in a clonclusive system based on human rationality. The first attempts at codification were made in the second half of the 18th century, when the German states of Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony began to codify their laws. In Austria, the first step towards fully fledged-codification were the yet incomplete Codex Theresianus (compiled between 1753 and 1766), the Josephinian Code ( 1787) and the complete West Galician Code (enachted as a test in Galicia (Central Europe) in 1797). The final Austrian Civil Code was only completed in 1811Events February 5 George, Prince of Wales becomes Regent because of the perceived insanity of his father, King George III of the United Kingdom. He is known as the Prince Regent. This is the beginning of the period known as the English Regency. March 1 Eg.
Meanwhile, the FrenchThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. Napoleonic codeThe original Napoleonic Code or Code Napoleon (originally called the Code civil des francais or civil code of the French), was the French civil code, established at the behest of Napoleon. It entered into force on March 21, 1804. The Napoleonic code was t was enacted in 1804Events January 1 End of French rule in Haiti June 15 The Twelfth Amendment to the U. Constitution ratified by New Hampshire, and arguably becomes effective (subsequently vetoed by the Governor of New Hampshire) July 27 The Twelfth Amendment to the U. after only a few years of preparation, but it was a child of the French RevolutionThe period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church perforce underwent radical restructuring. While France wo, which is strongly reflected by its content. The French code was the most influential one and was adopted in many countries standing under French occupation during the Napoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. They were a continuation of the conflicts sparked by the French Revolution and covered the duration of the First French Empire. The First and Second Coalitions For a more detailed account see the French Rev, but it has lasting influence much beyond that. In particular, countries such as ItalyThe Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Italia is a country in the south of Europe, consisting mainly of a boot-shaped peninsula together with two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. To the north, where it borders France, Switzer, the BeneluxBenelux is the region of Europe comprising Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is formed from the beginning of each country's name, and was created for the Benelux Economic Union, but is now used in a more generic way. The Benelux Economic countries, Spain, Portugal, the Latin American countries and all former French colonies base their civil law systems to a strong extent on the Napoleonic Code.
The 19th century saw the emergence of the School of Pandectism , whose work peaked in the German Civil Code (BGB), which was enacted in 1900 in the course of Germany's national unification project, and in the Swiss Civil Code of 1907. Those two codes had a great deal of influence on later codification projects in countries as diverse as Japan and Turkey.
In Europe, apart from the common law countries of the British Isles, only Scandinavia remained untouched by the codification movement. The particular tradition of the civil code originally enacted in a country is often thought to have a lasting influence on the methodology employed in legal interpretation. Scholars of comparative law and economists promoting the Legal Origins Theory of (financial) development usually subdivide the countries of the civil law tradition as belonging either to the French, Scandinavian or German group (the latter including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea).