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Napoleonic Code

The Napoleonic Code is the French civil code issued under Napoleon in 1804, codifying law on persons, property and contracts. It was exported across continental Europe during the First Empire's period of dominance. Through European states and their colonies it shaped legal systems in Africa and the Americas, one of the French Empire's most enduring legacies.

Napoleonic Code
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Mentioned in 2 profiles

French EmpireImpactRepublic of Haiti (1806-1849)Governance

Mentioned in 8 state histories

Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)Principality of Lucca and PiombinoPrincipality of Benevento (1806–1815)Kingdom of Naples (1806–1815)Grand Duchy of BergKingdom of WestphaliaDuchy of WarsawGrand Duchy of Frankfurt

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Napoleonic Code. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/napoleonic-code
MLA
“Napoleonic Code.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/napoleonic-code. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Napoleonic Code.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/napoleonic-code.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Napoleonic Code’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/napoleonic-code (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻