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The legal history of preambles, prologues and introductions to legal texts stretches back to the very beginnings of civilization, and such introductory texts still raise questions of interpretation in modern law today. In this paper, I will present an overview of the long history of preambles and prologues to legal texts in Europe, from the earliest known examples of ancient law to contemporary preambles. Particular attention will be paid to the preambles of royal European legislation in the Middle Ages, when the genre was adopted by European kings in their efforts to produce realm-wide legislation.
Brage Thunestvedt Hatløy is apostdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen. Legal historian specializing in medieval law and the Norwegian Code of the Realm of 1274. Co-leader of the Research Group for Legal Culture, Legal History and Comparative Law. Visiting Researcher at the University of Aberdeen in 2019. Research Fellow on the research project Social Governance Through Legislation (Centre for Advanced Studies at the Norwegian Academy of Science and letters) in 2021-22. Recent publications include co-editing the book Eidsivatinget on the 1000-year history on the institution of the Norwegian public assemblies (þings), and the article “’We are mending the books of law in the realm’ – The Prologue of the Norwegian Code of the Realm of 1274” (translated title).
- Speaker
- Brage Thunestvedt Hatløy
- Hosted by
- School of Law
- Venue
- Hybrid Event (On Campus Venue - C11)