Parlement

Parlements (pronounced in French) in ancien régime France were political institutions that developed out of the older king's council. In the thirteenth century, judicial functions were added. Originally, there was only the Parlement of Paris, born out of the king's council (Latin: Curia Regis) in 1307, and located inside the medieval royal palace, now the Paris Hall of Justice. The jurisdiction of the Parlement of Paris covered the entire kingdom. In 1443, following the turmoil of the Hundred Years' War, King Charles VII of France granted Languedoc its own parlement by establishing the Parlement of Toulouse, the first parlement outside of Paris, whose jurisdiction extended over the most part of southern France. From 1443 until the French Revolution several other parlements were created in some provinces of France. However, the Parlement of Paris had the largest jurisdiction of all the parlements, covering the major part of northern and central France, and was simply known as "the Parlement".

Related Topics:
French - Ancien régime - France - Thirteenth century - Latin - ''Curia Regis'' - 1307 - Paris Hall of Justice - 1443 - Hundred Years' War - Charles VII of France - Languedoc - Toulouse - French Revolution

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All the parlements could issue regulatory decrees for the application of royal edicts or of customary practices; they could also refuse to register laws that they judged contrary to fundamental law or simply as being untimely. Membership in those courts was generally bought from the royal authority; and such positions could be made hereditary by payment of the tax to the King (la Paulette).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~