Borodino Battle
193.00 EUR 256.69 USD 173.70 GBP
Napoleon studying his map
133.00 EUR 176.89 USD 119.70 GBP
Napoleon I on his Imperial Throne
576.70 EUR 767.01 USD 519.03 GBP
Abdication of Napoleon
230.70 EUR 306.83 USD 207.63 GBP
Delivery of the Legion of Honour
279.50 EUR 371.74 USD 251.55 GBP
Emperor on trip
230.70 EUR 306.83 USD 207.63 GBP
Le Grognard
279.50 EUR 371.74 USD 251.55 GBP
Napoleon and the Common Law
193.00 EUR 256.69 USD 173.70 GBP
Imperial Family
193.00 EUR 256.69 USD 173.70 GBP
Empress Joesphine's Coronation
157.50 EUR 209.48 USD 141.75 GBP
Eylau Charge 1807
177.40 EUR 235.94 USD 159.66 GBPThe Civil Code
By Napoleon's time, a confusion of customary, feudal, royal, revolutionary, church, and Roman laws existed in France.
Different legal systems controlled different parts of the country. The French writer Voltaire once complained that a man traveling across France would have to change laws as often as he changed horses.
Determined to unify France into a strong modern nation, Napoleon pushed for a single set of written laws that applied to everyone. He appointed a commission to prepare a code of laws. Napoleon wanted this code to be clear, logical, and easily understood by all citizens. The commission, composed of Napoleon and legal experts from all parts of France, met over a period of several years.
Enacted on March 21, 1804, the resulting Civil Code of France marked the first major revision and reorganization of laws since the Roman era.
The Civil Code (renamed the Code Napoleon in 1807) addressed mainly matters relating to property and families.
But these areas of law greatly affected people's lives.