Furs of Valencia
Encyclopedia
Furs
of Valencia were the laws of the Kingdom of Valencia
during most of Middle Ages
and Early modern Europe
. They were a series of charter
s which, altogether, worked similarly as a modern Constitution does now. Thus, they defined the position, and the checks and balances between the Royal House, the nobility, the Catholic ecclesiastic and the judicial procedures. The first codifications are based in the Usages of Barcelona
, Costums of Lleida, and the Furs of Aragon
.
It was promulgated by the first King of Valencia, James "the Conqueror"
, in 1261 at the newly created Valencian Parliament; he then subjected the title of King of Valencia to an oath of office
before the Parliament, sworn on the Furs.
The Furs were valid for more than four centuries, until it was abolished by means of the Nueva Planta decrees
signed by Philip V of Castile
in 1707. Recently, following the agreed amendment to the Statute of Autonomy
of the Valencian Community
in 2006, some distinct usages of the Civil law
used by the Furs are scheduled to regain binding legal authority in this territory.
Fuero
Fuero , Furs , Foro and Foru is a Spanish legal term and concept.The word comes from Latin forum, an open space used as market, tribunal and meeting place...
of Valencia were the laws of the Kingdom of Valencia
Kingdom of Valencia
The Kingdom of Valencia , located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon. When the Crown of Aragon merged by dynastic union with the Crown of Castile to form the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Valencia became a component realm of the...
during most of Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and Early modern Europe
Early modern Europe
Early modern Europe is the term used by historians to refer to a period in the history of Europe which spanned the centuries between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, roughly the late 15th century to the late 18th century...
. They were a series of charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
s which, altogether, worked similarly as a modern Constitution does now. Thus, they defined the position, and the checks and balances between the Royal House, the nobility, the Catholic ecclesiastic and the judicial procedures. The first codifications are based in the Usages of Barcelona
Usages of Barcelona
The Usages of Barcelona were the customs that form the basis for the Catalan Constitutions. They are the fundamental laws, furs , and basic rights of the Catalonia, dating back to their codification in the twelfth century....
, Costums of Lleida, and the Furs of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
.
It was promulgated by the first King of Valencia, James "the Conqueror"
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
, in 1261 at the newly created Valencian Parliament; he then subjected the title of King of Valencia to an oath of office
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
before the Parliament, sworn on the Furs.
The Furs were valid for more than four centuries, until it was abolished by means of the Nueva Planta decrees
Nueva Planta decrees
The Nueva Planta decrees were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain—during and shortly after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession which he won....
signed by Philip V of Castile
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
in 1707. Recently, following the agreed amendment to the Statute of Autonomy
Statute of Autonomy
Nominally, a Statute of Autonomy is a law hierarchically located under the constitution of a country, and over any other form of legislation...
of the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
in 2006, some distinct usages of the Civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
used by the Furs are scheduled to regain binding legal authority in this territory.