How did Maria Theresa’s government regulate the duties owed by Hungarian serfs and their lords?

In 1767, Maria Theresa implemented a law in Hungary specifically designed to regulate the rights and duties of serfs and their lords.1

The primary intent of this legislation was to improve the poor living conditions of the peasantry, ensuring they possessed the necessary resources to meet their tax obligations to the state. Although the law’s effectiveness was somewhat hindered because the lords themselves were tasked with its implementation, it remained a significant regulatory framework. It was later codified into Hungarian statutes in 1790–91 and served as the foundational law governing the status of serfs until their final emancipation in 1848.1