Geschichte des römischen Rechts im Mittelalter

work by Savigny

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June 29, 2026

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Friedrich Karl von Savigny, a prominent jurist, founded the influential "historical school" of jurisprudence. He argued that law should be understood through its historical origins and transformations, rather than through immediate codification. Savigny believed that law organically develops from custom and popular belief, much like a language, and that legislation should merely reflect this existing body of law.1

His seminal work, Geschichte des römischen Rechts im Mittelalter (1815–31), is foundational to the modern study of medieval law. This research contributed to the understanding of how Roman law, particularly the Corpus Juris Civilis compiled under Emperor Justinian I, was rediscovered and reinterpreted in the Middle Ages, influencing the development of civil law systems across Europe.23

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Friedrich Karl von Savigny
Legal philosophy
…year, he began publishing his Geschichte des römischen Rechts im Mittelalter (1815–31; “History of Roman Law in the Middle Ages”). This monumental work, in which Savigny used rigorous critical techniques and consulted a vast body of primary sources, became the foundation of the modern study of medieval law.
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…year, he began publishing his Geschichte des römischen Rechts im Mittelalter (1815–31; “History of Roman Law in the Middle Ages”). This monumental work, in which Savigny used rigorous critical techniques and consulted a vast body of primary sources, became the foundation of the modern study of medieval law.
Read More