African Studies Thesaurus

Roman-Dutch law       Search catalogue 294935266

STA
Approved

UPD
2012-03-23

DUT
Romeins-Hollands recht

IND
1

MIS
Roman-Dutch Law, a combination of Germanic custom and the Roman law of Justinian, was the law of the province of Holland as expounded by Hugo Grotius in 1620, Johannes Voet between 1698 and 1704, and Godefridus van der Keessel in 1800. It was followed, more or less, in the colonial territories, notably Ceylon (1656) and the Cape (1652) and so with a variety of barbarisms and some British Common Law improvements, became the foundation of the law of those countries. The major features which distinguish it from English law lie in the field of property, succession, persons (especially wives) and contract. It spread with English modifications and by statute to other S. African provinces and S. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) (The Companion to British History, Routledge 2001).

PPN
294935266

UDC
34(37)(492)

MRF
34(=1.37)(492)

BT1
legal systems

BSO
10.01 LAW AND LEGAL SYSTEMS GENERAL

Browse subject categories



Back to top

© ASC Leiden 2006-2026 | Last update: Monday, March 02, 2026 | Webmaster