Bonaparte at the Council of State

The French Civil Code was debated during 102 plenary sessions of the Council of State under the chairmanship of Napoleon Bonaparte. Enacted on 21 March 1804, this text unified French law by reconciling the achievements of the Revolution with the Old Regime laws.
Bonaparte personally took part in nearly half of the working sessions, steering the debates with authority and pragmatism. The Council of State’s remit was to amend, clarify and vote on each article before it was submitted to the legislative chambers.
The key principles of the Napoleonic Civil Code: Equality and freedom (affirmation of civil equality for all, the secular nature of the State and freedom of conscience) – Private property (absolute enshrinement of the right to property) – Family order (organisation of civil status and the secular nature of marriage. However, marital authority remained strict: the husband was owed protection, and the wife was required to obey).