Ewiger Landfriede
The Ewiger Landfriede, or “Everlasting Public Peace,” was an imperial law issued on August 7, 1495, by Emperor Maximilian I of the Holy Roman Empire. It banned private feuds and vendettas and required disputes to be settled in courts, not by fighting. Despite the ban, feuds continued for many decades.
The reform grew from the Landfriedensbewegung, a peace movement that began in the 12th century and saw a major advance with the Mainz Treaty of 1235. It mainly targeted lesser nobles who still fought among themselves, while princes and cities worked to protect their territories.
The law established the state’s monopoly on the use of force, a key step in building strong, centralized authority in Europe. It created a universal rule across the empire: violations of the peace were punishable everywhere. To enforce it, the Empire set up the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Chamber Court) in Frankfurt (later moved to Speyer and Wetzlar). In 1500, imperial circles (Reichskreise) were given the duty to enforce the peace in their regions.
The Ewiger Landfriede meant that peace should be kept through law rather than private battles, laying the groundwork for a stronger central authority. The idea of maintaining peace remains part of German law today, and breaking the peace is still punishable. People are allowed to use force only in very limited cases, such as self-defense.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:17 (CET).