One of the most important results of the French Revolution was the destruction of the old feudal order, which for centuries had kept the common people of the countryside subject to the lords. In this book, John Markoff addresses the ways in which insurrectionary peasants and revolutionary legislators joined in bringing "the time of the lords" to an end and how, in that ending, seigneurial rights came to be central to the very sense of the Revolution. He traces the interaction of peasants and legislators, showing how they confronted, challenged, and implicitly negotiated with one another during the course of events. Contrary to many historians who see the source of revolutionary change in elite culture, Markoff argues that peasant insurrection was a crucial element of the transformation of France. Of particular importance to the study is Markoff's analysis of the unique cahiers de doléances, the lists of grievances drawn up in 1789 by rural communities, urban notables, and nobles alike. These documents are invaluable for understanding the Revolution, but until the pioneering work of Markoff and Gilbert Shapiro, they had not been studied systematically at the national level. In addition to an unprecedented quantitative analysis of the cahiers, Markoff traces the ebb and flow of peasant insurrection across half a decade of revolutionary turbulence. He also offers qualitative analysis through his use of the records of the legislative debates as well as the memoirs and journals of the legislators. The Abolition of Feudalism breaks new ground in charting patterns of grievance and revolt in one of the most important social and political upheavals in history.

"Abolition of the feudal system is the most important single change to have occurred in land law in Scotland. Part 4 of the Abolition of Feudal Tenure (Sc) Act 2000, which deals with saving feudal burdens, came into force at the end of 2003, and the Act will be fully in force in November 2004. Practitioners need to grapple with the complex legislative provisions reforming Scottish property law and this book will be an essential aid. Professor Reid, the leading expert in this field, provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the implications of the abolition of the feudal system. His approach is highly practical throughout. Key sections of the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Sc) Act 2000, as amended by the Title Conditions (Sc) Act 2003, and completed examples of forms prescribed by the Act are reproduced in the Appendices."

Abolition of the feudal system is the most important single change to have occurred in land law in Scotland. Part 4 of the Abolition of Feudal Tenure (Sc) Act 2000, which deals with saving feudal burdens, came into force at the end of 2003, and the Act will be fully in force in November 2004. Practitioners need to grapple with the complex legislative provisions reforming Scottish property law and this book will be an essential aid. Professor Reid, the leading expert in this field, provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the implications of the abolition of the feudal system. His approach is highly practical throughout. Key sections of the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Sc) Act 2000, as amended by the Title Conditions (Sc) Act 2003, and completed examples of forms prescribed by the Act are reproduced in the Appendices.

This volume's juxtaposition of the empires of Germany and France in 1806, at the dissolution of The Holy Roman Empire, allows a comparison of their transition towards modernity, explored through the themes of Empire, monarchy, political cultures, feudalism, war and military institutions, nationalism and identity, and everyday experience.