Constitution

Bavaria 1808 Constitution

Part II. Of the Royal House

Article 1

The Crown is inheritable by the male line of the governing House, according to the right of the first born and agnatic linear succession.

Article 2

The princesses are always barred from taking on governmental positions, and they and their descendants shall remain barred from succession as long as a male heir stemming from the governing House exists.

Article 3

After complete elimination of the male line, the heirship shall fall to the daughters and their male descendents.

Article 4

A special law regarding families shall designate the manner in which this heirship shall enter the government; but with consideration for the inheritable charges mentioned in the Article 34 of the Rhenish Federation Act, as far as they are recognized and defined. The last living individual from the House of the King shall seek to obtain peace and independence of law through appropriate measures.

Article 5

After the death of the King, the Princes shall receive no landed property, but instead an annual appanage shall be paid out, of at the most 100,000 guilder from the royal treasury in monthly installments, which shall be returned to the royal treasury after the death of the Princes’ male heirs.

Article 6

200,000 guilder of annual income in addition to a respectable residence is the designated maximum for the provisions received by the governing Queen after the death of the King; the established dowry of a princess is 100,000 guilder.

Article 7

All members of the House of the King stand under the jurisdiction of the monarch, and in the event of the loss of their right to inheritance, may only be married with his approval.

Article 8

The royal Princes shall be of age upon the end of their 18th year.

Article 9

Every Monarch, during the time in which his successor is under age, is free to choose an royal vicar for the Kingdom from among the Princes who are of age. In the absence of such an appointment, the administration shall fall to the next agnate who is of age. The appointed agnate, who takes over the administration due to the under-aged status of the closest male in the royal line, shall follow through in this duty until the rightful Monarch is of legal age. The government shall be administrated in the name of the under-aged Monarch; all government offices, with exception of judiciary positions, may only be filled tentatively during the reign of the appointed agnate. The royal vicar may not give over property belonging to the Crown, nor may he create new government offices. In the absence of an agnate who is of age, the administration of the Kingdom shall fall to the first royal official. The education of the children of a widowed Queen may be conferred to her under the supervision of the imperial vicar, never, however, may the administration of the Kingdom be conferred to the Queen.

Article 10

Four royal officials shall be established for the Kingdom. A royal chief court official – a royal chief administrator of finances – a royal chief marshal – a royal chief postmaster, all of whom shall attend the assemblies of the Privy Council. All truly governing privy ministers of the State shall enjoy all of the honors and benefits connected to privileged royal status.

Article 11

The pragmatic law enacted on the 20th of October 1804 due to the unnegotiability of State property shall be affirmed; however the King shall be free to utilize both fiefdoms that shall fall back to the Kingdom in the future and newly acquired State domains in order to reward great and determined services provided to the State. These areas then adopt the properties of fiefdoms only inheritable by male relatives of the Crown, and for them no claims may be issued.