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"Constitution of the Kingdom of Bavaria," issued by King Maximilian I, cosigned by Ministers Montgelas, Hompesch, and Morawitzky (May 25, 1808)

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§ II. All of the special constitutions, privileges, hereditary offices, and regional corporations of the individual provinces are abolished. The entire kingdom will be represented by one national representation, judged in accordance with the same laws, and administered in accordance with the same principles; consequently, one and the same tax system shall exist for the entire kingdom. The land tax must not exceed one fifth of the income.

§ III. Serfdom is abolished anywhere it still exists. [ . . . ]

§ V. The nobles retain their titles and, like any estate owner, their manorial rights in accordance with legal provisions; as for the rest, the nobles will, with a view to public burdens as they exist or may be introduced in future, be treated on an equal footing with the other citizens. The nobles also do not comprise any special part of the national representation, instead sharing proportionally in it along with the other landowners. Just the same, they are not granted any exclusive right to public offices, dignities, or sinecures. The entire statutes of still existing corporations must be modified or organized in time according to these principles. [ . . . ]

§ VII. The state grants all citizens safety of person and of property – complete freedom of conscience – freedom of the press in accordance with the Censorship Edict dated June 13, 1803, and the decrees issued on September 6, 1799, and February 17, 1806, concerning political journals.

§ VIII. Every citizen who has reached the age of 21 is obliged to swear an oath before the administration of his district that he intends to obey the constitution and the laws and be loyal to the King. No one may emigrate abroad or transfer into foreign services without express permission by the monarch, nor accept from any foreign powers salaries or decorations at the peril of losing all civic rights. Anyone who, except for cases determined by origin or treaties, accepts submission to a foreign jurisdiction becomes subject to the same penalty, and may be given an even harsher one.

Second Title. On the Royal Dynasty.

§ I. The crown is hereditary in the male line of the ruling dynasty according to the right of primogeniture and of agnatic-lineal succession. [ . . . ]

§ X. Four crown offices of the realm shall be established: a crown master of ceremonies-in-chief [Kron-Oberst-Hofmeister] – a crown treasurer-in-chief [Kron-Oberst-Kämmerer] – a crown marshal-in-chief [Kron-Oberst-Marschall] – a crown postmaster-in-chief [Kron-Oberst-Postmeister], who attend the sessions of the Privy Council.

All of the acting privy state ministers enjoy all of the honors and benefits associated with the rank of crown office. [ . . . ]

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