Continuing with the Family History through the Alphabet
Challenge… N is for Napoleon! Napoleon may have been a dictator,
but he did a few other things as well – one thing in particular
that may even have an impact on your family history research
today. In 1804 he instituted the Civil Code, which is now known
as the Napoleonic Code. It was adopted throughout many of the
lands he conquered, and it remained in effect after his death.
The Civil Code granted many things we take for granted today
such as freedom of religion and equality. Of course, it stated
other things that we wouldn’t necessarily be happy with today
like patriarchal power – in other words, husbands rule the
household. But genealogically speaking, we have Napoleon and his
code to thank for civil registration of vital events such as
births, marriages, and deaths. The Roman Catholic church had
been keeping records prior to this – in some places for
centuries – but the Civil Code made the record-keeping a state
function. The Code spelled out exactly