TRUCE OF GOD: An institution which originated in France from efforts of the Church to mitigate the evils accruing especially to the lower classes of the people from the quarrels of the feudal nobles. The preliminary measures are more prop erly designated the "peace of God." Agreements of peace were discussed and settled in synods first in 990 at three assemblies in different regions of South and Middle France-in Narbonne, Puy en Velay, and Charroux near Poitiers. In course of time assemblages for this purpose became more frequent, until they reached their culminating

point in 1034. The lay population, sometimes only the feudal nobility, was bound by oath to observe the restrictions agreed upon. Church buildings and their surroundings, also special classes of people like clergy and monks, at times also pilgrims, merchants, and women, but especially peasants working in the fields, were protected by statute against attacks arising from feuds.

This older movement for peace was followed by the "truce of God" in the proper sense. Its characteristic, in contrast with the older movements, was the fact that on definite days and at definite periods (the so-called binding days or periods), every feud was prohibited; the armistice, thus introduced, was traced back to the will of God. About 1040 the new institution began to take root in the whole of France. It pervaded also Burgundy, Flanders, southern Italy, Spain, and Germany, but did not attain popularity in England. While the peace of older times was dependent upon the number of people who had sworn to it, it became now, under the influence of the papacy, a general church law. The "binding periods" were originally from Saturday evening to Monday morning; but after 1040 they extended from Wednesday evening to Monday morning. It soon became customary to select not only special days of the week, but longer periods for times of peace; as, for instance, Lent. and the period from Easter to Trinity Sunday; also the time from Advent to Epiphany. The punishment of violation was usually ecclesiastical, but sometimes secular. After 1100 the practise waned, other restraints having been introduced; in the canons of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) no mention is made of it.

(Siegfried Rietschel.)

Bibliography: A. Kluekhohn, Geschichte des Gottesfrieden, Leipsic, 1857; E. Semiehon, La Paix et la trh e de Dieu, Paris, 1857; J. Fehr, Der GotEesfriede, und die katholische Hirche des Mittelalters, Augsburg, 1861; Hefele, ConcsZiengeschichte, iv. 688 sqq., R. C. Trench, Media:val Church History, pp. 424 sqq., London, 1877; W. E. H. Lecky, European Morals, ii. 254, New York, 1894; P. Hinschius, Hirclaenrecht, v. 305 sqq., Berlin, 1893; E. Saehur, Die Cluniaeenaer, ii. 213, Halle, 1894; E. Mayer, Deutsche urul franz6siclae VerJassungageschichte, i. 161 sqq., Leipsic, 1899; Neander, Christian Church, iii. 407. Original documents are accessible in Huberti, ut sup.: in MGH, Leg., Sectio IV., ConaEitutiones, i (1893), 598 sqq.; Reich, Documents, pp. 151-152; Henderson, Documents, pp. 208-211; Thatcher and McNeal, Source Book, pp. 412-419; Robinson, European History, i. 187-191; D. C. Munro and G. C. Sellery, Medieval Civilization, pp. 183-184, New York, 1904.

On the separate countries, consult for France: C. Pfister, etude our la r~gne de Robert Is Pieux, pp. 161 sqq., Paris, 1885; L. Huberti, Studien zur Rechtsgeschichte der GatteaJrieden, vol. i., Anspaeh, 1892 (contains all that is really essential). For Germany: E. Steindorff, Jahrbücher des deutschen Reicha enter Heinrich 111., i. 337, 448 sqq., Leipsic, 1874; Nitzsch, in Forschungen zur deutschen Geschichte, xxi (1881), 269 sqq.; Herzberg-Frankel, ib., viii (1883), 117 sqq.; G. Waltz, Verjassungageschichte, ed. G. Seeliger, vi. 537, Berlin, 1896. For Italy: Bollati, in Miscellanea di atoria Italians, xviii. 373 sqq.; Duo, ib., xxiv. 388 sqq. For England: F. Liebermann, User die Leges Edwardi Conjesaoria, pp. 59 sqq., Halle, 1898.