suum cuique tribuere – elsa trolle önnerfors 193 During the period of royal autocracy at the end of the seventeenth century, the forum privilegiatumwas restricted in criminal cases. In 1699, the privileged forum for the nobility in criminal cases was repealed by King Charles XII. From now on, noblemen were to be brought to trial and judged by the lower courts in the countryside and the towns. The king justified his decision by arguing that a nobleman who had committed such disgraceful crimes had forfeited the right to any privileges, protection or special treatment. Such a nobleman was as unworthy and ignoble as anybody else.548 548 Royal letter to the appeal courts, 7 August 1699, printed inKongl. stadgar, ed. Schmedeman, pp. 1554-1555.
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