Legal Definitions - erigimus

Erigimus

Historically, erigimus is a Latin term meaning "we erect" or "we establish." It was prominently used in formal documents, particularly royal charters, to signify the authoritative act of creating, founding, or setting up an institution, a right, or a structure by a sovereign power.

• Example 1: Founding a University

  Imagine a medieval king issuing a royal charter to establish a new university. The charter might contain the phrase, "Nos, per gratiam Dei, erigimus et constituimus hanc Universitatem..." (We, by the grace of God, erect and constitute this University...). Here, erigimus signifies the monarch's formal and authoritative act of creating and bringing into existence the new educational institution, granting it legal standing and privileges.

• Example 2: Establishing a Colonial Government

  When a European monarch granted a charter for the establishment of a new colony, the foundational document would often declare, "Erigimus hanc provinciam in novam coloniam..." (We establish this province as a new colony...). In this context, erigimus denotes the sovereign's power to formally create a new governmental structure and jurisdiction in a distant territory, thereby "erecting" a new political entity.

• Example 3: Granting Market Rights to a Town

  A lord or monarch might issue a charter to a burgeoning town, granting it the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. The charter could state, "Erigimus et concedimus huic villae ius mercati et nundinarum..." (We establish and grant to this town the right of market and fair...). Here, erigimus refers to the formal act of creating and conferring these specific economic privileges and rights upon the town, thereby "erecting" a new legal entitlement for its inhabitants.