The court of appeal (1548-1620). The origin, competence and activity

The court of appeal was established lil January 1548 by Ferdinand 1. He ruled in the Czech Lands from 1526 until 1564 and was a member of the House of Habsburg. This house had another important person on the European political scene - the Roman Emperor and Spanish king Charles V who was Ferdinanďs brother. The both brothers maked similar politics. They wanted to restrict the authority of the Estates in their countries. When Ferdinand I suppressed the revolt of the Czech Estates in 1547, he could break the power of the Estate of Boroughs. He established a new central royal institution - the court of appeal (consilium apellationum in Latin). This court affrmed or reformed sentences of municipal courts in Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Lower and Upper Lusatia. It received appeals from royal towns and landlorďs market towns or townships. It was possible to lodge an appeal against aH decisions of municipal courts, but if a person failed the term, he / she could not appeal. The judges of the court of appeal were ten representatives of aH Estates in Bohemia (three members of the high nobility, three ones of the gentry, four burgesses) and four erudite lawyers. The court was presided over by the president. The judges induding the president were appoint and paid by the king and subordinate to him. So we cannot consider..