The concept of a heretic in Article 10 of Emperor Dušan's Code

Abstract

Emperor Dušan's Code is the most important legal act of medieval Serbia, which has been the focal point of attention of legal historians to the present day. The latest research has shed more light on the issue of crimes against religion which was believed to have been resolved in science. Legal rules on crimes against religion are provided in Article 10 of Emperor Dušan's Code, which comprises the notion of a heretic, perceived as the perpetrator of this type of crime. In addition to analyzing the legal and historical implications of this article, as well as other articles necessary for its understanding, the author discusses the opinions and standpoints of other authors, and presents his own arguments on the concept of herecy reffered to in Article 10 of Dušan's Code.

Keywords

• emperor dušan's code
• serbian medieval law
• heretic
• crime against religion.