Lese-nation was a crime defined in France during the French Revolution, covering an offence or defamation against the dignity of the nation. Both its name and its underlying law trace back to the older crime of lese-majeste, adapted by revolutionaries so that the offence's focus shifted from the monarch to the nation itself. The law was in force between 1789 and 1791, established in the aftermath of the Tennis Court Oath, when the National Assembly announced on 23 June 1789 that it would prosecute as criminals any individual or body that attacked its existence or the freedom of its members.
Facts
Open Questions
Classification CodeNo numbered statute exists; the offense was created by a National Assembly decree of 23 July 1789 rather than a codified classification.
The offense was created by National Assembly decree of 23 July 1789 rather than a numbered statute; no classification code survives to cite. Typical PenaltyOnly one death sentence is recorded under this law, that of the Marquis de Favras in 1790; too few prosecutions survive to establish a typical penalty.
Only one death sentence was ever passed under this law, that of the Marquis de Favras in 1790; the law was in force for only two years with too few prosecutions on record to establish a typical penalty. Jurisdiction VariationThe offense existed only under French Revolutionary law between 1789 and 1791 and had no equivalent statute in another jurisdiction to compare.
The offense existed only under French Revolutionary law between 1789 and 1791; no equivalent statute existed in another jurisdiction to compare. Elements of OffenseA crime of lese-nation was defined as the deliberate disregard, in will and in deed, of the inviolable rights of the nation's existence or dignity, encompassing both a physical attack on the nation and a moral attack on it. 1 Notable ExampleThomas de Mahy, Marquis de Favras, received the only death sentence ever passed under the law of lese-nation, on 18 February 1790, and was hanged the following day in Paris. 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
Sources
1. Lese-Nation (Wikipedia)
WikipediaWikipedia, What is a crime of lese-nation section
the deliberate disregard, in will and in deed, of the inviolable rights of the nation
Wikipedia, The only death sentence section
The Marquis de Favras was sentenced to death on 18 February 1790.
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