Tuscany marks world’s first abolition of dying penalty

On November 30, 1786, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany turned the primary state on the planet to abolish the dying penalty. The reform, enacted by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo of Habsburg-Lorraine, additionally ended using torture, establishing a landmark within the international historical past of justice and human rights.

Every 12 months, the area celebrates this choice with the Festa della Toscana, a day devoted to peace, human dignity and the rule of regulation. The 2025 version, themed “Tuscany, a bridge for peace,” contains ceremonies, live shows, exhibitions and college occasions throughout the area.

Pietro Leopoldo, born in Vienna in 1747, was the son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and Francis Stephen of Lorraine. When he took over the federal government of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1765, he inherited a small however dynamic state that had lengthy been influenced by Enlightenment concepts. Unlike many rulers of his time, he mixed mental curiosity with a powerful sense of public responsibility, favouring sensible reforms over courtly splendour.

He promoted schooling, supported scientific examine and inspired agricultural innovation. His insurance policies aimed to cut back poverty and enhance dwelling circumstances for the agricultural inhabitants. He reorganised native administration to make it extra environment friendly and clear, simplified the tax system and sought to steadiness the connection between the Church and the State, lowering clerical privileges in favour of a extra secular authorities.

These efforts culminated within the new penal code of 1786, which eliminated the dying penalty and banned torture. The textual content mirrored the ideas of purpose and humanity promoted by Enlightenment thinkers corresponding to Cesare Beccaria, whose concepts had impressed authorized reformers throughout Europe. Tuscany thus turned a mannequin for progressive governance and a reference level for contemporary authorized techniques.

This 12 months’s celebration additionally commemorates 260 years since his accession to the throne — a reminder of the Grand Duke’s enduring legacy. His perception that justice ought to serve humanity reasonably than vengeance stays central to Tuscany’s civic identification and continues to resonate worldwide.

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