1685
Colonial legislationSupplement
Code Noir regulates slavery in French colonies
French Caribbean; enslaved Africans and free people of African descent
The royal code codified slavery, compelled Catholic observance and imposed severe discipline. It treated enslaved people as property while setting out limited obligations for owners and regulating manumission.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
The original Caribbean code and the later Louisiana version differ.