Oléron, Rolls of

a codification of maritime law compiled in the 12th century on Oléron Island, which belonged to the duchy of Guienne, France, and subsequently to England.

The Rolls of Oléron have been preserved in several manuscripts, the oldest of which dates from the 13th century. The decisions of local courts were the source of the rolls, whose purpose was to regulate maritime trade and navigation in the Atlantic Ocean. Many norms of the rolls were adopted by other medieval codifications of maritime law, for example, the Laws of Visby of 1407, which regulated navigation in the North and Baltic seas (the Hanseatic League, Scandinavia, Rus’). The Rolls of Oléron remained in effect until the 17th century.