Hugo Grotius On the Law of War and Peace

Introduction; On the Law of War and Peace: prologue; Book I: 1. What is war? What is law?; 2. Whether it is ever lawful to wage war; 3. Distinction between public and private war, explanation of sovereignty (Summi imperii); 4. War of subjects against superiors; Book II: 1. The causes of war: first, defence of self and property; 2. Of things which belong to men in common; 3. Of original acquisitions of things, with special reference to the sea and rivers; 4. On assumed abandonment of ownership and occupation consequent thereon, and wherein this differs from ownership by usucaption and by prescription; 5. On the original acquisition of rights over persons. Herein are treated the rights of parents, marriage, associations, and the rights over subjects and slaves; 6. On secondary acquisition of property by the act of man, also, alienation of sovereignty and of the attributes of sovereignty; 7. On derivative acquisition of property which takes place in accordance with law, and herein, intestate succession; 8. On acquisitions commonly said to be by the law of nations; 9. When sovereignty or ownership ceases; 10. On the obligation which arises from ownership; 11. On promises; 12. On contracts; 13. On oaths; 14. On promises, contracts, and oaths of those who hold sovereign power; 15. On treaties and sponsions; 16. On interpretation; 17. On damage caused through injury, and the obligation arising therefrom; 18. On the right of legation; 19. On the right of sepulchre; 20. On punishments; 21. On the sharing of punishments; 22. On unjust causes of wars; 23. On doubtful causes of wars; 24. Warnings not to undertake war rashly, even for just causes; 25. On the causes of undertaking war on behalf of others; 26. On just causes for war waged by those who are under the rule of another; Book III: 1. General rules from the law of nature regarding what is permissible in war, with a consideration of ruses and falsehood; 2. How by the law of nations the goods of subjects may be held for

Stephen C. Neff is a Reader in Public International Law at the School of Law, University of Edinburgh. His subject area is the history of public international law.