Azo (jurist)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Azo (fl. 1190 – 1220) was an influential Italian jurist and a member of the school of the so-called glossators. He wrote glosses on all parts of the Corpus Iuris Civilis. His most influential work is his Summa Codicis, a commentary of the civil law organized according to the order of Justinian's Code. This book did enjoy great authority among generations of continental lawyers. It was also used (and often copied verbatim) by Henry Bracton in his account of English law. Azo also wrote many glosses which have been superseded by the glosses written and arranged by his pupil Franciscus Accursius.

The Italian proverb Chi non ha Azzo, non vada al palazzo, roughly translated: "Who hasn't Azo on his side, will not go to court", neither as a plaintiff nor as judge, shows the high esteem people held for his views and arguments. As one of the very few medieval legal texts in Latin, the Summa Codicis has been translated into Old French.