Imperial decree of 12 February 1812
- When
- 12 February 1812
- Where
- French Empire under Napoleon I
Napoleon authorized the mesures usuelles by imperial decree for small retail businesses, compromising between metric and traditional measurements.
Under the décret impérial du 12 février 1812, Napoleon I introduced a new system of measurement, the mesures usuelles or customary measures, for use in small retail businesses. The system was designed as a compromise between the metric system and traditional measurements, responding to the unpopularity of the metric system in some circles. Rather than serving as the basis of the metric system, it partially retained traditional units within a metric framework.
Sources
- Mesures usuelles Wikipedia, revision of 2026-04-27
- Napoleon Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
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