safe-conduct
permission to pass; official immunity
Safe-conduct
safe-conduct
Noun
1. a document or escort providing safe passage through a region especially in time of war
(synonym) safeguard
(hypernym) pass, passport
Safe-conduct
(v. t.)
To conduct safely; to give safe-conduct to.
(n.)
That which gives a safe passage
(n.)
a writing, pass, or warrant of security, given to a person to enable him to travel with safety.
(n.)
a convoy or guard to protect a person in an enemy's country or a foreign country
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), edited by Noah Porter.
About
Safe-conduct
Passage allowed through a territory for peaceful purposes; it was often given to students, merchants,
knights on their way to
tournament , certain
heralds & messengers, and pilgrims. Such safe-conducts could either be issued by the
Prince of a region; these were general proclamations that bound the prince’s subjects to respect the passage. The other safe-conducts were offered by individual
nobles , issued as sealed guarantees, where the noble himself extended their own protection to the holder of the safe passage. These writs named a specific recipient by name, the number of people in his party allowed to pass, the goods they could carry. Other goods carried were subject to confiscation--this was not an uncommon occurrence. Knights on their way to tournament were frequently given such safe conducts, they are specifically mentioned in several
tournament declarations .