king's peace

noun

sometimes capitalized K&P

1

: the special protection secured by the monarch in Anglo-Saxon and medieval England to particular persons (as members of the royal household) or places (as the king's highway) and occasionally to specific periods of time (as coronation days)

—used when the British monarch is a king

the king's peace was to abide in his assembly and … extend to the members in coming to it and returning from it

—T. E. May

2

: the general peace for the protection of persons and property secured in medieval times to large areas and later to the entire royal domain by the law administered by authority of the British monarch

—used when the British monarch is a king

the king's peace had … grown from an occasional privilege into a common right

—Frederick Pollock

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kynges pees

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