lese-majesty n.

"offense against sovereign authority, treason," 1530s (mid-15c. as an Anglo-French word), from French lèse-majesté (15c.), from Latin laesa majestos "violated majesty," from laesus, past participle of laedere "to hurt, injure, damage, offend, insult," a word of unknown origin. Brachet calls French lèse "a latinism introduced by the lawyers."