Ideas of Power in the Late Middle Ages, 1296–1417Through a focused and systematic examination of late medieval scholastic writers - theologians, philosophers and jurists - Joseph Canning explores how ideas about power and legitimate authority were developed over the 'long fourteenth century'. The author provides a new model for understanding late medieval political thought, taking full account of the intensive engagement with political reality characteristic of writers in this period. He argues that they used Aristotelian and Augustinian ideas to develop radically new approaches to power and authority, especially in response to political and religious crises. The book examines the disputes between King Philip IV of France and Pope Boniface VIII and draws upon the writings of Dante Alighieri, Marsilius of Padua, William of Ockham, Bartolus, Baldus and John Wyclif to demonstrate the variety of forms of discourse used in the period. It focuses on the most fundamental problem in the history of political thought - where does legitimate authority lie? |
Contents
11 | |
the approach of political philosophy | 60 |
Chapter 3 Marsilius of Padua | 81 |
Chapter 4 Power and powerlessness in the poverty debates | 107 |
Chapter 5 The treatment of power in juristic thought | 133 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aegidius Romanus approach argued argument Aristotelian Augustinian autem Baldus Baldus’s Bartolus Boniface VIII canon law cardinals Christ Christian church city-republics clergy conciliar conciliarist context corporation council Council of Constance Dante Dante’s Defensor pacis derived Discourse divine dominium Donation Donation of Constantine ecclesia ecclesiastical emperor empire exercise facto fourteenth century Franciscan fundamental Giles grace-founded dominium habet hierocratic Ibid ideas imperial interpretation iure James of Viterbo John of Paris John Wyclif John XXII jurisdiction jurists king kingdom late medieval legitimate authority Marsilius of Padua Marsilius’s medieval political thought nature notion papacy papal claims philosophy plenitude of power pope pope’s potestate potestatis poverty principate principatus problem quam question quia quod Roman law royal rulership Schism secular rulers secundum signori sovereignty spiritual power spiritualis sunt temporal and spiritual temporal matters temporal power theological theory tract ultimate vicar William of Ockham writers Wyclif