The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political TheologyOriginally published in 1957, this classic work has guided generations of scholars through the arcane mysteries of medieval political theology. Throughout history, the notion of two bodies has permitted the postmortem continuity of monarch and monarchy, as epitomized by the statement, “The king is dead. Long live the king.” In The King’s Two Bodies, Ernst Kantorowicz traces the historical dilemma posed by the “King’s two bodies”—the body natural and the body politic—back to the Middle Ages. |
From inside the book
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... bodies directly affected court cases that came before Tudor judges. What did it matter in everyday life that jurists conceived of the prince with both a body natural and corruptible, on the one hand, and a body politic and immortal, on ...
... body politic rendered by Blackstone in a chapter of his Commentaries which conveniently summarizes the achievements ... body politic; see below, Ch. 1, n. s, for Plowden: . . the Body politic is a Body that cannot be seen or handled"; or ...
... Bodies, viz., a Body natural, and a Body politic. His Body natural (if it be considered in itself) is a Body mortal, subject to all Infirmities that come by Nature or Accident, to the Imbecility of Infancy or old Age, and to the like ...
A Study in Medieval Political Theology Ernst Kantorowicz. the King's body politic—“void of Infancy and old Age, and other natural Defects and Imbecilities”—has been modelled, can be gathered readily from Sir John Fortescue's tractate on ...
... Body natural,” later were given away by him, such gift, even when made during his nonage, had to be recognized as the ... Body, yet to this natural Body is conjoined his Body politic, which contains his royal Estate and Dignity; and the ...
Contents
3 | |
7 | |
24 | |
III CHRISTCENTERED KINGSHIP | 42 |
IV LAWCENTERED KINGSHIP | 87 |
CORPUS MYSTICUM | 193 |
VI ON CONTINUITY AND CORPORATIONS | 273 |
VII THE KING NEVER DIES | 314 |
DANTE | 451 |
IX EPILOGUE | 496 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS | 507 |
ILLUSTRATIONS | 513 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY and INDEX | 515 |
ADDENDA | 568 |
Other editions - View all
The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Mediaeval Political Theology Ernst Hartwig Kantorowicz Limited preview - 1997 |
The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Mediaeval Political Theology Ernst Hartwig Kantorowicz No preview available - 2016 |