This volume contains the proceedings from the conference “Law and Power in the Middle Ages” which was held at the Carlsberg Academy in May 2007 in Copenhagen. It focuses on the nexus of law and power combines approaches from legal, political, social, ecclesiastical and intellectual history.
Hence this collection of essays covers themes such as royal legislative power and its limits, the power-struggles between political elites, the social impact of theological and legal concepts and debates, and the role of legislation in cases of treason and rebellion, while offering the reader a variety of regional case-studies showing law as an instrument of political power together with more wide ranging discussions of the long-term application of legal principles and practices and the development of sociopolitical structures within medieval European societies.
Scholars and students of medieval legislation and legal history will find this book a useful contribution to the discussion about the character of vernacular legislation.
The publication of this volume is funded by The Carlsberg Foundation.