The King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political Theology (Princeton Classics Book 22)

Originally 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 post mortem 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 problem posed by the "King's two bodies"--the body natural and the body politic--back to the Middle Ages and demonstrates, by placing the concept in its proper setting of medieval thought and political theory, how the early-modern Western monarchies gradually began to develop a "political theology.? The king's natural body has physical attributes, suffers, and dies, naturally, as do all humans; but the king's other body, the spiritual body, transcends the earthly and serves as a symbol of his office as majesty with the divine right to rule. The notion of the two bodies allowed for the continuity of monarchy even when the monarch died, as summed up in the formulation "The king is dead. Long live the king." Bringing together liturgical works, images, and polemical material, __The King's Two Bodies__ explores the long Christian past behind this "political theology." It provides a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state. Kantorowicz fled Nazi Germany in 1938, after refusing to sign a Nazi loyalty oath, and settled in the United States. While teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, he once again refused to sign an oath of allegiance, this one designed to identify Communist Party sympathizers. He was dismissed as a result of the controversy and moved to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he remained for the rest of his life, and where he wrote __The King's Two Bodies__. Featuring a new introduction, __The King's Two Bodies__ is a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state. Annotation Originally 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 post mortem 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 problem posed by the "King's two bodies"--the body natural and the body politic--back to the Middle Ages and demonstrates, by placing the concept in its proper setting of medieval thought and political theory, how the early-modern Western monarchies gradually began to develop a "political theology."The king's natural body has physical attributes, suffers, and dies, naturally, as do all humans; but the king's other body, the spiritual body, transcends the earthly and serves as a symbol of his office as majesty with the divine right to rule. The notion of the two bodies allowed for the continuity of monarchy even when the monarch died, as summed up in the formulation "The king is dead. Long live the king."Bringing together liturgical works, images, and polemical material, The King's Two Bodies explores the long Christian past behind this "political theology." It provides a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state.Kantorowicz fled Nazi Germany in 1938, after refusing to sign a Nazi loyalty oath, and settled in the United States. While teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, he once again refused to sign an oath of allegiance, this one designed to identify Communist Party sympathizers. He resigned as a result of the controversy and moved to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he remained for the rest of his life, and where he wrote The King's Two Bodies.Featuring a new introduction, The Kings Two Bodies is a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state Annotation In 1957 Ernst Kantorowicz published a book that would be the guide for generations of scholars through the arcane mysteries of medieval political theology. InThe King's Two Bodies, Kantorowicz traces the historical problem posed by the "King's two bodies"--The body politic and the body natural--back to the Middle Ages and demonstrates, by placing the concept in its proper setting of medieval thought and political theory, how the early-modern Western monarchies gradually began to develop a "political theology."The king's natural body has physical attributes, suffers, and dies, naturally, as do all humans; but the king's other body, the spiritual body, transcends the earthly and serves as a symbol of his office as majesty with the divine right to rule. The notion of the two bodies allowed for the continuity of monarchy even when the monarch died, as summed up in the formulation "The king is dead. Long live the king."Bringing together liturgical works, images, and polemical material, The King's Two Bodiesexplores the long Christian past behind this "political theology." It provides a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state. Kantorowicz fled Nazi Germany in 1938, after refusing to sign a Nazi loyalty oath, and settled in the United States. While teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, he once again refused to sign an oath of allegiance, this one designed to identify Communist Party sympathizers. He resigned as a result of the controversy and moved to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he remained for the rest of his life, and where he wroteThe King's Two Bodies Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 CONTENTS 8 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCETON CLASSICS EDITION 10 PREFACE (1997) 26 PREFACE 34 INTRODUCTION 44 I. THE PROBLEM: PLOWDEN'S REPORTS 48 II. THE SHAKESPEARE: KING RICHARD II 65 III. CHRIST-CENTERED KINGSHIP 83 1. The Norman Anonymous 83 2. The Frontispiece of the Aachen Gospels 102 3. The Halo of Perpetuity 119 IV. LAW-CENTERED KINGSHIP 128 1. From Liturgy to Legal Science 128 2. Frederick the Second 138 Pater et Filius Iustitiae 138 Iustitia Mediatrix 148 3. Bracton 184 Rex infra et supra Legem 184 Christus-Fiscus 205 V. POLITY-CENTERED KINGSHIP: CORPUS MYSTICUM 234 1. Corpus Ecclesiae mysticum 235 2. Corpus Reipublicae mysticum 248 3. Pro patria mori 273 Patria religious and legal 273 Patriotic Propaganda 290 Rex et Patria 300 VI. ON CONTINUITY AND CORPORATIONS 314 1. Continuity 314 Aevum 316 Perpetua Necessitas 325 2. Fictio Figura Veritatis 332 Imperium semper est 332 Universitas non moritur 343 VII. THE KING NEVER DIES 355 1. Dynastic Continuity 358 2. The Crown as Fiction 377 Corona visibilis et invisibilis 377 The Fiscal Crown 383 Inalienability 388 Crown and Universitas 399 The King and the Crown 405 The Crown a Minor 413 3. Dignitas non moritur 424 Phoenix 426 Corporational Symptoms in England 442 Le Roy est mort... 450 Effigies 460 Rex Instrumentum Dignitatis 478 VIII. MAN-CENTERED KINGSHIP: DANTE 492 IX. EPILOGUE 537 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 548 ILLUSTRATIONS 554 BIBLIOGRAPHY and INDEX 578 ADDENDA 633 Originally 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. The king's natural body has physical attributes, suffers, and dies, as do all humans; however the king's spiritual body transcends the earth and serves as a symbol of his office as majesty with the divine right to rule. Bringing together liturgical works, images, and polemical material, Kantorowicz demonstrates how early modern Western monarchies gradually began to develop a political theology. Featuring a new introduction and preface, The King's Two Bodies is a subtle history of how commonwealths developed symbolic means for establishing their sovereignty and, with such means, began to establish early forms of the nation-state. By Ernst H. Kantorowicz ; With A New Introduction By Conrad Leyser. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 515-530) And Index.