Abstract
This article shows that there is an ascending consensus that the European Middle Ages were pervaded by a number of constitutionalist norms and institutions that facilitated the later development of democracy, the modern state, and the rule of law. However, the review of this literature also shows that there has been little attempt to systematically explain the origins of these norms and institutions. Against this background, the article discusses what so far seems to be the major “origins” hypothesis, namely, that these norms and institutions were a contingent product of the secular-religious conflicts in the High Middle Ages, reinforced by the rediscovery of Roman law and the political theory of Aristotle. This is contrasted with an alternative hypothesis, which traces these developments from latent tensions between church and rulers already present in the Early Middle Ages, and an attempt to bridge the two positions is made. The discussion draws in evidence from Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire in both the Early and High Middle Ages.
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Notes
These authors do not always refer to the “rule of law” as such but they clearly analyze the advent of factors that pertain to the rule of law.
For a general account of the Gregorian reforms see Miller (2004).
As is well known, revolution often devours its own. Ullmann (1970[1955], 252) argues that Henry III’s mistake was that it was “incongruous to admit the magisterial primacy of the Roman Church and at the same time to deny its jurisdictional primacy”. It was all or nothing, so to speak.
This distinction was based on Roman law. The Roman Senate had auctoritas whereas the Roman magistrates had potestas (Ullmann 1970[1955], 21).
I am indebted to an anonymous reviewer for this elaboration about early (Western) Church doctrines. For a classical introduction to this issue see see Ladner (1959).
To quote Ullmann (1970[1955], 299), Gregory “stands firmly on the old tenets and pursues their logical implications to the very utmost”.
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Møller, J. Medieval Origins of the Rule of Law: The Gregorian Reforms as Critical Juncture?. Hague J Rule Law 9, 265–282 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40803-017-0053-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40803-017-0053-2