Mythological and Historical Legitimization of Princedom in Medieval West

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23320159
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Europe and America
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: EGAWA Atsushi 大阪大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (80127191)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ASAJI Keizo 関西大学, 文学部, 教授 (70151024) ; OUCHI Hajime 大阪大学, 言語文化研究科, 教授 (20185193) ; SUZUKI Hirokazu 大阪大学, 人間科学研究科, 准教授 (80273738) ; AOTANI Hideki 明治大学, 文学部, 准教授 (80403210)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MATSO Kayoko (40551924)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 正統性 / カリスマ / キリスト教 / 君主権 / 血統権 / 神の選び

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There was the old, pre-Christian idea of charism by sacred blood at the base of recognition of royal legitimacy in the medieval Occident. After the conversion to Christianity, the new concept of “choice of God” had been coated there.On the other side, the peoples accepted the myths of origin fabricated from the Old Testament or the works of the classical period and lay them on the old concept of sacred blood.
From the High Middle Ages, the new ideas began to influence the royal legitimacy. They were brought from the studies on politics and jurisdiction of classical period. We can give as example the idea of the lawful government based on the consensus of governed, or that of absolute sovereignty of onetime roman emperor indispensable for lawful order.

Free Research Field

西洋史