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Sacred Foundations: The Religious and Medieval Roots of the European State
How the medieval church drove state formation in Europe
Sacred Foundations argues that the medieval church was a fundamental force in European state formation. Existing accounts focus on early modern warfare or contracts between the rulers and the ruled. In contrast, this major study shows that the Catholic Church both competed with medieval monarchs and provided critical templates for governing institutions, the rule of law, and parliaments.
The Catholic Church was the most powerful, wealthiest, and best-organized political actor in the Middle Ages. Starting in the eleventh century, the papacy fought for the autonomy of the church, challenging European rulers and then claiming authority over people, territory, and monarchs alike. Anna Grzymała-Busse demonstrates how the church shaped distinct aspects of the European state. Conflicts with the papacy fragmented territorial authority in Europe for centuries to come, propagating urban autonomy and ideas of sovereignty. Thanks to its organizational advantages and human capital, the church also developed the institutional precedents adopted by rulers across Europe—from chanceries and taxation to courts and councils. Church innovations made possible both the rule of law and parliamentary representation.
Bringing to light a wealth of historical evidence about papal conflict, excommunications, and ecclesiastical institutions, Sacred Foundations reveals how the challenge and example of powerful religious authorities gave rise to secular state institutions and galvanized state capacity.
Sacred Foundations argues that the medieval church was a fundamental force in European state formation. Existing accounts focus on early modern warfare or contracts between the rulers and the ruled. In contrast, this major study shows that the Catholic Church both competed with medieval monarchs and provided critical templates for governing institutions, the rule of law, and parliaments.
The Catholic Church was the most powerful, wealthiest, and best-organized political actor in the Middle Ages. Starting in the eleventh century, the papacy fought for the autonomy of the church, challenging European rulers and then claiming authority over people, territory, and monarchs alike. Anna Grzymała-Busse demonstrates how the church shaped distinct aspects of the European state. Conflicts with the papacy fragmented territorial authority in Europe for centuries to come, propagating urban autonomy and ideas of sovereignty. Thanks to its organizational advantages and human capital, the church also developed the institutional precedents adopted by rulers across Europe—from chanceries and taxation to courts and councils. Church innovations made possible both the rule of law and parliamentary representation.
Bringing to light a wealth of historical evidence about papal conflict, excommunications, and ecclesiastical institutions, Sacred Foundations reveals how the challenge and example of powerful religious authorities gave rise to secular state institutions and galvanized state capacity.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
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About the author
Anna Grzymała-Busse
5 books7 followersAnna Maria Grzymala-Busse is an American political scientist. She is the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of International Studies in the department of political science at Stanford University. She is also a senior fellow at Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and director of The Europe Center at Stanford University. Grzymala-Busse is known for her research on state development and transformation, religion and politics, political parties, informal political institutions, and post-communist politics. Previously, she was the Ronald Eileen Weiser Professor at University of Michigan.
Grzymala-Busse received a doctorate in government from Harvard University in 2000. Grzymala attended Princeton University (AB, Public and International Affairs, 1992) and Cambridge University (M.Phil., 1993).
In 2017, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Grzymala-Busse received a doctorate in government from Harvard University in 2000. Grzymala attended Princeton University (AB, Public and International Affairs, 1992) and Cambridge University (M.Phil., 1993).
In 2017, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 27, 2023
In Grzymała-Busse's summary of theories of state formation, two templates are named early on - bellicosity and bargaining. Bellicosity is the formation of states through endemic warfare, the need for kings to raise revenue in order to pay for armies and allies, creates the conditions for states to emerge. The more pacific theory is that of bargaining - still fiscally driven, but in this case the emergence of parliament and law as government because more centralised and complex leads to state formation. Grzymała-Busse proposes a third, and credible, path. That of the power and example of the Roman church in the high Middle Ages. In her view endemic warfare hindered state formation rather than fostered it (why else would the Holy Roman Empire have remained so fragmented?) and indeed the papacy encouraged conflict in order to keep the emperor weak. In respect of law, universities and parliament - the fundamental apparatus of western European statedom - Grzymała-Busse sees the Roman church as having an important emulative impact as the growth of canon law and lawyers led to the establishment of over 100 universities by the Reformation and the calling of councils provided a model for secular gatherings of nobles and eventually burghers.
There is much that is rich in this short book, which provides an excellent introduction to the subject as well as some forensic analysis. The reliance on statistics and statistical analysis may have been one reason why it was one of the Financial Times' books of the year. Just occasionally there seem some slip ups. At one point we are told that Europe has over 500 states in the Middle Ages (surely an exaggeration) but a later graph suggests nearer 200. A map showing Cathedrals in Europe curiously places only one in Britain - apparently somewhere in Wales. No doubt the thesis can be challenged (England remains the exception that proves the rule to much of her argument) but nevertheless a stimulating and thought-provoking read.
There is much that is rich in this short book, which provides an excellent introduction to the subject as well as some forensic analysis. The reliance on statistics and statistical analysis may have been one reason why it was one of the Financial Times' books of the year. Just occasionally there seem some slip ups. At one point we are told that Europe has over 500 states in the Middle Ages (surely an exaggeration) but a later graph suggests nearer 200. A map showing Cathedrals in Europe curiously places only one in Britain - apparently somewhere in Wales. No doubt the thesis can be challenged (England remains the exception that proves the rule to much of her argument) but nevertheless a stimulating and thought-provoking read.
October 20, 2023
This was kind of a weird book for me to take up and read, and I'm not sure I learned all that much, but it's still a quality piece of history. Some may suppose that the Middle Ages were merely a time of church vs. state. Yes, there was a ton of that. But far more often we had the state copying the church. Whether it would be the growth of parliaments (see conciliarism in the church), taxation (see extensive church record-keeping and tithe-collecting systems), the rule of law (see the rise of the university, which was basically a church law school in its origin), again and again the elements of state bureaucracy came from the church.
As a medieval political history, this work is too slim. But for tracing the specific question of church/state interaction in the development of the state's levers of government, it's a helpful guide. Novices might be surprised to read how developed things were by, say, the year 1200. Dark Ages these were not.
As a medieval political history, this work is too slim. But for tracing the specific question of church/state interaction in the development of the state's levers of government, it's a helpful guide. Novices might be surprised to read how developed things were by, say, the year 1200. Dark Ages these were not.
August 27, 2024
Christian footing in Europe
The author presents some surprising and contrasting ideas in this book that suggests that the medieval Roman Catholic Church that emphasized spiritual monopoly in Europe also encouraged secular concepts such as the separation of church and state, education, the potential of human capital, the rule of law, representation, and sovereignty of European monarchies. The argument is that a secular state would be built on a sacred foundation of an established religion. I beg to differ from these arguments since the ambitions of the church were its authority and supremacy in all matters of the life of a person. It is an autocratic institution that allows little room for an independent democratic institution that may question the corruption of the church with European-state politics. The transformation of empires into democratic societies in Europe was slow and arduous.
The author presents some surprising and contrasting ideas in this book that suggests that the medieval Roman Catholic Church that emphasized spiritual monopoly in Europe also encouraged secular concepts such as the separation of church and state, education, the potential of human capital, the rule of law, representation, and sovereignty of European monarchies. The argument is that a secular state would be built on a sacred foundation of an established religion. I beg to differ from these arguments since the ambitions of the church were its authority and supremacy in all matters of the life of a person. It is an autocratic institution that allows little room for an independent democratic institution that may question the corruption of the church with European-state politics. The transformation of empires into democratic societies in Europe was slow and arduous.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews