Divine right of kings

Divine Right of Kings

The Divine Right of Kings is a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving the right to rule directly from the will of God. The king is thus not subject to the will of his people, the aristocracy, or any other estate of the realm. It implies that only God can judge an unjust king and that any attempt to depose, dethrone or restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God and may constitute a sacrilegious act.

History

The doctrine of the divine right of kings came to the fore in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, coinciding with the consolidation of absolute monarchy as a distinct form of governance. The doctrine is often associated with King James I of England, who promoted it in his work, The True Law of Free Monarchies. However, it was also advocated by other monarchs and theologians such as Robert Filmer and Sir Francis Bacon.

Criticism and Opposition

The divine right of kings was challenged by philosophers such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, who advocated for the separation of church and state and the social contract, respectively. The doctrine was also opposed by the Enlightenment thinkers, who promoted reason and individualism over tradition and religion.

Legacy

Despite its decline during the 18th and 19th centuries, the divine right of kings has left a lasting impact on the development of Western political thought. It has influenced the concepts of monarchy, sovereignty, and the relationship between the church and state.

See Also

• Absolute Monarchy
• Constitutional Monarchy
• Separation of Church and State
• Social Contract