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In The Nature of Kingship c. 800-1300. The Danish Incident Nils Hybel presents the first comprehensive history of the changeable nature of monarchial power in Danish territories from the Viking Age to the Central Middle Ages. The work offers a pioneering methodological approach entirely based on medieval conceptions on sovereign power. This innovative approach involves contemporary ideas, not modern notions of power and kingship, being used to undertake the analysis. The Danish âIncidentâ is therefore integrated within the European context.
Kingship experienced a profound transformation during the half millennium investigated. A royal genealogy and strong bonds with Christian institutions were established in the late eleventh century. In the middle of the twelfth century the Danish realm was united, followed by the final liberation from German hegemony and the expansion of the realm with German and Slavic fiefs in the late twelfth century. At the same time, with the first signs of taxation, legislation, law enforcement and the notion of a national, military force, kings began the transition from warlords to medieval kingship. With stirrings of constitutionalism from 1241 onwards, this development of a national, medieval, kingdom intensified, though by c. 1300 the kingdom had not yet reached the point of total sovereign power.
Kingship experienced a profound transformation during the half millennium investigated. A royal genealogy and strong bonds with Christian institutions were established in the late eleventh century. In the middle of the twelfth century the Danish realm was united, followed by the final liberation from German hegemony and the expansion of the realm with German and Slavic fiefs in the late twelfth century. At the same time, with the first signs of taxation, legislation, law enforcement and the notion of a national, military force, kings began the transition from warlords to medieval kingship. With stirrings of constitutionalism from 1241 onwards, this development of a national, medieval, kingdom intensified, though by c. 1300 the kingdom had not yet reached the point of total sovereign power.
Nils Hybel, Ph.D. (1989), is Professor at the Saxo Institute, the University of Copenhagen. He has published extensively on many aspects of European medieval history and historiography.
"Hybel (Univ. Copenhagen) enters the Danish historiographical debate regarding the date when a âDanish national medieval kingdomâ first existed, and concludes, expectedly, that even by the early 13th century, the Danish monarchy did not âfully meet the standardsâ for such a kingdom. [...] Well researched, with sound conclusions. Summing Up: Recommended." - J. P. Huffman, Messiah College, in: Choice 55:11 (July, 2018)
''Hybels weitgreifende und lehrreiche Studie führt so die zwei Seiten der Staatsgenese-Forschung vor Augen: Einerseits verdeutlicht sie den wandelbaren Charakter dessen, was sich zu einer gegebenen Zeit hinter einem regnum und seinen Königen als Struktur und Handlungsspielraum verbirgt; anderer seits demonstriert sie auch das von Hybel selbst thematisierte Risiko der teleologischen Verengung, zumal »Königtum«." - Roland Scheel, in: Rechtsgeschichte Legal History 27 (2019)
''Hybels weitgreifende und lehrreiche Studie führt so die zwei Seiten der Staatsgenese-Forschung vor Augen: Einerseits verdeutlicht sie den wandelbaren Charakter dessen, was sich zu einer gegebenen Zeit hinter einem regnum und seinen Königen als Struktur und Handlungsspielraum verbirgt; anderer seits demonstriert sie auch das von Hybel selbst thematisierte Risiko der teleologischen Verengung, zumal »Königtum«." - Roland Scheel, in: Rechtsgeschichte Legal History 27 (2019)
List of Figures, Charts and Maps
Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Historiography
âKings and Clans
âThe Birth of the Viking Age
âRegnum and Sacerdotium
âA Tenth-Century Central Power
âThe Historical Turning Point
âA Medieval Kingdom of the Viking Age
âThe Janus-Faced King
âThe Birth of Medieval Kingship
âConclusion
2 A Speculum Regale
âThe European Context
âRex Gratia Dei
âPopular Legitimation of Kingship
âThe Lawmaker
âThe Ideal Leader
âConclusion
3 Genealogy
âHistorical Kings until c. 1140
âLegendary Kings
âHistoric Kings in Sources from c. 1140
âConclusion
4 Marca, Feudum, and Sovereignty
âThe Danish Marca
âFeudum
âSovereignty
âSovereigntyâAn Anachronism?
âConclusion
5 Law, Justice, and Constitution
âSources of Medieval Law
âNarratives of the Earliest Danish Laws
âExtant Laws and Ordinances before 1241
âMonarchical Legislation and Jurisdiction before 1241
âExtant Laws and Ordinances from 1241
âMonarchical Legislation and Jurisdiction from 1241
âConstitution
âConclusion
6 Landownership
âOwnership in Roman Law
âOwnership in Medieval Jurisprudence
âFamily Ownership
âPrivate Property
âWays of Acquiring Land
âCommon Rights and Dominium Utile
âConclusion
7 Tax
âTribute, Plunder, and Gifts
âMint Taxes
âTown and Market Taxes
âCustoms Duties
âUrban and Commercial Duties
âRural Taxes
âConclusion
8 War and Peace
âViking Kings and/or Warlords
âMedieval Kings and/or Warlords
âTowards a Public Army?
âMilitary Law
âConclusion
9 The Realm
âDane
âDenmark
âThe Geopolitical Area of Denmark before the Mid-Eleventh Century
âTowards the Formation of a Realm
âThe Danish Realm
âConclusion
10 Overall Assessment
Bibliography
Index of Persons and Places
Subject Index
Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Historiography
âKings and Clans
âThe Birth of the Viking Age
âRegnum and Sacerdotium
âA Tenth-Century Central Power
âThe Historical Turning Point
âA Medieval Kingdom of the Viking Age
âThe Janus-Faced King
âThe Birth of Medieval Kingship
âConclusion
2 A Speculum Regale
âThe European Context
âRex Gratia Dei
âPopular Legitimation of Kingship
âThe Lawmaker
âThe Ideal Leader
âConclusion
3 Genealogy
âHistorical Kings until c. 1140
âLegendary Kings
âHistoric Kings in Sources from c. 1140
âConclusion
4 Marca, Feudum, and Sovereignty
âThe Danish Marca
âFeudum
âSovereignty
âSovereigntyâAn Anachronism?
âConclusion
5 Law, Justice, and Constitution
âSources of Medieval Law
âNarratives of the Earliest Danish Laws
âExtant Laws and Ordinances before 1241
âMonarchical Legislation and Jurisdiction before 1241
âExtant Laws and Ordinances from 1241
âMonarchical Legislation and Jurisdiction from 1241
âConstitution
âConclusion
6 Landownership
âOwnership in Roman Law
âOwnership in Medieval Jurisprudence
âFamily Ownership
âPrivate Property
âWays of Acquiring Land
âCommon Rights and Dominium Utile
âConclusion
7 Tax
âTribute, Plunder, and Gifts
âMint Taxes
âTown and Market Taxes
âCustoms Duties
âUrban and Commercial Duties
âRural Taxes
âConclusion
8 War and Peace
âViking Kings and/or Warlords
âMedieval Kings and/or Warlords
âTowards a Public Army?
âMilitary Law
âConclusion
9 The Realm
âDane
âDenmark
âThe Geopolitical Area of Denmark before the Mid-Eleventh Century
âTowards the Formation of a Realm
âThe Danish Realm
âConclusion
10 Overall Assessment
Bibliography
Index of Persons and Places
Subject Index
The target audience of the work is scholars, students, and even a broader readership interested in medieval history.