Walter Ullmann - Kings By The Grace Of God

From Walter Ullmann's 'History Of Political Thought - The Middle Ages'

'As a matter of fact, the visible result of the change from the earlier ascending theory of government to its descending counterpart can be found, as far as records show, amongst the Lombards in Northern Italy. The Lombard kings began from the late sixth century on to call themselves 'King by the grace of God' - the Rex Dei gratia' - and there is additional proof that the Anglo- Saxon kings in the seventh century had become familiar with the thesis of the king deriving his power from God and that kingship was conceived as a gift of God. From the eighth century onwards this designation became the standard with all kings of Western and Southern Europe. The meaning of this appellation seems clear enough. The king, who had hitherto been elected by the people or by its representative body, made it abundantly plain by this designation, that his kingship rested upon the good will, the favour, the 'grace' bestowed on him by God. The essential point is that thereby the close links which he had had with the people were severed, because the people conferred no power on him, could not therefore take it away by legal means, and was merely committed to him.'

'The law was given to the subjects or the people, not made by them. It is therefore understandable why law from the eighth century onwards became overwhelmingly royal law, and why this ousted the hitherto prevailing folk-law, the mainly customary law made by the folk (the people). Similarly, until the ascending thesis gave way to its counterpart, there also prevailed in the kingdom the peace guaranteed by the people itself - the so-called Volksfriede - which, on the application of the descending form of government gave way to peace guaranteed by the king (so-called  Koenigsfriede).'

'In the eighth century the king effectively emancipated himself from the fetters that had bound his ancestors to the people: he visibly detached himself from the people. It was a veritable reversal of things.'