Empire and order : the concept of empire, 800-1800 / James Muldoon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Muldoon, James, 1935-

Series:

Studies in modern history (St. Martin's Press)

Studies in modern history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Imperialism--History.

Imperialism.

History.

Physical Description:

viii, 209 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : St. Martin's Press, 1999.

Summary:

Empire is one of the most evocative, yet least examined, words in the political vocabulary. To the ancients it meant the Persian realm, or universal Roman rule, or the series of great powers marking the stages of God's plan for mankind. To medieval men, empire meant a universal Christian empire or rule over several kingdoms. Subsequently, European overseas conquests were labelled empires. In addition to being a territorial concept, empire also had a moral connotation. Critics often identified it with moral decay, while nineteenth-century imperialists saw expansion as creating virtuous empires that would elevate subjugated peoples. Historians of political thought often relegate the concept of empire to the pre-modern world while identifying the state as the characteristic political form of the modern world. This book examines the wide range of meanings attributed to the concept of empire in the medieval and early modern world, demonstrating that the concepts of empire and state developed in parallel, not sequentially.

Contents:

1 From the Carolingian Empire to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation 21

2 Other Medieval Empires 46

3 The Papal Conception of Empire 64

4 The Emperor as Dominus Mundi 87

5 Empires - Metaphysical and Moral 101

6 The Golden Age of Empire 114

Conclusion: Empire and State 139.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 186-199) and index.

ISBN:

0312222262

OCLC:

187476261