Medieval marriages were multifaceted. In canon law marriage focused more on consent and autonomy than rules. Laws of marriage were not always followed, and different types of marriage could be experimented with. Weddings were often just as much social and opulent events as they were about the couple. Mock youth groups could prepare themselves for... Continue Reading →
John Ponet and Jean Bodin on the nature of political power and sovereignty
In mid-16th century Europe, two intellectual groups, the resistance theorists and counter-revolutionary theorists, reconceptualized the nature of political power. They asked similar questions about the nature of society, government and the right of resistance, but came to very different conclusions. In 1556 the English theorist John Ponet published his Short Treatise on Political Power. Twenty... Continue Reading →