Miljohn Denver Y.

Paynor Ancient and Medieval Political Theory

ABPS III July 11, 2012

Marsilius of Padua
Report Outline
A. Background
1. an Italian scholar
2. was born in Padua, an important Italian city, circa 1275
3. He was an important 14th century political figure.
4. Became a professor and rector at the University of Paris (c. 131214)
B. Political Theory
1. Marsilius wrote Defensor pacis Defender of the Peace
a. influenced the modern idea of the state
b. Marsilius, applying principles of Aristotle, evolved a secular concept
of the state.
c. Extends the tradition of Dante's De Monarchia separating the secular
State from religious authority.
d. It affirmed the sovereignty of the people and civil law and sought to
greatly limit the power of the Papacy,
i. He viewed as the "cause of the trouble which prevails among
men" and which he characterized as a "fictitious" power.
e. It describes the State as the defender of the public peace.
2. The unity of the state must be preserved by limiting the power of the
church hierarchy.
a. The states principal responsibility is the maintenance of law, order,
and tranquillity.
b. The source of all political power and law is the people, among whose
right is the right to choose their ruler.
 3. Political Struggle
a. Louis IV
i. The King of Germany (King of the Romans) from 1314, the
King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from
1328.
b. Pope John XXII
i. was pope from 7 August 1316 until his death
ii. He opposed the political policies of Louis IV of Bavaria as
Holy Roman Emperor, which prompted Louis to invade Italy
and set up an antipope, Nicholas V.
C. Churchs Role
1. The churchs supreme authority in morals and doctrine, he concluded, should
be vested in a general council representative of all believerspeople and
clergy.
2. The supreme authority in the church is to be the council, but a council
summoned by the emperor.
D. Defensor Minor
1. A restatement and defense of Marsilius's best known work, the Defensor
pacis.
2. The text discusses civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, the confession,
penance, indulgences, the Crusades, pilgrimages, plenitudo potestatis,
legislative power, the origin of the sovereignty, wedding, and divorce.
3. The Clergy
i. The task and the main function of the clergy is to teach the sacred texts
and preparing souls for the afterlife.
ii. Marsilio does not exclude absolutely confession: he says only that it is
useful but not essential.