Defensor pacis
Quick Summary
Defensor pacis, meaning "Defender of the Peace," is a seminal work by Marsilius of Padua, written between 1320 and 1324. This treatise significantly influenced the modern concept of the state by proposing a secular view of governance.1
Marsilius argued that the primary role of the state is to maintain law, order, and peace. He asserted that political power and law originate from the people, who have the right to choose their rulers. Critically, Marsilius contended that the church's authority should be subordinate to the state to preserve unity. He also proposed that a general council, representative of all believers, should hold supreme authority in church matters, rather than the papal hierarchy. His ideas were radical for the time, leading to his condemnation as a heretic.1
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