A NOTE ON THE UNIVERSAL MONARCHY

Abstract

The author questions the identity between the concepts of empire and papal monarchy, on the one hand, and universal monarchy, on the other, which is often assumed and argues that monorchia universalis is a distinctively early-modern concept. It denotes the ambitions of territorial states in the early European state system to extend their power beyond their given boundaries. The discussion deals with the "pre-history" of monorchia universalis and focuses on Dante; the dispute between Philip the Fair and Boniface VIII; the apologists of royal power under Charles V of France (Oresme and Songe du vergier); and the papalist arguments in the later conciliar controversy.