ENG ELC 220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Roman Republic, Firth, Indirect Rule
26 Oct 2020
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Political structures in the medieval world: plurality of powers. Alexander the great first single ruler: roman republic. Roman law: distinction between state and society and public and private: roman empire. Still civil laws: derived from the people, but not democratic. > later feudalism: warrior communities in the north. Communal life: feudal states, 800: charlemagne was coronated. Attempt to recreate the imperial system of rome by unifying fragmented states under the allegiance of the holy. Roman emperor: underlying system of social and economic relations, feudalism: lords gave fiefs (lands) to vassal lords, who exploited labor to the peasantry tied to the land. Relied on his lords, since they possessed power: became his counselors: early forms of parliament. 1: not sovereign, but suzerain: limited type of secular authority, towns and cities. Independence of subunits was a problem: breakup of charlemagne"s holy roman empire: fragmentation in 3 parts after power struggle.
