Kingship: The Politics of Enchantmant (New Perspectives on the Past) - Softcover

Oakley, Francis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0631226966 ISBN 13: 9780631226963

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2009

Synopsis

Kingship From despots to powerless figureheads, and from the Neolithic era to the present, this book traces the history of kingship around the world and the tenacity of its connection with the sacred. Full description

About this title

Review:

"This is a wide-ranging, cross-cultural exploration and meditation on sacral kingship by one of the rare, intellectually adventurous, historians in the academy." Janet Coleman, London School of Economics and Political Science

"In Oakley's hands, kingship turns out to be a tremendously insightful vantage point to understand the human story. His magisterial sweep through the history of monarchical rule shows conclusively how difficult it is to separate the history of politics from that of religion. Oakley's argument is supported by vivid examples drawn from an impressive range of times and civilizations." Charles Taylor, McGill University

"Original and lucid. This is an essential book ... it offers a persuasive reconsideration of the history of political philosophy, which bears on modern and recent as well as much older periods." Choice

"Oakley's study is neither confined to the West, nor to any period. It is not on kings, but on the very idea of kingship, an idea characterised by ubiquity, longevity and sacrality. [This] study is interesting and at times challenging." European Constitutional Law Review

"A most useful and informative survey of the theme...The juxtaposition of so much diverse material is certainly thought-provoking and demands changes in historical perspectives."
Catholic Historical Review

From the Back Cover:

In this book, Francis Oakley argues that kingship may be the most common form of government known to humankind. He traces its history from the time of the Neolithic revolution and the spread of agrarian modes of subsistence around the eastern Mediterranean (c.8000- 5000 BCE) down to its widespread loss of legitimacy in the modern industrial world.

The author considers the many forms that kingship took during this period, including: the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt; the emperors of Japan; the Maya rulers of Mesoamerica; the medieval popes and emperors; and the English and French monarchs of early modern Europe. While acknowledging the panoply of governing roles that kingship could involve - administrative, military, judicial, economic, religious, and purely symbolic - his central focus is on its intimate connection with the sacred.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0631226966
• ISBN 13: 9780631226963
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 212