Depositions of rulers in the later middle ages: on the theory of th "useless ruler" and its practical utilization

Abstract

The fact that in late medieval times more er less changes ef rulers by force increased in nearly aU Eurepean kingdems, may indeed be read as a symptem ef change in kingship as weU as in the basic erder of lordship. It would be premature, hewever, te conclude that, cenceming kingship, there existed a fundamental crisis ef legitimacy. One argument against Ibis view is the ameunt of pains that were taken te make depositions look less frregular, and te make them appear instead as procedures that feUewed fixed and prescribed rules. Everybedy whe thereughly inquires inte the history ef peUtical thèeries ameng the leamed jurists ef the late Middle Ages, wiU judge more carefuUy about the relatienship between peUtical action and schelarly conceptiens ef laws than censtitutienal histerians bave often dene.