The Power to Pardon in Medieval and Early Modern Christian Europe

Contributions by Elisabeth Lusset Contributions by Philippa Byrne Contributions by Tomás A. Mantecón Movellán Contributions by Rudi Beaulant Contributions by Nancy S. Kollmann Contributions by Gerd Schwerhoff Contributions by Darlene Abreu-Ferreira Contributions by Xavier Rousseaux Contributions by Luke Giraudet Edited by Ulrike Ludwig Edited by Quentin Verreycken

Extent: 295 pages

Publisher: Böhlau Verlag Köln

Subjects: Biblical Studies, Early Modern & Renaissance Studies, Medieval Studies

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(October 2025)

ISBN: 9783412533854

6.3 x 9.25 inches

Price: $63.00

In stock

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Synopsis
Contributing Authors

In medieval and early modern Christian Europe, the power to exercise pardon over rigor of justice was one of the strongest manifestations of sovereignty and, as such, it was almost ubiquitous. For merciful rulers, pardoning was a means to enforce peace and assert the supremacy of their judicial authority, whereas for subjects, it was primarily a way to save their lives and escape punishment, often at a lower cost than other mitigating practices.Studying the predominant role of pardon in medieval and early modern societies, this collective volume examines how pardons operated within complex legal systems marked by a plurality of legal orders, where various means of conflict resolution coexisted and litigants had to navigate multiple levels of authorities.

In medieval and early modern Christian Europe, the power to exercise pardon over rigor of justice was one of the strongest manifestations of sovereignty and, as such, it was almost ubiquitous. For merciful rulers, pardoning was a means to enforce peace and assert the supremacy of their judicial authority, whereas for subjects, it was primarily a way to save their lives and escape punishment, often at a lower cost than other mitigating practices. Studying the predominant role of pardon in medieval and early modern societies, this collective volume examines how pardons operated within complex legal systems marked by a plurality of legal orders, where various means of conflict resolution coexisted and litigants had to navigate multiple levels of authorities.

Contributions by Elisabeth Lusset
Contributions by Philippa Byrne
Contributions by Tomás A. Mantecón Movellán
Contributions by Rudi Beaulant
Contributions by Nancy S. Kollmann
Contributions by Gerd Schwerhoff
Contributions by Darlene Abreu-Ferreira
Contributions by Xavier Rousseaux
Contributions by Luke Giraudet
Edited by Ulrike Ludwig
Edited by Quentin Verreycken

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