To grant the maximum flexibility, its best not to tie BR too closely to any
single historical precident, but to use a variety. For example, the Brecht
strike me as more Italian than German. Sure they are culturally
German-feeling, but there is valuable analogy in the Italian city states as
well that should not be ignored.
The issue of divine right in BR is just one of a cluster called the
legitimation of authority. We might look to Ma`at in Egypt, the Mandate of
Heaven in China, the Biblical example of God setting up monarchy in Israel,
the Roman experience of divine Emperors, Aztec concepts of divine
legitimation, and on and on.
The more models we use, the more we can vary theories between NPC`s, between
realms, between nations, between races. While all of these models involve
some divine sphere sanctioning authority on Earth, they all vary
sufficiently to be useful for fleshing out cultures. When combines with the
patron gods, as an ideoogical admixture, we can create an interesting and
Cerilian ideology to base the culture on.
Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com
The Birthright Homepage: http://www.birthright.net
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Divine right did exist, it was an attempt to argue that monarchy was
autocratic (rather than organic, see Carl Cramérs post earlier from today). It was put forward by the eminent legal theorist Grotius and is based on Stoic principles, not religious ones. It is therefore an entirely secular theory. One might say that as the power of the state comes to eclipse the power of the church, the state developes and ideology to legitimate its authority. Grotius (1583-1645), was followed by Jacques-Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704), who wrote a book, _Divine Right of Kings_ which gave us the famous phrase. Bossuet harmonized the natural law theory of autocracy of Grotius with the medieval tradition in which the Church supports the power of the state. This strain of thought comes from St Augustines explanation
of why secular authority is paramount in this world, and religious in the
next. This is an application very broadly of “render unto Caesar what is
Caesar`s”.
Along these lines, we should mention Hobbes and his Leviathan. For similar
reasons and similar ends, Hobbes also argues for absolute autocracy, the
abandonment of organic models of the state, and posits his arguement in
natural law terms.
As for Birthright, I have had NPCs mouth Hobbes, and could very well mouth Grotius or Bossuet if I like. Usually such NPCs are the loyal supporters
of the crown who enflame the powerful figures in the realm who have adopted
a shared model (on whatever basis) of secular power. One can easily imagine
how disliked a royal minister would be in Stjordvik who argued for
autocratic powers for the crown.
Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com
The Birthright Homepage: http://www.birthright.net
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