Reintroducing the emperor and repositioning the city republics in the 'republican' thought of the rhetorician Boncompagno da Signa

The ‘republican’ thought of the rhetorician Boncompagno da Signa

Bibliographic Data

ID4557355
AuthorsGianluca Raccagni (University of Edinburgh, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume86
Issue234
Pages579-600
Publication date2013-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHistorical Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0950-3471 • E-ISSN: 1468-2281
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/1468-2281.12033
OpenAlexW2133708825
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited14

This article reconsiders the political thought of Boncompagno da Signa in the light of his overlooked praise for the Holy Roman Emperor and his equally overlooked criticism of the city republics. It argues that, rather than just supporting the city republics, he addressed kingship, backing constitutional monarchy and the rule of law. This is contextualized in the aftermath of the peace of Constance, and similarities with the views of contemporary jurists are examined, underlining neglected contractual aspects in their theories of government and the use of the ius Italicum to justify the prerogatives of the Italian cities within the Empire. Finally, connections with the sixth canto of Dante's Purgatory are emphasized

Ancient history · Art · Criticism · Emperor · Empire · Literature · Monarchy · Political science · Politics · Praise · Purgatory · Theology · Classics · History · Law · Philosophy · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity · Renaissance and Early Modern Studies · Seventeenth-Century Political and Philosophical Thought