The King's Mirror (Speculum regale-Konungs skuggsjá)
Philosophy
The King's Mirror (Speculum regale-Konungs skuggsjá)
Education of princes; Encyclopedias and dictionaries -- Early works to 1600; Scandinavia -- Civilization
After the death of King Sverre (1202) the conflict between the king and
the hierarchy ceased for a time. The church made peace with the
monarchy; the exiled bishops returned; and the faction of the Croziermen
disintegrated. After a few years, however, the old quarrels broke out
anew. On the accession of Hakon IV the church yielded once more, though
the prelates did not renounce their earlier claims. In 1245, when plans
were being made for King Hakon’s coronation, the bishops put forth the
suggestion that the king should, on that occasion, renew the agreement
of 1163, which gave the bishops control of the succession. But the great
king refused. “If we swear such an oath as King Magnus swore, then it
seems to us as though our honor would be lessened by it rather than
increased.”[120] He flatly asserted that he would be crowned without any
conditions attached to the act, or the crown “shall never come upon our
head.”
Footnote 120:
_Hákonar Saga_, c. 247.
After the arrival of Cardinal William of Sabina, who had been sent by
the pope to officiate at the coronation, and while preparations for that
joyous event were going forward, the subject was brought up once more.
On the suggestion of the Norwegian bishops the cardinal asked the king
to take Magnus Erlingsson’s oath; but the king again refused, and the
cardinal decided that “there is no need to speak of it oftener.”[121]
The king was crowned and there was peace between the two great forces of
church and monarchy, at least so long as Hakon lived. Sometime not long
before or after the coronation of the great king (1247) the _King’s
Mirror_ seems to have been written. It is clear that such ideas as are
enunciated in this work with respect to the submission of the church to
the authorities of the state can not have been relished by the
hierarchy, and perhaps they were just then somewhat unwelcome to the
secular rulers as well, since a discussion of this sort might tend to
renew ill feeling and stir up strife. Consequently the author may have
thought it wiser to remain anonymous.
Footnote 121:
_Ibid._, c. 251.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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