History 5 Lecture 4 •What is a state? •Some ideal attributes of States Territorially bounded Core functions like war and taxation Sovereign within territory Abstract rather than personal Coherent corporate governance •Limitations of Sovereignty: The example of France •Alternative jurisdictions, there are very many different cities or states within •There were state within the royal domain, noblemen who had the territory with inheritance and developed in Most French territories, have the most “frenchness” •Other territories gained by conquest, where the territories were gained through war Not all forced to change, more monitored than enslaved •French king sends emissaries to check up on them •Some territories are gained by marriage •But all the territories have one thing in common: they all owe allegiance to the King of France But have no legal or other kinds of connections to one another Each keep their own laws, their own customs and language, in part because they may cease to be “French” at any time
•Most nations in Europe are kind of patchwork states •Noble Power Had the right to tax the people that lived in their territories •Cens—which was like an annual tax Largely immune from royal taxes, even if the king taxes their territory •The king can’t make them Had their own legal jurisdictions to prosecute people for local cases that had nothing to do with the king Responsible for military protection within their own territories •Raised their own armies, essentially warlords •Can and sometimes do use them in interests against the king Noble revolts were therefore commonplace •Not intended to overthrow the king, just to assert local privileges •Ecclesiastical power French kings had the right to appoint bishops in France but did not have the power to try or tax the clergy, because they didn’t have jurisdiction •The privileges of cities Have their own municipal governments responsible for sanitation, police, etc. Ex. King Charles levied a tax, but Paris was royally immune •Instead of taxing them, Charles demanded the money in the form of a “free gift” •The municipal governments started off with three complaints
•Eventually, they reached a compromise, but the city erupts in
Want to read all 8 pages?
Previewing 4 of 8 pages Upload your study docs or become a member.
Want to read all 8 pages?
Previewing 4 of 8 pages Upload your study docs or become a member.
End of preview
Want to read all 8 pages? Upload your study docs or become a member.